What is DDC-Lab
R/D Laboratory with the goal of applying the DSP technology in power electronics and drives, with the motto to save on iron and copper by smart use of silicon and software. Design house with mature experience in developing, prototyping and manufacturing consumer, industrial, automotive and appliance products involving power electronics, electrical drives, digital controls and the DSP technology.
Products and services
CONSULTING & DESIGN in Power electronics, drives & controls
DDC – Lab published a number of scientific articles in reference journals, books, invited papers and reports. Besides its academic activity, DDC-Lab provides consulting services, proposes and designs your product, provides reference designs and OEM kits, offers rapid prototyping, re-engineering, as well as pre- and post-production support. In an alliance with our manufacturing network, we produce, qualify, test and deliver small and medium series. We offer complete product development cycle from the concept, through the platform definition, risk assessment, product potential definition, identification of the system architecture, evaluation of alternative components, solutions and topologies, down to complete hardware, firmware and software design, rapid prototyping, sampling, testing, qualification and norm compliance verification, design and manufacturing documentation, production and delivery.
Product areas
DSP-controlled power conversion, general purpose drives, Automotive, Military, Appliances, Electrical drives, Motion control systems, UPS, electrical traction, fork lifts, golf carts, alternative energy. Technical expertise includes long, mature experience in designing servo drives and motion control systems. Consulting in power electronics and industrial drives. Analytical studies, experimental and prototyping capability in building low-cost appliance drives designed to the norms. Complete product development cycle, potentials and risks, rapid prototyping, Compliance to applicable standards. Providing design and manufacturing documentation tested and qualified samples. Development and design of converter topologies, Hardware, software & firmware, Analog & digital, Circuit & PCB designs. Reliability, safety and compliance.
Why we're different
Fresh ideas are generated from a synergy of DDC-Lab mature experience of our engineers and the energy brought in by our new University postgraduates. Experience and flexibility we gained over the years turned us into a cost-effective, one-stop service provider for your product design, prototyping, qualification and production needs. Our outsource design capacity and flexibility ensure correct product integration, technical and post-production support. Our technical expertise and references are the unique benefits, completing our service provider offer.
Benefits to customers
Quick and simple one-stop product design services, with both the cost and technical effectiveness. Along with the design, sampling and pre-production, we also perform product evaluation, schedule analysis, and ensure the compliance to the applicable standards. We deliver complete hardware, software, firmware and manufacturing documentation. Our clients are assured that no decision is made before a thorough analysis of all recent technologies, advances, solutions and options.
Our clients
Sever-Subotica, Sprade-COM India, Serbain Railways, Nikola Tesla Power Plant, Zastava-automobili, Vickers-Electric, MOOG-Electric, International Rectifier, Lord-Baladyne Corp., Emerson Electric, Msemicon-IRL, GND-UPS Taiwan, Semicron, ELGE-Mi, Polimotor-GE, Iskra-avtoelektrika, Atech-SI,
About our manufacturing alliance network
DDC Lab is founded 1998. in Belgrade, and by now it developed into the software and hardware design house, based on the knowledge and experience of its founder, Prof. Slobodan N. Vukosavic, numerous associates and postgraduate students. DDC-Lab offered the first job opportunity to the best graduate students, got involved in top R/D projects and mastered the recent DSP, power electronics and drives technologies. In cases when our clients desire us not only to conceive the product, design, document and provide samples; but also to provide the series production and supply quantities larger than 10-100, we rely on the local manufacturing alliance network. Our network includes the companies Tagor-Electronics, DKTS, Indel and Iritel, with more than 500 employees and with the quality process in place.
Key Phrases
Industrial, automotive and appliance design, prototyping and consulting services. Electrostatic percipitator. One-stop product development services. Using silicon & SW to save on iron & copper
Specialties
Industrial and servo drives, Control strategies, PWM application issues, Multilevel and multiphase drives, Magnetics and SMPS, EMI/EMC assessment, Embedded uC/DSP Safety and MTBF, Harmonics, power quality, Utility interface issues, Electrostatic precipitators in Power Plants
Software Tools at the DDC-Lab
uC and DSP development tools, most analog/digital simulation tools, schematics and PCB CAD tools, Math tools, VHDL, compilers and code generators, documentation tools.
