Control Engineering - 2019 entry

The advancement of technology during the 20th century put control engineering on the map - and it plays a critical role in everything from simple household washing machines to high performance F16 aircraft.

This module will give you a fundamental understanding of the basic concepts of mathematical modelling and control engineering. It starts by providing the necessary mathematical foundation; including Laplace transform techniques and theorems, for modelling and analysing the dynamics of engineering systems. You will learn about the modelling of engineering systems, including mechanical, electrical and electro-mechanical systems, using differential equations and transfer function analysis. Furthermore, you will analyse the fundamental concept of feedback and its impact on system dynamics and control in detail, making use of a case study involving speed control of a DC motor. Moreover, you will study the Routh Hurwitz stability criterion, and use it in the design of stable engineering systems. Finally, the module introduces you to the fundamentals of proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control, which you will then use to analyse and design control engineering systems.  The lectures are supported by computer laboratories for modeling and simulation of systems using the Control Engineering toolbox in Matlab.

This module introduces you to the basic concepts of dynamics and supporting computational techniques. It also teaches you the concepts of feedback and stability. Finally, it exposes you to standard control concepts and calculations by a detailed analysis of proportional, integral and derivative controls for first and second order systems models.


 

This is a constituent module of one or more degree programmes which are accredited by a professional engineering institution under licence from the Engineering Council. The learning outcomes for this module have been mapped to the output standards required for an accredited programme, as listed in the current version of the Engineering Council’s ‘Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes’ document (AHEP-V3).

This module contributes to learning outcomes: SM2p, SM2m, SM3p, SM3m, SM4m, SM5m, EA2p, EA2m, EA3p, EA3m, D3p, D3m, D6p, D6m

A full list of the referenced outcomes is provided online: http://intranet.exeter.ac.uk/emps/subjects/engineering/accreditation/

The AHEP document can be viewed in full on the Engineering Council’s website, at http://www.engc.org.uk/

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge: SM2p, SM2m, SM3p, SM3m, SM4m, SM5m, D3p, D3m

1 exemplify, through analytical and simulation work, knowledge and understanding of basic concepts required for the analysis and interpretation of systems dynamics;

2 illustrate, through analytical and simulation work, knowledge and understanding of the power and limitations of feedback systems;

3 derive simple performance specifications for closed-loop systems and analyse simple examples using analytical and simulation techniques;

4 with limited guidance, use computational tools to design and analyse control systems.

 

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge: EA2p, EA2m, EA3p, EA3m

5 show improved ability to interpret data in terms of mathematical models;

6 exhibit improved computational skills;

7 reveal improved analytical design skills.

 

Personal and Key Transferable/ Employment Skills and Knowledge: D6p, D6m

8 demonstrate improved ability to specify and solve problems.

- mathematical foundation

- complex variable concepts

- Laplace transform: definition and notation

- properties and theorems of Laplace transform

- inverse Laplace transform and partial fraction expansion

- using Laplace transforms to solve differential equations system dynamics

- mechanical systems

- electrical systems

- electrical and mechanical systems

- linearisation of nonlinear systems transfer functions and block diagrams

- transfer functions of linear systems

- block diagrams

- multiple inputs system response

- response analysis of first-order systems

- second-order systems

- sinusoidal response of the system

- polar (Nyquist) plot

- Bode diagrams feedback control systems

- open and closed-loop control systems

- sensitivity of control systems to parameter variation

- disturbance rejection

- transient response

- steady-state error

- case study: speed control of a DC motor

- the stability of linear feedback systems

- three-term PID controller

- control of first-order systems

- proportional (P) control of first-order systems

- integral (I) control of first-order systems

- PI control of first-order systems

- derivative (D) control

- PD control of second-order systems - PID control

If a module is normally assessed entirely by coursework, all referred/deferred assessments will normally be by assignment.

If a module is normally assessed by examination or examination plus coursework, referred and deferred assessment will normally be by examination. For referrals, only the examination will count, a mark of 40% being awarded if the examination is passed. For deferrals, candidates will be awarded the higher of the deferred examination mark or the deferred examination mark combined with the original coursework mark.

Web based and electronic resources: ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk

Reading list for this module: