Smart Electrical Machines: Design, Control & Optimization

A hands-on Tasrela Academy course that teaches you how to design, control, and optimize electrical machines and drives — from simulation to embedded controllers and deployable prototypes. Purpose-built for innovators who want to build reliable, efficient machines and turn that skill into livelihood.

Course Overview

Smart Electrical Machines trains learners to design, prototype and optimize modern electrical machines and their control systems. The course blends theory (electromagnetics, power electronics), embedded control (microcontrollers and firmware), and practical prototyping (motor drives, measurement, and IoT monitoring). Projects emphasize low-cost, locally manufacturable designs and paths to self-employment.

Learning Objectives

  • Model and analyze common electrical machines (DC, BLDC, induction, synchronous).
  • Design and test motor drives and power converters using practical tools.
  • Implement control algorithms (PWM, PID, FOC basics) on microcontrollers.
  • Collect machine data and apply optimization/predictive maintenance strategies.
  • Prototype a deployable smart machine or service with documentation and a business brief.

Module Breakdown

Module 1 — Fundamentals of Electrical Machines

Construction, operating principles, torque-speed behavior, losses, and performance metrics. Lab: machine teardown and characterization.

Module 2 — Power Electronics & Drives

Converters, rectifiers, inverters, switch selection, and thermal basics. Lab: build and test a DC–DC converter and H-bridge drive.

Module 3 — Embedded Motor Control

PWM, sensor feedback, PID loops, basic Field-Oriented Control concepts, and microcontroller implementation (Arduino, STM32, ESP32 examples).

Module 4 — Simulation, Modeling & Testing

Use MATLAB/Simulink or open alternatives to simulate system dynamics and verify control strategies before hardware tests.

Module 5 — Smart Monitoring & Optimization

Instrument machines, capture current/voltage/temperature data, and apply simple ML/heuristics for fault detection and efficiency tuning. Connect to dashboards via IoT.

Module 6 — Capstone Project

Design and deliver a working prototype (e.g., smart pump, BLDC drive, retrofit kit) with operational tests, a technical manual, and a short go-to-market or service plan.

Capstone Examples

Smart Irrigation Pump
Speed control, IoT monitoring, energy optimization.
BLDC Motor Drive
Compact controller with telemetry and fault detection.
Renewable Micro-Inverter
Small-scale inverter optimized for home or community renewable setups.

Tools & Technologies

Who Should Enroll

Technicians, makers, and engineers with basic electronics knowledge who want to build practical motor systems or launch small technical enterprises. Prior exposure to circuits and basic programming is recommended.

Assessment & Certification

  • Labs and practical tasks (30%)
  • Module quizzes & simulations (20%)
  • Capstone project (40%)
  • Presentation & technical dossier (10%)
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