This week, we got motor rotor estimator to actually commutate the motor. We are using a flux linkage observer to estimate rotor position, which involves measuring the ratio of magnetic flux applied to each of the three phases of the motor. We then apply a Clarke transform to translate into a 2-axis reference frame such that we can use the angle between the two to get the rotor electric angle. We also spent a while tuning the values of the control loop, until an unfortunate load test by Charles killed yet another gate driver and the Janktroller board.

We also bought a bike that we have started thinking about how to mount things to. It is 40 dollars and we bought it off a lady on Facebook. We also made a motor mount for the big beefy motor out of aluminum and much more stationary than the wooden one we had with our test motor. The motor dyno effort is ongoing and we’ll see where it goes.