Modeling and simulation of variable-reluctance step motors with application to a high-performance printer system

Basic information on modeling and digital computer simulation of variable-reluctance (VR) step motors is provided. The nonlinear equations of the system are derived, and a method for implementing them on a digital computer is presented. As an example, a typical printer with a step motor is designed with this approach. The problem is defined by giving the desired system performance criteria and the step motor parameters and characteristics. The specification of the control schemes determined the design. Computer simulation runs are made to determine the optimal control parameters of the system. The case study demonstrates the advantages of the computer-aided design, before the physical construction of the experimental system.