Hugo F.

Actuator Hardware Enjoyer
B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering @ NYUAD

Building actuator subsystems. Drivers, motors, drivetrains available.

1. Actuator Subsystems

Independent projects I designed and built to learn the full actuator stack (driver, BLDC motor, and drivetrains), with full documentation.
*Some project websites may be under construction.

2. Actuator Lineup (In Progress)

Complete actuator builds across a range of motor sizes, planned for upcoming robot projects.

8308

8308 Actuator

Built

Ø100mm, 9:1 quasi-direct drive for a hip/shoulder joint. 4th iteration from the QDD listed in Section 1.
Driven by my YVGESC-1 driver.

2205

2205 Actuator

In progress

Ø42mm 2-stage, 24:1 drive for robot wrist/finger joints.
Driven by SimpleFOCMini + AS5600.
Learning Blender for rendering.

3510

3510 Actuator

In progress

10:1 QDD for shoulder rotator cuff joints.

4008

4008 Actuator

In progress

Medium-size actuator around a Ø40mm motor, planned for elbows/wrists.

8110

8110 Actuator

Manufacturing

Fully custom 8110 motor, driver, and QDD for a robot shoulder/hip joint.
To be driven by YVGESC-1.

2804

2804 Actuator

Planned

Small gimbal-type actuator around a 100KV Ø28mm motor, for a robot neck/wrist joint.

Other projects and things I've built University projects and some smaller builds, no writeups attached. Click for photos.

Custom BLDC motor driver board yvgesc kicad buildpic

Skills used

  • Power Electronics
  • KiCad - PCB Design
  • STM32 / Embedded C
  • Python
  • Field Oriented Control
  • Controller Area Network (CAN)
  • MOSFET Gate Drivers
  • Design for Manufacturing
  • DC-Link Capacitance Design
  • USB Design
  • Magnetic Encoders
  • Return Paths
  • Cascaded PI/PD Control
  • ST-Link Debugging
  • Impedance Matching
  • PCB Emissions
  • Thermal Management
  • SMD Soldering / Bodging
  • Ground Plane Strategy

YVGESC1 - Custom BLDC Driver

Designed in KiCad and fabricated with JLCPCB for driving my custom motors and drivetrains. Check out the full documentations page below for instructions, design process, schematics, and testing. Features USB flashing, as well as a USB to CAN pipeline, and a heat dissipation algorithm without a brake resistor.

  • PCB Properties 4-Layer, 64x74mm, ENIG
  • Max Bus Voltage/Continuous/Peak Current 50V/30A/52A
  • Gate Driver/MCU DRV8323H/STM32G431RBT6
  • Flashing ST-Link SWD, USB
  • Communications CAN, USB to SLCAN
  • Encoder AS5047P Absolute Magnetic
  • Status Complete, currently writing advanced configs.
Read full documentation
some build pics some build pics test coupling test coupling DFM Before

Skills used

  • Brushless PM Motor Design
  • Finite Element Method Magnetics (FEMM)
  • CAD - Onshape
  • Soldering
  • 3D Printing
  • Motor Winding
  • Design for Manufacturing
  • Tolerancing, Drawings
  • Dynamometer Testing

Custom BLDC Motor

A 3D printed (PETG for now), neodymium magnet-steel welded, hand-wound motor with 26AWG annealed copper around a 8110-size silicon steel laminated stator core.

  • Mass/Height/Diameter 568g (PETG) / 32mm / 102mm
  • Motor Type/Phase 3-phase Brushless DC, Star (Y)
  • KV 125 RPM/V
  • Max Current per phase 6A (PETG)
  • Max Speed 1482 RPM
  • PM Magnet Type NdFeB N38 (V1), N42 (V2)
  • Airgap Length 1.25mm (V1) 0.75mm (V2)
  • Status V1/V2 complete. Developing metal V3.
Read full documentation
qdd1build qdd1cad

Skills used

  • Robotic Drivetrains
  • Gearbox Design
  • Gear Backlash Control
  • Impedance Control
  • Finite Element Analysis
  • CAD - Onshape

Quasi-Direct Drive Actuator (9:1 Planetary)

Version 1 of a backdrivable, high-torque drivetrain for a robotic joint built around an 8308 motor. FEA analysis on ring gear. V2 uses needle bearings instead of ball bearings.

