The subject “Automatic Control” deals with the design of controllers based on different methodologies in order to obtain the desired behavior of the controlled system. An example of a controller is the ABS braking system. Its mission is to prevent the brakes from locking up, allowing the driver to control the direction of his vehicle during sudden braking, thus avoiding uncontrolled sliding on the road. The subject does not present, within the syllabus, any prerequisite for access to it. However, its development is closely linked to the following previous subjects of the “Degree in Industrial Electronics and Automation Engineering”:



- “Calculus” ---first course of the degree---. This is a key subject for the good follow-up of “Automatic Regulation”, because mathematical language is the only one capable of describing all kinds of processes. In particular, the topics “Differential Equations” and “Laplace Transform” are even more closely linked, if possible, with the subject.



-"Automation and Control” ---second year of the degree course---. “Automatic Regulation” can be considered the natural continuation of “Automation and Control”, so that its completion ---or, at least, that of its Block II, Industrial Control--- is considered highly recommended for the proper development of the subject.



On the other hand, “Automatic Regulation”, due to its fundamental character within the “Degree in Industrial Electronics and Automation Engineering” is also related to other compulsory subjects, all of them in the third year of the degree:



- “Robotics”, since for the control of industrial robots certain competences acquired in “Automatic Regulation” and “Automatisms and Control” are required.



-"Analog Electronics", because it deals with the calculation and design of analog systems, including analog systems with which to implement control systems.



-"Power Electronics", due to the control loops required in any power electronics converter and/or drive.



-"Electronic Instrumentation”. This subject complements “Automatic Regulation” in the areas of sensorics, signal conditioning stages and data acquisition systems, which are of key importance in the final implementation of control systems.



-The “Industrial Informatics” and “Digital Electronic Systems”, due to the fact that they study different hardware platforms and programming languages with which to implement control algorithms.



We wish to emphasize the binomial “Automatic Regulation” + “Digital Electronic Systems”. Their continuity in time ---they are taught in the first and second semesters, respectively--- allows to propose and apply a methodology of design and implementation of controllers called Model-Based Design (MBD)---Model-Based Design (MBD)---, used in areas of engineering as demanding as the automotive or aerospace industry. In the subject “Automatic Regulation”, students are trained in the design and validation of controllers following the steps suggested by the MBD and using the appropriate tools. Subsequently, in part of the subject “Digital Electronic Systems”, the remaining tasks of the MDB are developed, consisting of the automatic generation of code and its validation through the relevant tools. In this way, the students will be trained in the design and implementation process of a controller from start to finish.



Finally, as far as professional practice is concerned, the course is focused in such a way that the graduates have the competences to integrate, in their professional life, this horizontal technology, which is applicable in all types of processes. The areas of activity that can be considered in this field could be: Management of Automatic Production Processes, Technical Office Management, Energy Management and Control, Intelligent Systems, Coordination of Integrated Safety Systems, Maintenance Management, Manufacturing Equipment, Robotics, Electrical Machines, Research and Development, etc.

The objective of Automatic Control, one of the many fields of Engineering, is to control the dynamic and static behavior of systems. For this purpose, it is necessary to analyze the behavior of the system to be controlled in the time and/or frequency domains. On the basis of this behavior, the controller is designed and, by means of feedback, the desired specifications are met. In order to achieve the proposed objective, the following competences will be worked on:



- To represent and simplify graphically and analytically the control systems to facilitate the analysis of their behavior.



- To analyze the response, both temporal and frequency, of the mathematical models that represent the systems to be controlled in order to interpret their behavior.



- To design analog controllers either by means of the root locus method, the Bode diagram and/or other methods, in order to improve the dynamic and static response of the systems to be controlled.



- Digitize the designed controllers.

In order to work on basic concepts of classical control such as dynamic behavior of systems, feedback and controller design, the following theoretical and practical topics are proposed:



THEORETICAL AGENDA



Topic 0: Presentation of the course

Specific competences. Theoretical and practical topics. Previous knowledge. Evaluation method. Recommended bibliography.



Topic 1: Geometric Place of the Roots.

Definition and elementary rules for its construction. Interpretation and main geometric places associated to time specifications. Exercises for the construction of the geometric place of roots.



Topic 2: Design of Controllers based on the Geometric Place of the Roots.

Temporal specifications for closed-loop system behavior. Applied design of feedforward and lag compensators. Verification of design suitability by simulation.



Topic 3: Digitalization of Controllers

Introduction to digital control. Guidelines for the selection of the sampling period. Application of digitization techniques to implement controllers on digital media. Exercises.



Topic 4: PID Controller

Introduction to PID. Tuning: method of the assignment of poles and zeros. Variations of the original algorithm. PID digitalization. Problem solving for the choice and application of the most suitable PID controller type.



Topic 5: Dynamic Analysis in the Frequency Domain: The Bode Plot

Concept of frequency response. Construction of the Bode diagram. Analysis and interpretation of the frequency response in the Bode diagram. Analysis of the behavior of models by means of simulation to internalize the theoretical concepts. Exercises.



Topic 6: Frequency Controller Design.

