{"id":2972,"date":"2022-11-30T20:07:20","date_gmt":"2022-11-30T20:07:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nirmalkarthik.com\/?page_id=2972"},"modified":"2022-12-06T05:47:09","modified_gmt":"2022-12-06T05:47:09","slug":"electromagnet-project","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nirmalkarthik.com\/projects\/electromagnet-project\/","title":{"rendered":"Electromagnet Project"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The Electromagnet Project\u200b<\/h1><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The Objective of this project was to design and build a PCB which was capable to actuating an electromagnet to produce a range of magnet fields in either direction. This PCB would then be used in the Umbilical of a rocket for the Yellow Jacket Space Program. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Choosing a Design<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first step was to decide how to implement this PCB. I needed a design which could alter the current to the electromagnet, and change the direction of the current as well as stop the current flow completely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After about a week of research, I stumbled upon the full bridge topology, often used to control motors, and realized it would accomplish everything I needed for this PCB. To implement the full bridge, my initial thought was using P-channel and N-channel MOSFETS with one gate drive and an invertor. However, a little more research revealed that the lag on the P-channel MOSFETS would be too significant to make them practical. Hence, I later altered my design to include only N-channel MOSFETS and use two gate drivers instead of one. <\/p>\n<\/div>

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Choosing the Parts and Drawing a Schematic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The next step was to pick my parts and draw the schematic. This step undoubtedly took the longest, but was also the most educational.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initially, I was a little lost on how to begin. I started by choosing an electromagnet and looking at the voltage and current ratings. Then, went backwards and picked MOSFETS capable of channeling the necessary voltage and current; I found dual N-channel MOSFETS such that I would only need one chip for each side of the full bridge. Next on the list was picking a gate driver, and upon choosing a suitable one, I made my own invertor using a couple resistors and another N-channel MOSFET. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A key change I made during this step was to use PWM input to vary the current to the electromagnet rather than a potentiometer like I had initially planned. Prior to this project, I had only heard the term PWM and had little knowledge of its applications. However, upon taking a deeper dive into it at the suggestion of one of my teammates, I realized this would be ideal to vary the current to the electromagnet and found a gate driver which could use the PWM signal to increase the impedance of the MOSFETS rather than directly alter the source voltage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Designing the PCB<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With the Schematic made and the parts chosen, the last step was to design the PCB. This too was a extremely educational to me, although thankfully not as research heavy and time consuming as creating the schematic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My first step was to lay the parts on the board in the most compact way one side at a time. Then, route the connections between the parts. Although seemingly trivial, I found this process to be very mentally stimulating because laying the track in the most compact way required a surprising amount of critical thinking. Using Altium for this purpose also proved to be a steeper learning curve than for drawing the schematic: many hours were spent looking for tutorials on how to do things such add a second layer to the board or define the board shape, but I enjoyed the learning and am proud to have acquired this knowledge. <\/p>\n<\/div>

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Last Step: Building the PCB<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My final step for this project is to build the actual PCB and test it. Unfortunately, I am still waiting for my parts to arrive, but I look forward to receiving them and am excited to see the end result. To prepare for this step, I attended a training on PCB design provided by YJSP. Included in the training was hands-on experience soldering a basic PCB with a resin board, an integrated circuit, and a few LEDs, resistors, and capacitors. I look forward to applying the skills I learned in the training to the assembly of my PCB in the coming weeks. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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As an outcome of this project, I now have the knowledge to conceptualize my own PCBs and design them using Altium with parts of my choosing. The PCB design process excites me and I plan to continue practicing this skill as part of YJSP as well as for other student organizations, professional opportunities, and personal projects. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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