  • Material PETG, PA-CF15 (V2)
  • Mass 843g
  • Height/Diameter 102mm, 100mm
  • Reduction Ratio 9:1
  • Efficiency (PETG) 84%
  • Peak Torque (via motor) 40.365 Nm
  • Cont. Torque (via motor) 19.734 Nm
  • Backlash (V1) 2.6 deg
Documentation In Progress

Skills used

  • PM Motor Design
  • Airgap Flux
  • Python
  • Graphical UI
  • Slot Leakage
  • Magnetic Permeability
  • Thermal Management
  • Temperature Flux Derating
  • Magnet Physics

Analytical Three-Phase Motor Model and Graphical UI

A Python-based calculator + UI for constructing three-phase permanent magnet motors using PyQt5. An analytical model for determining performance (torque, current density) from winding characteristics, stator/rotor geometry, magnetic flux, and correction factors. Ran a Finite Element Magnetics simulation to get +/-5% error on KV, Kt, peak torque, flux linkage.
- Allows for inrunner/outrunner and slot/pole count configurations
- Allows for selection of plastic or metal rotor ring for prototyping purposes.
- Calculates airgap flux density while accounting for airgap length, Carter coefficients, slot leakage, temperature remanence derating, magnetic permeability,
- Accounts for neodymium magnet grade and geometry
- Accounts for stator tooth/slot geometry, thickness, and material
- Accounts for series/parallel winding paths, star/delta connections, internal parallel strands for insulated copper windings, buildup, and turns per tooth.
- Accounts for magnet skew, winding pitch, and distribution factors for both concentrated and distributed windings.
- 5% error in KV, Kt, peak torque, and flux linkage from identical numerical simulations using FEMM

  • Language Python
Read full documentation
dyno1setup deconstructed On car dyno1setup

Skills used

  • Test Fixtures
  • Generators
  • Power Resistors
  • Current Sensing
  • Data Collection
  • Performance/Efficiency Characterization
  • Three-Phase Rectifiers

Delco CS144 Alternator to Dynamometer

Deconstructing a broken alternator from my former 1995 Chevrolet, replacing the carbon brushes and rectifier, and implementing a load circuit to become a testing rig for characterizing my custom motors. Technically a BLDC-to-WRSM/brushed generator coupling. V2 dyno may perform better as it is BLDC-to-BLDC.

  • Current Sense INA226
  • Field Energization 6-12V
  • Load 50W 8 Ohm Power Resistor
  • Status Testing losses and efficiency map, ordering smaller resistors
Read full documentation
handcad handlabeled

Skills used

  • Soft Robotics
  • Hysteresis Control
  • CAD - Onshape
  • Electrical Circuit Design
  • Knot Tying
  • Biomechanics
  • Voltage Buck Regulators
  • Solenoid Valve Control
  • Bosch Relays
  • Air Pressure Control Loop

Pneumatic Soft-Actuated Hand

This is my air-powered McKibben soft robotic hand designed to mimic hand bones, up to 12 hand muscles, and tendon systems found in the actual hand.

It features a self-topping compressor-accumulator tank controlled via N-Ch MOSFET + 12V Bosch automotive relay + 12V pressure transducer for hysteresis control via a cheap ESP32 board, using C++/PlatformIO.

At the time, I was dealing with some deep hand injuries from handbalancing training, so it was a good visualizer for my self-rehab.

  • Actuator Type Custom McKibben (balloon + 1.25in. braided harness)
  • Voltage 12V Power -> 5V Logic (LM2596)
  • Number of Actuators Up to 12
  • Pressure Control Type Tire Pump + Pressure Transducer
  • Hysteresis Control Hardware Bosch Relay + MOSFET
  • Actuation Control I2C PWM -> transistor array -> Solenoid valve
  • Status V1 Concept Complete
Read full documentation