Simulink Control Motors

Simulink Control Motors — Motor Control Blockset Skill

Build motor control solutions using Motor Control Blockset (MCB): characterize motors, select control algorithms (FOC, DTC, six-step, V/f), compose Simulink models, tune gains, configure sensorless estimation, and generate code for embedded targets.

When to Use

• User explicitly requests motor control assistance or asks to load this skill
• User works with Motor Control Blockset or motor drive design
• Building, tuning, debugging, or designing motor control systems
• User mentions PMSM, BLDC, induction motor, SynRM, FOC, sensorless, six-step, SVPWM, flux weakening, MTPA, MTPV

When NOT to Use

• General Simulink modeling work that does not involve motor control
• Simple factual questions about motors (no model building needed)

Dependencies

• Required: Motor Control Blockset, Simulink
• Optional: Embedded Coder, Simscape Electrical, Powertrain Blockset

How This Skill Works

1. Read references/common/COMMON-mcb.md (shared conventions — always load first)
2. Read references/common/ROUTER-mcb.md for block routing and resolution rules
3. Identify user intent using the routing table below
4. Follow the matching section — each section points to detailed reference files
5. Consult references/configurations/ for non-FOC architectures (DTC, six-step, V/f, BLDC, ACIM)
6. Use references/common/mcb-examples.md for official MCB example references

Intent Routing

Quick Decision

• User describes an application → Designing
• User says "build" → Building
• User has an error → Diagnosing
• User wants to tune gains → Tuning
• User has FEA/LUT data → Nonlinear Data
• User wants sensorless → Sensorless
• User wants Simscape plant → Plant

Designing Motor Control

Recommends control strategies, selects patterns, evaluates feature compatibility.

Load: references/design/beginner-path.md for enquiry protocol and learning paths.

1. Detect mode (Learn / Select / Validate / Enquiry) — see references/design/beginner-path.md
2. Search references/design/application-catalog.md by user's keywords → get Pattern + Features
3. Validate combination against references/design/composition-rules-combining.md
4. Review architecture details in references/design/architecture-patterns.md

Critical rules:

• NEVER recommend Pattern A for speed control (structural instability with MCB discrete plant)
• NEVER recommend Sensorless Six-Step + BLDC AVI together
• Pattern B is the DEFAULT for standard speed-controlled FOC

Output: basePattern + features + motorType + controlMode → carry to Building section.

Building Motor Controller

Constructs complete models using wiring topologies, composition rules, and model_edit.

Step 1: Check for a Dedicated Configuration

BEFORE using generic wiring tables, check references/configurations/ for a matching file:

If a config file exists: follow it directly. Otherwise: proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Generic FOC Wiring

Step 3: Add Features

• Core (FW, SMO, GainSched, FF, Position, I/f): references/wiring/composition-rules.md
• Infrastructure (Protection, PWM, Multi-Rate): references/wiring/composition-rules-infrastructure.md
• Integration (Logging, Speed Profiles): references/wiring/composition-rules-integration.md

Step 4: Set Structural Config

• PI: ControllerParametersSource='internal', ExternalReset='none', InitialConditionSource='internal'
• Park: ThetaInput='Electrical position', AngleInput='Radians'
• Unit Delay on voltage path to plant

Key rules:

• Always check references/configurations/ FIRST
• Use wiring-topologies.md block lists verbatim (type strings are validated)
• Composition-rules operations are STRUCTURAL (affect port count) — do during wiring
• All structural changes go through model_edit

Configuring MCB Blocks

Sets mask parameters for 30+ MCB block types using motor datasheet values.

Reference files:

• references/block-config/block-configurations.md — control blocks
• references/plants/block-configurations-plants.md — plant/sensor blocks
• references/block-config/block-configurations-utility.md — utility blocks
• references/block-config/block-configurations-bldc.md — BLDC blocks

Critical configurations (must get right):

Key rules:

• Mask param names ≠ motor struct fields — always check reference table
• Use model_edit configure for setting parameters
• Single-precision plant outputs need DTC blocks before double-precision control

Tuning Motor FOC Gains

Computes PI gains, IIR filters, and PU normalization.

Full workflow: references/common/detailed-workflows.md § Tuning Motor FOC Gains

Quick summary: Use mcb.calcFOCGains(pmsm, inverter, Ts, Ts_speed) for all categories except Category A (kt/J > 10,000) which needs manual Ki_speed override. MCB uses Ki×Ts convention — never pass raw Ki.

Reference files: references/tuning/parameter-computation.md, references/shared/gain-formulas.md

Importing Nonlinear Motor Data

Generates and validates LUTs from FEA/measurement data.

Full workflow: references/common/detailed-workflows.md § Importing Nonlinear Motor Data

Quick summary: Use mcb.generateMotorLUT(pmsm, inverter, purpose) with correct purpose string. Validate trefVec symmetry and FluxDTable first row = 0.

Reference files: references/nonlinear-data/pmsmlut-structure.md

Building Motor Plant

Converts between MCB ideal plants, Simscape, and FEM-parameterized models.

Full workflow: references/common/detailed-workflows.md § Building Motor Plant

Quick summary: Solver must change to ode14x for Simscape. Add angle adapter Gain(1/(2*pi)). Gains need re-tuning after plant swap.

Reference files: references/plants/plant-model-converters.md, references/plants/block-configurations-plants.md

Estimating Motor Parameters

Commissioning workflows for Rs, Ld, Lq, FluxPM, J, B.

Full workflow: references/common/detailed-workflows.md § Estimating Motor Parameters

Quick summary: Estimate in order: Rs → Ld/Lq → FluxPM → J/B. Motor must be stationary for Rs and Ld/Lq. Feed results into mcb.calcFOCGains.

Reference files: references/estimation/estimation-procedures.md, references/estimation/estimation-to-tuning.md

Estimating Sensorless Motor Position

Configures I/F startup, SMO, HFI, EEMF observers, and handoff logic.

Full workflow: references/common/detailed-workflows.md § Estimating Sensorless Motor Position

Quick summary: SPM → SMO + I/F. IPM → HFI + SMO hybrid. ACIM → Flux Observer + I/F. Always set SMO PositionUnit='Radians'.

Reference files: references/sensorless/sensorless-blocks.md, references/sensorless/hfi-scheduler.md

Diagnosing Motor Control

Diagnoses errors, oscillations, zero-torque using structured checklists.

Full workflow: references/common/detailed-workflows.md § Diagnosing Motor Control

Quick summary: Identify symptom → run matching checklist → apply fix from auto-fix-recipes → validate. Never rebuild from scratch.

Reference files: references/diagnostics/auto_fix/ERROR_PATTERNS.md, references/diagnostics/auto_fix/auto-fix-recipes.md, references/diagnostics/model-sanity-check.md

Copyright 2026 The MathWorks, Inc.