Safety relevant system architecture for motor control applications

In safety relevant applications the safe state of the system is evaluated as being an operating mode without an unreasonable level of risk. This paper proposes a new architecture for safety relevant systems that are using electric motors. Using this architecture one can diminish the range where the unsafe state is defined as off and understood as deactivated or as no assistance provided. Moreover, a case study for a four phase permanent magnet synchronous motor is conducted and the ability to overcome inserted failures using the new architecture in conjunction with a properly adapted control strategy is proven via Matlab/Simulink simulations.