Frequency specifications for system behavior in closed loop. Applied design of controllers in the frequency domain. Verification of the adequacy of the design by means of simulation.



PRACTICAL SYLLABUS



Practical 1: Position control project of an armature-excited DC motor based on MDB

General concepts of the MBD. Definition of the tasks associated to the problem, in such a way that the achievement of the milestones associated to each one of them makes possible the achievement of the project objectives. System identification and validation. Controller design based on the root locus technique using MATLAB. Validation of its behavior through simulation. Digitization of the obtained controller. Characterization of the sensors. Rapid prototyping of the controller (RCP).



Practical 2: Project for the speed regulation, by means of a PID controller, of a DC motor excited by armature: Design and rapid prototyping. Selection of the PID type. Design. Validation of its behavior by simulation. Rapid prototyping of the controller. Tools for frequency response analysis provided by MATLAB.

Active teaching methodologies will be used. Specifically, problem-based learning and project-based learning.



On the one hand, real problems are posed (speed control or “cruise control” of a car, stability control of a Segway, machine tools, etc.), to which solutions are given, in order to internalize the concepts worked in the lectures.



On the other hand, more complex problems (projects that require a more in-depth analysis) are proposed in the laboratory, so that students internalize the process for their management: division into simpler tasks, treatment of each of them as an independent problem and resolution, and proposal of a solution that integrates each of the partial results.

• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Written test to be taken (%): 70
  • Prueba práctica en el laboratorio (%): 30

The evaluation method of the course is final evaluation. The tests that will be developed to analyze if the students have reached the competences of the course will be the following:



- practical test of what has been dealt with in the laboratory (30%), and

- Theoretical-practical written test of what has been covered both in the lectures and in the classroom practices (70%).



In order to pass the course it is necessary to pass both tests. This implies that simultaneously must obtain at least:



- 50% of the score associated with the practical test, and

- and 50% of the score associated with the written theoretical-practical test.



In the case of passing only one of the two tests of which the evaluation consists, the grade of the course will be, at most, 4, so it will not be possible to pass it under these conditions.



In the case of passing only one of the two tests of the evaluation, the grade obtained in the part passed in the ordinary call will be kept for the extraordinary call. The passing of only one of the exams will mean the consummation of the extraordinary exam.



WAIVER OF THE ORDINARY EXAM



According to the current University regulations for undergraduate and first and second cycle courses in the current academic year, not taking any of the tests will mean the waiver of the evaluation exam and will be recorded as a Not Presented.

The tests that will be developed to analyze if the students have reached the competences of the subject in the extraordinary call will be the following:



- practical test of what has been addressed in the laboratory (30%). This test will take place on the date, place and time that will be published in the eGela platform. Y,

- Theoretical-practical written test of what has been covered both in the lectures and in the classroom practices (70%).



In order to pass the course it is necessary to pass both tests. This implies that simultaneously must be obtained, at least:



- 50% of the score associated with the practical test, and

- 50% of the score associated to the theoretical-practical written test.



In the case of passing only one of the two tests of which the evaluation consists, the grade of the course will be, at most, 4, so it will not be possible to pass it under these conditions. To take only one of the tests will mean the consummation of the call.



WAIVER OF THE EXTRAORDINARY EXAM



According to the current University regulations for undergraduate and first and second cycle courses in the current academic year, not taking any of the tests will mean the waiver of the evaluation exam and will be recorded as a Not Presented.

- Support material: documents in the eGela platform.

Basic bibliography

- Kuo B.C. (2003). Sistemas de control automático, Pearson Educación.

- Ogata K. (1998). Ingeniería de Control Moderna, Prentice-Hall (3ª Edición).

- Ogata K. (1999). Problemas de Ingeniería de Control utilizando MATLAB, Prentice-Hall Iberia.

- Tapia Arantxa y Florez J. (1995). Erregulazio Automatikoa, Elhuyar.

- Kuo B.C. (2003). Sistemas de Control Digital, CECSA.

In-depth bibliography

- Dorf. R.C. (1989). Sistemas Modernos de Control: Teoría y Práctica, Addison-Wesley.
- Lewis P.H. y Yang C. (1999). Sistemas de Control en Ingeniería, Prentice-Hall.
- Franklin G.F., Powell J.D. y Emami-Naeini A. (1991). Control de Sistemas Dinámicos con Retroalimentación, Addison-Wesley Iberoamericana (1ª Edición).
- Tapia Arantxa, Florez J. y Tapia G. (2007). Kontrol Digitalaren Oinarriak, Elhuyar Edizioak.
- Dorsey J. (2005). Sistemas de Control Continuos y Discretos, McGraw-Hill.

Journals

- International Journal of Electrical Engineering Education (IJEEE).
- IEEE Transactions on Education.
- IEEE Control Systems Magazine.

Web addresses

- Control Tutorials for Matlab, Carnegie Mellon, University of Michigan:
http://www.engin.umich.edu/group/ctm/index.html

- Control engineering tutorials:
http://www.controleng.com/channels/tutorials.html

- MATLAB:
http://www.mathworks.com