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1. Regenerative Power Supply & PFC - ARPS, Pnom=90kW
Customer: MOOG Electric
Product description:
ARPS is a large power, compact size, DSP controlled DC/AC power converter with CAN-communication, designed to receive the power from a 500V DC-bus and convert this power back to the 3-phase mains. Having a rated power of 90 kW at 3x460V, regenerative power supply ARPS is designed to be attached to the common DC-bus of a multiaxis/multimotor drive systems encountered in robotics & general automation, and to recuperate back to the mains the power generated in the braking phases of the robot/machine. The ARPS regenerating power Typical application: Plastics-injection molding machines, where the stamps and moulds weighing over a ton have to be moved swiftly, and where large amounts of braking power is generated; processes where carbon powder and textile dust prevent the use of braking resistors due to the risk of fire. Customers: Michelin, Imeca.
DDC-Lab involvement:
Concept, hardware design, safety and EMC norms, DSP-control software design and communication software design, pre-series production and customer support.
2. OEM – Kit for the IR: IRADK1.0 frequency inverter with IRAMS module.
Customer: International Rectifier, El Segundo, www.irf.com,
Product description:
IRADK1.0 is a RISC-controlled miniature frequency inverter designed to demonstrate the features of IRAMS family of intelligent power modules, promoted by IR. The hardware and software features of the IRADK are compatible with the needs and norms of the appliance market. PC-based GUI is designed to bring the IRAMS features to the potential IR-customer closer look.
DDC-Lab involvement:
Concept, design of al the aspects of the product (hardware, software, mechanics, marketing issues).
3. Fork lift traction AC drive, 24V, 4 kW
Customer: Autoelektrika-Iskra
Product description:
A 4 kW fork lift traction drive using recent advances in low voltage power MOSFET technology and the DSP technology enables a low cost substitution of DC brushed traction motors with robust AC induction motors, controlled through the field orientation principle. CAN-Open communication reduces the wiring and simplifies the installation, monitoring and command in multi-motor, distributed-intelligence vehicles.
DDC-Lab involvement:
Power section design, DSP-hardware design, control and communication embedded software design and documentation. Production of the first 2 prototypes, supporting the client towards series production, supporting the client in marketing issues, software interventions when the product has to be retailored to specific needs of the target client.
4. Electronic speed control for induction motor in appliance industry
Customer: ATECH Electronic
Product description:
A very low cost mP controlled drive, yet compatible with appliance-set of safety and EMC norms is designed, along with the embedded software, giving to the client the possibility access the drive and process through the GUI-driven serial link and to build in his own application code into the unit.
DDC-Lab involvement:
Design of the hardware, control and communication software, production of 3 samples and support to Atech towards the series production.
5. Hoist-drive for the fork-lift
Customer:Autoelektrika-Iskra
Product description:
Battery supplied MOSFET inverter, controlled by means of a digital signal processor, controls and runs a 3-phase induction motor attached to the fluid pump, said pump in turn lifting the weight of the fork-lift. DSP-based control enables a high efficiency, and a differentiated diagnostics, capable of distinguishing between the instantaneous overload and a faulty condition. Indirect weight measurement from the pump-motor terminal quantities.
DDC-Lab involvement:
Power section design, DSP-hardware design, control and communication embedded software design and documentation. Production of the first prototype.
6. MFI: Miniature inverter for variable speed industrial AC drives
Customer: Semicron/Taiwan.
Product description:
Miniature, DIN-rail format industrial drive for AC motors and brushless DC motors with the rated power up to 500W is designed, documented, produced and shipped to the client along with the documentation related to the production technology.
DDC-Lab involvement:
Power section design, analog and digital controls, control and communication embedded software design and documentation. Production of the first prototype, production of production technology documentation.
