Covers advanced experimental methods in mechanical engineering in the areas of dynamic systems and control. Includes experiments on sensors, actuators, microcomputer data acquisition and control, and the analysis and design of feedback control systems. Such experiments are designed to develop technical skills in conducting experiments and analyzing data,
to produce several distinct outcomes required by the accrediting body, (Criteria 3 a-k), to contribute to the MEM
educational objectives, and to satisfy professional components specified by ASME.
The course home page will be updated frequently. Students should habitually view this site, at least weekly. Lesson plans and post-class synopsis are posted for both student preparation and feedback of the material covered. Documents are posted as Adobe PDF files which are viewable with Acrobat Reader which is freely available at Adobe's website.
kws23@drexel.edu
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Lesson Plan: System Dynamic Equations of Motion
General introduction to the course, syllabus, assessment
Handouts, slides and Homeworks
Announcements: For next lecture
- Make sure you have card access and a computer account in the UG Lab
Lesson Plan: Block Diagrams, Transfer Functions, Poles and Zeros
The dynamic equations of motion for the damped compound pendulum were introduced in the last lecture. These equations be expressed graphically (block diagrams), and mathematically (e.g. transfer functions). In essence, the dynamics are expressed by pole and zero locations.
Handouts, slides and Homeworks
- Representations, Transfer Functions, Poles and Zeros
Lecture
- Representations, Transfer Functions, Poles and Zeros
Homework 1 (due 7/10/07)
Lesson Plan: State-space Realizations
Linear algebra enables equations to be packaged into matrices. This results in compact representations of the system's differential equations. Such compactness facilitates controller design and system analysis.
Handouts, slides and Homeworks
Lesson Plan: System Identification
Experimental data is analyzed to form a model of the real-world system. Here, NI-DAQ and LabVIEW are used to acquire angle data in order to model the pendulum's transfer function.
Handouts, slides and Homeworks
Lesson Plan: Matlab and Simulink tools for Dynamic Response
The previous lab excercised the capture of experimental data - the goal being system modeling. With a model in-hand, software packages like Matlab/Simulink can be used for simulations; input responses, disturbance reaction and
controllers/compensators can all be designed and tested in simulation. Here, a Matlab and Simulink primer is given to introduce such software tools.
Handouts, slides and Homeworks
Lesson Plan: Pole Placement and PID Control
There are many different control systems. Pole placement is one method that uses state feedback to obtain a desired
transient response. Simulink and Matlab are used to design and implement a pole placement controller for the damped
compound pendulum. This is then contrasted with a PID controller.
Lesson Plan: Pole Placement and PID Control
Handouts, slides and Homeworks
Lesson Plan: PID Experimental Implementation
Simulink and Matlab were used to design and implement a controllers for the damped compound pendulum. The results (i.e. gain tuning) will be implemented in a real-world system.
Handouts, slides and Homeworks
- Lab
PID Experiment
- Related Code
(For TA's only. Password needed to decrypt files)
- Final Report Guidelines
Format
- Note: Closed-book Quiz next lecture
Lesson Plan: Course Review
The last lab achieved the course objective of designing a controller to achieve the desired output with desired steady-state error and desired transient response. Throughout the course, a damped compound pendulum, was the system that was explored.
Such a system is not unique and the underlying techniques (i.e. system ID, modeling, simulation and real-world controller implementation) can be applied to other systems in the same method.
Handouts, slides and Homeworks
- Final Report - Hardcopy or Electronic Copy due by close of business (6 PM) 08/29/07. 25% late penalties will apply.
- Closed-book Quiz 2
Basic Electronics
There are plenty of on-line resources on electronics at all levels. Some deal
with specific topics while others are more general. Some excellent newsgroups
are: sci.electronics.misc, comp.robotics.misc, comp.arch.embedded,
sci.electronics.basics, sci.electronics.design and sci.electronics.misc.
These newsgroups are very friendly and helpful in answering questions
in all areas of electronics. Some useful web links are
- An useful site on
op-amps
- Alex's Electronic Test Bench
has more links as well as glossaries and libraries
- This is a nice site for
practical skills and projects such as learning to solder and making
printed circuit boards. Some useful circuits are also included.
- The Art of Electronics
This tome by Horowitz and Hill is also consider a "bible" of electronics. It's the type of book all engineers should
have on their bookshelf. You'll find it timeless as an excellent reference book and very
comprehensive.
- Gordon McComb's The
Robot Builder's Bonanza is also a great source for learning electronics. It
is more specific to robot builders, but puts many electronic concepts to use, such as amplifiers,
relays, motors and solenoids.
Control Theory
Control theory often means different things to different people. For some, control
entails just turning something on or off. For others, it is mathematically abstract; a tool for
those who enjoy manipulating linear and non-linear differential equations and matrices. I've found
that latter is easier to appreciate if you keep you eye on the big picture and the math often
follows much easier. Some webpages are:
Some general control systems theory books that I've enjoyed are:
- Benjamin Kuo's Automatic Control
is in its 7th edition and is another "bible" in the control area. Kuo goes presents the mathematics but
goes beyound the abstraction. Real world examples are applications are presented.
- Ogata's Modern Control Engineering
and Discrete-Time Control Systems
also two great books to learn control systems.
- Franklin Powell's Digital Control of Dynamic Systems
is also a well-referenced digital control systems design book
- I enjoy Astrom's Computer-Controlled Systems very
much. Astrom presents the mathematical concepts very clearly and his books are a manifestation of his many years in the field.
- And of course there's our course textbook by Charles Phillips
Digital Control System Analysis and Design
- Hutchings' $35.00 Interfacing With C is quite
a good book with algorithms, control theory and mathematics are presented on a high level. It is well worth the money and serves
as a good handbook covering areas such as filtering, Kalman filtering and data acquisition.
Computer Interfacing
Much of what will be learned in MEM 639 will involve computer interfacing. The web is abound with
references.
Some books that are useful are:
- Tompkin's Interfacing Sensors to the IBM-PC
is an excellent book. It gives an excellent treatment of the PC's ISA bus as well as schematics for an 8255, ADC and DAC
card
- Hutchings' Interfacing With C is quite
a good book. Algorithms, control theory and mathematics are presented on a high level to get the reader beyond the
low-level abstractions. This $35.00 book is well worth the money as a good handbook. The downside is that full
schematics are not presented.
- Applied PC Interfacing, Graphics, and Interrupts
by Buchanan gives some practical code in C and Pascal, especially in graphics and interrupts. It is useful if
the reader has some prior knowledge of the 8255, 8254 and 8259 chips. The
book's downside is the lack of schematics.