Portable motor testing device and associated methods of determining motor health using a plurality of speed ramps

1 . A portable motor testing device, comprising:

a handheld housing comprising a user interface, a microcontroller, and a motor driver board;

a power supply operatively coupled to the user interface, the microcontroller, and the motor driver board; and

a replaceable cable operatively coupled between the motor driver board and a motor under test;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to at least:

instruct, via the motor driver board, the motor under test to perform a plurality of speed ramps;

monitor a plurality of failure conditions associated with the motor under test during the plurality of speed ramps; and

responsive to a failure condition being met:

instruct, via the motor driver board, stopping of the plurality of speed ramps; and

cause, via the user interface, presentation of information related to the failure condition being met.

2 . The portable motor testing device of claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is further configured to at least:

responsive to a failure condition not being met:

instruct, via the motor driver board, stopping of the plurality of speed ramps; and

cause, via the user interface, presentation of information related to the failure condition not being met.

3 . The portable motor testing device of claim 1 , wherein the user interface further comprises:

a power switch, a start test button, a stop test button, and a display; and

wherein the information related to the failure condition being met is presented via the display.

4 . The portable motor testing device of claim 1 , wherein the replaceable cable further comprises:

a first connector at a first end that is configured to couple to a motor driver connector associated with the motor driver board of the handheld housing; and

a second connector at a second end that is configured to couple to a motor connector associated with the motor under test.

5 . The portable motor testing device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of speed ramps comprise a plurality of different rotational speeds and a plurality of different time durations; and

wherein the plurality of failure conditions comprise at least one of:

a current value relative to a nominal current range;

a voltage value relative to a nominal voltage range;

a rotational speed value relative to a nominal rotational speed range;

a power consumption value relative to a nominal power consumption range; or

a temperature value relative to a nominal temperature range.

6 . A portable device, comprising:

a handheld unit comprising a user interface and a microcontroller;

a power supply configured to operatively couple to the handheld unit; and

a replaceable cable configured to operatively couple between the microcontroller and a motor under test;

wherein the portable device is configured to determine a health of the motor under test; and

wherein the microcontroller is configured to at least:

instruct the motor under test to perform a plurality of speed ramps over time; and

monitor a plurality of failure conditions associated with the motor under test during the plurality of speed ramps over time.

7 . The portable device of claim 6 , wherein the user interface further comprises:

a power switch, a start test button, a stop test button, and a display.

8 . The portable device of claim 6 , further comprising:

a motor driver board configured to transmit instructions from the microcontroller to the motor under test via the replaceable cable.

9 . The portable device of claim 8 , wherein the replaceable cable further comprises:

a first connector at a first end that is configured to couple to a motor driver connector associated with the motor driver board of the handheld unit; and

a second connector at a second end that is configured to couple to a motor connector associated with the motor under test.

10 . The portable device of claim 9 , wherein the replaceable cable comprises one of a plurality of replaceable cables; and

wherein the plurality of replaceable cables comprise different respective second connectors that are configured to couple to respective motor connectors associated with respective motors under test.

11 . The portable device of claim 9 , wherein the second connector of the replaceable cable is configured to couple to the motor connector associated with the motor under test while the motor under test remains assembled within at least one of a machinery, equipment, or system.

12 . The portable device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one of the machinery, equipment, or system comprises at least one of a robot, drive unit, or shuttle operating within an item sortation system.

13 . The portable device of claim 6 , wherein the microcontroller is further configured to at least:

responsive to a first failure condition being met:

instruct, via the motor driver board, stopping of the plurality of speed ramps; and

cause, via the user interface, presentation of information related to the first failure condition.

14 . The portable device of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of failure conditions are monitored by comparing at least one operational parameter of the motor under test with at least one of a data-based model or estimated operational parameters associated with a plurality of known functional motors of a same type as the motor under test.

15 . A method, comprising:

instructing, by a microcontroller comprised within a handheld unit, a motor under test to perform a plurality of speed ramps over time, wherein instructions are transmitted to the motor under test via a replaceable cable that is coupled between the handheld unit and the motor under test;

monitoring a plurality of failure conditions associated with the motor under test during the plurality of speed ramps over time; and

responsive to a first failure condition being met:

instructing, by the microcontroller, stopping of the plurality of speed ramps; and

causing, via a user interface of the handheld unit, presentation of information related to the first failure condition.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

determining the plurality of speed ramps over time based on operational characteristics of the motor under test during operation within at least one of a machinery, equipment, or system;

wherein the plurality of speed ramps over time comprise at least a first speed ramp having a first rotational speed that is different than a second rotational speed of a second speed ramp.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

instructing, by the microcontroller comprised within the handheld unit, a plurality of known functional motors corresponding to the motor under test to perform the plurality of speed ramps over time;

measuring a plurality of parameters of the plurality of known functional motors during the plurality of speed ramps over time; and

determining the plurality of failure conditions associated with the motor under test based at least in part on the plurality of parameters of the plurality of known functional motors corresponding to the motor under test.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

generating a data-based model associated with the plurality of known functional motors based on the plurality of parameters;

wherein the plurality of parameters comprise nominal operational parameters that are estimated based on data received from the plurality of known functional motors during performance of the plurality of speed ramps over time.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the motor under test comprises a closed box motor of a same type as the plurality of known functional motors; and

wherein determining the plurality of failure conditions associated with the motor under test further comprises:

comparing at least one operational parameter of the motor under test with at least one of the data-based model or the nominal operational parameters of the plurality of known functional motors.