Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Control systems engineering is at the heart of most of the modern electrical and mechanical systems that you will encounter in your careers as practicing engineers. In particular state space, discrete time and optimal control are used in robotics, power systems, aerospace and other complex engineering systems. The unit is introduced in the fourth year of the course, where you have a background in control engineering and are ready to apply advanced theory to challenging real control problems.

Aims

The unit covers advanced topics in modern control systems engineering and will cover discrete time and state space control system design and analysis, as well as optimal control using Linear Quadratic methods. The theory will be applied to the practical implementation of these control strategies.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you will be able to:
1. Model and design discrete time control systems.
2. Model and design state space feedback control systems.
3. Design linear-quadratic optimal control systems.

Content

State space: modelling, transformation to and from transfer function representations, graph representations, observer and controller design, controllability, observability, physical realisation.
Discrete time: discretizing, samplers, compensators, root locus design, state space, estimators, non linear, advanced topics.
Optimal control: introduction to linear quadratic regulators and trackers.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Total hours per week: 5
Lectures: 2 hours per week
Tutorial: 1 hour per week
Laboratory/Computer session: 1 hour per week

The teaching of control systems engineering requires a careful blend of theory and practice. The unit needs to introduce several new principles and theories that are unfamiliar to you. Each principle requires repeated engagement from different perspectives for you to gain sufficient understanding to apply the theory in appropriate practice. The unit uses a three pronged approach to engaging you with the principles of control systems engineering:

1. Interactive lectures: Lectures are used to provide an introduction to material, and immediate application of the material with small focussed problems to be completed in the lecture. Solutions are discussed and resolved in class, and compared to a benchmark solution. Principles are introduced, discussed and dissected in the lecture, treating each principle deeply.

2. Single problem tutorials: Tutorials focus on a single integrated problem that brings together material from multiple units. Early material is reinforced as necessary, and used as a foundation for learning the new material. Principles are integrated with material from previous modules and grounded in application scenarios. Computer labs are used to refine and verify hand calculated answers.

3. Practical experience: Practical work is conducted in two structured experiments that provide exposure to advanced feedback control systems. The experiments link the theoretical elements of the lectures and tutorials to practice. Practicals are conducted in groups, and assessed by demonstrations and reports.

The unit will also feature a guest lecturer who will describe their related research. This will provide the context of how these advanced topics apply to the real world.

ENB458 is concurrently taught with ENN580.

Assessment

Assessment will be based on a elastic actuator practical (20%), a segway practical (20%) and a final exam (60%). Each practical group will submit one report and the end of each of the two practicals and will be assessed at the end of the semester. The theory performance is assessed in the final exam and consists of multi-part integrated questions that require synthesis and application of knowledge across multiple modules. The exam is open book to increase emphasis on understanding rather than memorisation.You are given weekly integrated theory problems in the tutorials which will allow self assessment of performance and formative assessment by tutorial staff. You will be able to submit your tutorial solutions to the tutorial staff for individual feedback.

Assessment name: Elastic Actuator Practical
Description: Robot joints that combine a motor and spring (in series or parallel) contrast to the stiff joints that are typically used for robot arms and legs. The objective of the prac is to use to use MATLAB Simulink to design a state space control system to command the position of a simulated elastic actuator.
Assessment is in two parts:
1. A demonstration of your controller (Demonstration 10%)
2. A report on your state space control system (Report 10%)
Due: Demonstration in the practical session in Week 6.
Report due by Friday 5pm in Week 6.
Relates to objectives: 2
Weight: 20%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group
Due date: Week 6

Assessment name: Segway Practical
Description: A segway is a two-wheeled self balancing vehicle. In this practical you will use MATLAB Simulink to model and design a discrete control system to control a simulated Segway. You will also build and control a segway vehicle out of LEGO.
Assessment is in two parts:
1. A demonstration of your simulated and LEGO segway vehicle (Demonstration 10%)
2. A report on your simulated and LEGO segway vehicle (Report 10%)
Due: Demonstration in the practical session in Week 13.
Report due by Friday 5pm in Week 13.
Relates to objectives: 1
Weight: 20%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group
Due date: Week 13

Assessment name: Final Examination - open book
Description: The exam will consist of a multi-part, integrated problem requiring the development of a state space, discrete time, and optimal control systems. The exam is open book.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Central Exam Period

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Title: Control Systems Engineering
Author: Norman S. Nise
Publisher: John Wiley, 2011.
Edition: Sixth Edition

Title: Digital Control of Dynamic Systems
Authors: Gene F. Franklin, J. David Powell, and Michael Workman
Publisher: Ellis-Kagle Press
Year: 2006+
Edition: 3rd Edition

Title: Robust Control Design: An Optimal Control Approach
Author: Lin, Feng
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Year: 2007
Available free online as an ebook from QUT library: http://libcat.library.qut.edu.au/record=b3279668~S8

Title: MATLAB, Simulink
Author: Mathworks
Please note that the Student Edition of MATLAB is not a compulsory purchase, and you are free to use the version of MATLAB existing on the SEF network.

Blackboard: QUT Blackboard web site for unit ENB458. Students enrolled in ENB580 will use the ENB458 blackboard site.

Risk assessment statement

You will undertake lectures and tutorials in the traditional classrooms and lecture theatres. As such, there are no extraordinary workplace health and safety issues associated with these components of the unit.

You will be required to undertake practical sessions in the laboratory under the supervision of the academic and technical staff of the School. In any laboratory practicals you will be advised of requirements of safe and responsible behaviour and will be required to wear appropriate protective items (e.g. closed shoes). You will undergo a health and safety induction before the commencement of the practical sessions and will be issued with a safety induction card. If you do not have a safety induction card you will be denied access to laboratories.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 01-Aug-2012