MEng Mechatronic Engineering

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This unit covers state space models for dynamic systems, and the common state design methods to guarantee certain specific performances of the closed-loop dynamic systems. The design methods include pole placement, observer design, output compensator design, and the fundamentals of optimal control. With the various control design methods introduced, the students are expected to be able to evaluate control performances and justify various control settings. It also covers basics for digital control and digital implementation of controllers, such as choosing proper sampling time and control gain to ensure the closed-loop system performance.  The detailed topics are listed below:

• Review of state space concepts
• Controllability and observability
• Controller design with full state feedback
• Pole assignment, basic introduction to LQR
• State estimation and estimator design, basic introduction to Kalman filtering
• Compensator design: combining state feedback control and state estimation
• Digital control: dynamic analysis and design of discrete-time systems

The course unit aims to:

• Introduce modern methods for control systems design, based on state space models.
• Show the relationship between state-space and classical design methods.
• Introduce optinal control concepts (LQR and Kalman filters) and methodologies; Introduce the concept and methodology of sampled-data control.
• Illustrate control system design methods through practical case studies.

ILO 1 - Evaluate performances of closed-loop control systems, and assess the performances with the aid of Matlab/Simulink. [Developed] [Assessed]

ILO 2 - Choose and justify controller settings for state space systems, and design the state space controllers. [Developed] [Assessed]

ILO 3 - Implement properly selected digital controllers for dynamic systems. [Developed] [Assessed]

ILO 4 - Appreciate industrial applications of modern control design methods. [Developed] [Assessed]

ILO 5 - Report to summarise control design, controller implementation, and performance evaluation. [Developed] [Assessed]

Learning and teaching are mainly through traditional lectures and tutorials, with the aid of pre-recorded videos. There are computer-based lab sessions for control design and control performance evaluation.

Coursework forms 20% of the overall unit weighting

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Modern control systems by Dorf, Richard C, Pearson, 2022.
Control systems engineering by Nise, Norman S, Wiley, 2019.
Design of feedback control systems by Stefani, Raymond T, Oxford University Press, 2002.