7. PWM current amplifier for twin-coil balancer.
Customer: Baladyne Corporation
Product description:
DSP controller twin-coil PWM amplifier with CAN-bus link, compatible with the needs of the CE norms for the European market.
DDC-Lab involvement:
Control software, communication software and hardware design, PCB artwork, mechanics, production of samples.
8. DBS: DSP controlled servoamplifier for AC and SyncPM motors.
Customer: Vickers Electric
Product description:
DBS - Digital Brushless Standalone, DSP controlled servoamplifier for the synchronous permanent magnet motors. The ratings range from 3Arms/9Apeak to 180Arms/340Apeak. Control software includes options for the AC motors, for intelligent positioner with micro interpolation and internal trajectory generation, while communication options include RS485, CAN-bus & FireWire.
DDC-Lab involvement:
Power section concept, consultancy in designing the power and control hardware, design of the DSP control software, consultancy in developing the communication software. DDC-Lab designed software options such as the shaft-emulator for twin-drive application.
9. Washing machine: Sensorless AC motor drive for European-type washer
Customers:
Sever-Corporation (recently acquired by ATB-Austria)
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Product description:
Electronic controller for the 3-phase induction motor with no sensors is designed for the European-type washer, having the drum speeds up to 1500 RPM. Controller is based on a low-cost RISC microprocessor, passive utility interface, and includes the communication support to the machine controller, as well as the motor control features such as the shaft speed estimation, the torque / unbalance detection, wash, distribution and spin modes and active braking. It is designed to comply to the applicable safety and EMC norms, having the overall cost as the primary goal.
Motor is designed for 1.5 Nm torque at the low-speed mode, while reaching 20.000 RPM in the field weakening. Extremely large tope speed – to – rated speed ratio and a wide field weakening range called for particular care in designing the motor magnetic circuit, the form of the rotor slots and the winding scheme.
DDC-Lab involvement:
Electronics: Complete hardware and software design, manufacturing of prototypes. Power section concept & design, designing the power and control hardware, design of the RISC processor control & communication software, norms issues.
Motor: Consultancy and support in the motor design.
10. Thread-feed drive for the textile industry
Customers:
Designed for: Sprade Electro Controls
Product description:
3-phase, 200W induction motor feeds the thread, while the dancing-arm with the proximity sensor determines the tension. The process controller is adjusting the motor speed and torque so as to achieve the same tension of the thread at various speeds of the feeder.
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The unit operates on 300V DC, where the DC voltage comes from the rectifier common to 500-1000 drives. Wireless communication provides low-speed serial-link connection to the host, made in such a way that the failure of any out of 500-1000 modules does not impair the communication of functional modules and the host.
DDC-Lab involvement:
Hardware and software design, power section concept & design, motor control software, process controller.
11. Integral motor-drive concept for water circulation pumps.
Customers:
Electronics designed for: Sever-Subotica
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Product description:
Miniaturized, motor-integrated, RISC-processor controlled IGBT-based single phase 220V AC supplied drive for 3-phase 200/370W induction motors driving water circulation pumps, servo valves and HVAC loads.
WPD family of miniaturized inverters is dedicated to low power (200/370W) 3-phase induction motors and designed to be integrated within the motor/pump body or the connection box. The WPD family makes use of the latest RISC processor technology; recent high frequency IGBT developments, a proprietary power converter topology and control algorithm focused on the passive components minimization. In such a way, a complete frequency inverter with a minimum of necessary command and communication channels is designed in a very small size The WPD family of drives is mounted on standard 200W and 370W induction motors; under the on the aluminum cover of the connection box.
DDC-Lab involvement:
Complete hardware and software design, manufacturing of prototypes. Power section concept & design, designing the power and control hardware, design of the RISC processor control & communication software, norms issues.
