Experimental approach applied to practical classes on digital control systems: A contribution from model-based control theory

Abstract

In this paper, an experimental procedure used efficiently and successfully for teaching in practical classes of digital control course for undergraduate students who are attending the fifth year in Industrial Electrical Engineering at Federal Institute of Education, Sciences and Technology, in Brazil, is presented. The adopted methodology is characterized by the following steps: modeling of the dynamic system to be controlled from experimental data, model-based digital controller design according to pre-established performance specifications and implementation of the designed digital controller. The experiments are performed on a data acquisition platform, in real time, based on high performance virtual/electronics instrumentation, at Laboratory of Computational Intelligence Applied to Technology. Results from an experimental activity, developed by students in the digital control course, illustrate the main practical aspects that must be taken into account in design and implementation of real time digital PI/PID control.