Digital Control for Power Converters

Digital Control for Power Converters is a 4-day, 24-PDH advanced professional development course delivered live online in HyFlex format. Participants develop mastery of digital control theory and implementation for power converters, including DC-DC converters, three-phase inverters, and motor drives. The curriculum progresses from analog-to-digital control migration, through discrete-time modeling and z-domain compensator design, to embedded fixed-point implementation and hardware-in-the-loop validation. Each session intergrates MATLAB/Simulink live demonstrations and Qspice simulation exercieses. The course serves as an advanced elective in the Electrified Systens Certificate and is the direct continuation of RA00072 Intermediate Power Electronics.

Learning Outcomes:

At the completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Design discrete-time digital compensators (PI, lead-lag, state-space) for DC-DC converters and three-phase inverters using z-domain analysis and MATLAB/Simulink.

Implement fixed-point digital control algorithms on microcontrollers and DSPs.

Discuss concepts including anti-windup, dead-time compensation, and PWM interrupt-driven control loops.

Apply digital control techniques to closed-loop power converters systems including voltage-mode control, control, average-current-mode control, and field-oriented control for motor drives, validated through simulation and HIL testing.

Who Should Attend:

Electrical engineers and embedded software engineers with 3+ years of experience in power electronics design who have completed RA00072 Intermediate Power Electronics or equivalent; practicing engineers at automotive OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, energy storage and renewable energy companies, industrial drives manufacturers, and data center power systems companies; engineering managers and technical leads overseeing digital power conversion system design; engineers transitioning from analog to digital DSP/microcontroller-based control implementations.

Course Details: RA00125-E143

Course Schedule

Course Notes

This is a live online course that uses the Zoom and Canvas platforms.

The registration confirmation will guide students through accessing the Canvas course site.

Students will create and log in to the Canvas course site with a NetID. Course assets such as instructional materials, participation certificates, and course evaluations will be available to all students through the Canvas course site.

The course materials are all digital and only available on the Canvas course website.

Online attendees will access sessions via the Zoom web conferencing platform. The Zoom link will be provided a few days before the course.

Please watch the email address that you provide during registration for release dates and pre-course information.

Instructors and Program Director

Instructors
Erick Oberstar
Program Director
Dr. Oberstar is a Program Director with InterPro and has over 28 years of engineering and entrepreneurial experiences. At InterPro he manages programs for and teaches in the areas of AI/ML, Electrification, and Mechatronics. He has extensive experience in embedded real time control systems, signal and image processing, robotics, automation, medical devices. He managed the UW-Madison Mechatronics Laboratory for 22 years where he taught courses in mechatronics, manufacturing automation, automatic controls, and discrete time controls.
He has previous technical roles as a Scientist in the Department of Medical Physics at UW, consultant for St. Jude Medical, and electrical engineer for Orbital Technologies Corporation and Automation Components. His numerous entrepreneurial experiences include working on blood flow quantification, night vision, bacterial detection, robotics, automation, and general product development.
Dr. Oberstar has a Ph.D in Biomedical Engineering and MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering (WEMPEC) from UW-Madison, and a BS Electrical Engineering from UW-Platteville. He has over 30 publications with over 400 citations and three patents. Dr. Oberstar is a Wisconsin Professional Engineer, Harvey Spangler Award for Technology Enhanced Education winner and judge, as well as a SPIE member and senior member of IEEE.
Steven Fredette
Associate Teaching Professor
Fredette is an associate teaching professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at UW-Madison. He is interested in the design, simulation, modeling, controls, and development of power conversion systems for alternative energy (wind, solar PV, fuel cells) and industrial (HVAC, elevator, traction) applications. Fredette has delivered innovative, producible solutions to the industrial, aerospace, and alternative energy fields.
He has acquired a wide range of industrial experience through work for United Technologies, Vestas Technology R&D, and American Superconductor (AMSC). He has a PhD from UW-Madison.
Program Director
Erick Oberstar

Total Credits:

CEU 2.2,

PDH 22,

Course Administration

Fee Information

Fee covers course materials and Online Instruction.

Discounts

10% discount when three or more sign up from same employer.

WEMPEC members received $200 off the course fee. Membership affiliation will be verified.

Payment Options

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

Search for the course on the website and then click on the Enroll Now button from the course webpage.
Enter all necessary course attendee information and payment information on the course enrollment page.
You will receive an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Enroll over the phone and pay by credit card.

Call CERC Registrations at 608-262-2451.
Provide the registrations representative with:
- the course name, dates, and/or course number.
- the necessary course attendee information and payment information.
You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment payment.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
Prepare a check, made payable to UW Madison.
Mail the registration form and check to: CERC Registrations 21 N Park St, Ste 7101 Madison, WI 53715
You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Purchase Order

Request Purchase Order information from registration@cerc.wisc.edu
- If a fee quote is needed, contact custserv@interpro.wisc.edu first
You will receive an invoice from UW–Madison Business Services for payment, usually within 3–5 business days

Military

If using SF-182 form, please call our registration number at 608-262-2451 or email registration@cerc.wisc.edu for details and instructions.

Event Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen events. If we cancel a course, participants will be notified via email or phone and will be given the option for a full refund or to transfer their registration and any fees paid to another course. We are not responsible for non-refundable plane tickets, hotel reservations, and other travel related expenses. For enrollee Course Cancellation, refer to notes on course page.

Cancellation Policy

Once you have accessed the online course, exam and/or materials, no cancellations or refunds are permitted.