Aim
Automation is the engineering science utilizing measurements and information in real time in order to optimize material and energy flows in the best possible way. The purpose of the course is to give an overview of the different components that constitute an industrial control system and how these work and interact with each other. Another purpose is to give basic knowledge on the tools and methods used for realisation, analysis and assessment of industrial control systems. In this course, we combine topics from several other courses, such as automatic control, mathematical statistics, measurement technology, and computer engineering, to demonstrate what automation may look like in various industrial branches.

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

• describe the concepts of states in mathematical modelling of discrete as well as continuous systems;

• explain the different components of an automation system for a simple process and understand how they interact.

Skills and abilities
For a passing grade the student must

• formulate a mathematical model of a simple process from information on the constituting components and how they interact;

• use mathematical and statistical methods to analyse important process characteristics;

• program a PLC using suitable software and standard languages for a simple sequential control task.

Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must

• assess the appropriateness of control, process monitoring and communication structures for small industrial processes.

Contents
Industrial processes: Where is automation applied? Examples from various industrial applications.

Structuring industrial processes: The concepts of dynamical systems and event driven systems.

Models: Continuous and time discrete dynamical systems and event driven systems.

Process monitoring: Sampling of measurement data, filtering and data analysis.

Structures for industrial control systems: Sequential control, combinatorial networks and continuous processes. Real time programming and industrial communication. Examples of commercial control systems.

The physical parts of a control system: Data acquisition and actuators.

Literature study: Gather information and produce a short written report on a typical automation problem or area.

Home simulation exercises: Discrete and dynamic systems for which two reports are handed in.

Laboratory exercises: Structuring and programming of a simple control problem in a laboratory process.

Literature
Olsson G, Rosén C: Compendium in "Industrial Automation - Application, Structures and Systems". IEA, Faculty of Engineering, Lund University, 2005.