Pardon the dumb question as I’m a complete beginner to this field.

I have a 1 HP DC motor that I’m currently manually controlling using a Dayton 1F792 DC Speed Control unit. I want to automate the following task:

1. Starting from rest, increase the motor speed linearly to some final speed (this would be done manually by simply turning the knob on the Dayton unit)
2. Maintain that final speed
3. When a certain sensor condition is met (e.g., distance measured using some rotary position sensor), slow the motor speed linearly back to rest

Any ideas on how I would implement this? Here are some of my thoughts/considerations:

• I probably need some industrial microcontroller, especially given that sensor feedback is needed. In a low-voltage scenario, this entire task would be fairly easy to do with just an Arduino, but given that I’m working with ~200 V, I’m unsure of what exactly I need.
  • As a side note, I'd also like to know if the Dayton 1F792 unit I'm working with powers the motor with PWM or if it uses some sort of high-voltage potentiometer
• I also have a 1 HP AC motor that I could also use, but to my knowledge, using that would require a VFD and a PLC/PID (???). This introduces more complications (e.g., programming the PID/PLC using ladder logic which I am unfamiliar with) that I would rather avoid if it can be helped.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

 

Do you have any technical manuals on the speed controller?
That will be needed for a start.
An Arduino will be quite capable of driving a suitable device as long as the interfaces are made correctly.

 

You need a more refined Motor-Controller rather than an SCR-Chopper,
preferably a DC "Current-Regulator" type.

Are You wanting to build your own Controller, or assemble a bunch of ready-made Parts ?

What's the budget for this project ?

Must the Motor stop on an exact mark, or just pretty-close ?

Do You need Motor-Braking ?,
How much Weight is the Motor moving ?,
Does it drive a Gear-Reduction-Box ?

Does the running RPM need to be "Regulatable", or just a smooth Ramp-Up / Ramp-Down ?

What is the rated-Voltage and Current of this DC-Motor ?

Do You already have an adequate, working, DC-Power-Supply for the Motor ?

What AC-Voltage-Sources do You have available to Power the DC-Supply ?
.
.
.

 

1. Starting from rest, increase the motor speed linearly to some final speed (this would be done manually by simply turning the knob on the Dayton unit)
2. Maintain that final speed
3. When a certain sensor condition is met (e.g., distance measured using some rotary position sensor), slow the motor speed linearly back to rest

• I probably need some industrial microcontroller, especially given that sensor feedback is needed. In a low-voltage scenario, this entire task would be fairly easy to do with just an Arduino, but given that I’m working with ~200 V, I’m unsure of what exactly I need.
  • As a side note, I'd also like to know if the Dayton 1F792 unit I'm working with powers the motor with PWM or if it uses some sort of high-voltage potentiometer

The Dayton unit has SCR bridge for control, Which may work for you without sensor feedback if you do not require precise speed and positioning.
Otherwise a small Micro could do it or Arduino, Note: the SCR unit does not have mains power isolation.
One of the MC2100 TM controllers may work for you as they have isolated L.F. PWM control of the speed. Also the motor power control is PWM also.
If you need reversing of the motor, a relay would also be needed if using a MC2100.
,

 

If the Dayton motor controller uses a DC voltage to control the speed, then a controlled decel to stop can be done by having a constant current discharge a capacitor holding what ever speed was used. Fairly simple and cheap.
If the present motor speed control does not use a variable DC voltage then this concept will not be nearly so simple.

 

If the Dayton motor controller uses a DC voltage to control the speed, then a controlled decel to stop can be done by having a constant current discharge a capacitor holding what ever speed was used. Fairly simple and cheap.
If the present motor speed control does not use a variable DC voltage then this concept will not be nearly so simple.

The Dayton is a simple SCR bridge type controller, uses phase angle control to vary the DC.

Again, after a month, the OP appears to have moved on!