12. Railway application inverter for the on-board passenger car HVAC
Customer: Minel ELVO (Serbian Railways)
Product description:
HVAC units in passenger cars and the train-conductor compartments are supplied from the 24V, 72V or 110V batteries. Power converted is needed to provide 220V 50Hz, with continuous load of 3 kW, and the peak load of 10 kW over several seconds, while the HVAC compressors and blowers are starting.
Converter is based on Cool-FET technology and RISC processor real time control. The PWM runs at 10 kHz. Besides standard protections, the thermal model of the power section active and passive components is included in software, in order to provide the operation at the highest possible ambient temperatures without damaging of vital components or their accelerated aging.
The unit is shipped in several mechanical presentations, suitable for the installation on the roof, or inside the vehicle/car.
Communication includes RS485 physical layer and the MODBUS protocol.
DDC-Lab involvement:
Complete hardware and software design. Power section concept & design, designing the power and control hardware, design of the RISC processor control & communication software. Resolving the railway norms issues.
13. DMS2000, 10-axis industrial robot controller
Customer: MOOG Electric
Contact: Mario Salano
Product description:
Digital multiaxis servoamplifier with real-time Ethernet link to the host, with the trajectory interpolation, motion control functions, position controllers, and the motor control functions including the torque control loops, the space-vector modulation, decoupled IMC current controller, deterministic disturbance rejection block, and the oversampling system for the current/shaft sensor reading and demodulation. This motion control systems is applied at the leading European car manufacturer’s.
DDC-Lab involvement:
Consultancy in determining the system concept and platforms. Control software concept. Consultancy in designing the system software. Design of critical control software modules. Resolving the issues related to control loops. .
14. DSP-controller for the Electrostatic Precipitator
Customer: Nikola Tesla Power Plant, Serbia
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Product description:
DSP-based controller for the electrostatic precipitator cleaning the output gasses and reducing emission in thermal power plant. The DSP technology helps detect the back-corona effect, identifies accumulation of the dust layers on the positive filter plates/electrodes, controls the corona and regulates the voltages and currents so as to obtain the optimal extraction of fine particles.
DDC-Lab involvement:
Consultancy in concept, design and software of the DSP-based controller.
15. Battery charger on board light electrical vehicles with PbS or NiCd
Customer: Zastava Automobili, Kragujevac
Product description:
FAST_CHARGE is a family of battery charges dedicated to fast-charging of the traction PbS and NiCd batteries in small (P<10 kW) electric vehicles, such as the small fork lift drives and golf-car EV. It covers a range of low voltage traction batteries starting with 24V 500Ah and going up to 144V 60Ah units.
The charger is single phase supplied (230V 50/60 Hz). Power conversion is microprocessor controlled so as to obtain the maximum charging power from the available RMS current allowed at the mains connection. The power factor close to unity is obtained by adopting the DC-link circuit without the electrolytic capacitors and the appropriate control. Salient features of the FAST_CHARGER are:
i) pulsed charging controlled by the uP, increasing the average charging current without the plates deterioration and with the unity power factor towards the utility network.
ii) digital charge process control, with the advanced battery monitoring
iii) flexibility of the microprocessor control permitting an easy customization of the unit to various battery technologies, voltages and [Ah] capacities.
DDC-Lab involvement:
Concept, design and manufacturing of the complete product.
16. High power, DSP-controlled servoamplifier for injection molding machines
Customer: Vickers Electric
Product description:
DBS180 is a DSP controlled servoamplifier for controlling the position, speed, torque and flux of the large power servo motors. Such motors are used in high speed plastics injection moulding machines for opening and closing the mould. Precise position control with the predefined trajectory is essential for the proper quality of the plastics injection moulding. Very high bandwidth is required in order to maximize the number of cycles per second without impairing precision. Safety issues are essential in order to preserve the integrity of the costly mould in emergency situation. Namely, in the cases where there is the power down or brownout at the phase of the mould coming to closing, in the absence of active braking, accelerated masses would clash and break the mould. The anti-free-wheeling feature prevents that from happening.
DDC-Lab involvement:
Consultancy in concept definition, design of the DSP-based control software.