AET LABS BLOG
November 09, 2022
3 min read

How to Teach Electric Motor Control Basics to Your Students

Control systems are vital to the performance and protection of factory equipment powered by electric motors, making it essential for technical workers, primarily industrial electricians, industrial maintenance technicians, and mechatronics technicians, to have a solid overall understanding of electric motor control basics. These systems range from the simple starting and stopping of electric motors to directing energy flows in an automated factory. While sensors and PLCs can be used, basic motor control technology, such as switches, relays, and contactors, are widespread in the industry. Therefore, skilled workers will be required to know how to install, maintain, and troubleshoot control circuits and their main controllers, such as manual, automatic, reversing, and reduced voltage starters.

Electric Motor Training For Your Students

To give your students hands-on experience learning electric motor control basics in a safe environment, explore Festo Didactic's Basic Motor Control Technology Course. Festo Didactic is the education arm of Festo Automation, a leading industrial control and automation company. After consulting with seasoned teachers and reviewing several curricula, they developed this unique course to provide practical training in the fundamentals of electric motor controllers. 

The course guides students step by step through study and practical experimentation. 

  • Covers electric motor control basics: control circuits, three-phase induction motors, motor protections, reversible motor starters, braking, and reduced voltage motor starters
  • Highly relevant for students in mechatronics, industrial maintenance, electrotechnology, electrical trades, and instrumentation and process control
  • Focuses on the development of sound troubleshooting skills
  • Available on the online portal Festo LX or in print/PDF format

Students can perform learning activities with a training package to complement the online course with safe, hands-on learning of basic motor controllers. With the training packages, students connect power and control components with industrial switching devices to create control circuits. They also learn to install, test, and troubleshoot the most common motor controllers. The training package comes in two options:

Suitcase system: The entire training package fits into a portable suitcase. The switching components and the mounting plate are stored in the lid, while control and power components are integrated in the faceplate. 

Workstation system: This training package consists of a collection of several modules that represent control and power components. These modules can be installed in a workstation equipped with standard A4 frames, or directly on a table.

Teaching electric motor control basics to your students will give them relevant skills projected to be in demand for at least the next 30 years for industrial technicians. The Festo Didactic Basic Motor Control Technology Course is a modular, faultable, versatile solution to electric motor control training. 

If you would like to bring this to your New England technical school, contact us to learn more and get a free course sample!