Multiple use of an industrial‐distributed control system in control engineering education

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The paper demonstrates how a four-tank laboratory process equipped with a modern distributed control system (DCS) is used in different control engineering laboratories for the undergraduate and graduate levels. This includes the utilization of commercial tools for DCS engineering as well as the design and commissioning of traditional and advanced control solutions. Using the same pilot plant and control system in different modules lowers the costs, allows the reutilization of results and enables an efficient laboratory organization. It also supports the process of learning the inner context of different process control related subjects. Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com

Configuration and Management Tool for laboratory training

“…Moreover in order to write off expensive laboratory resources, they are shared between several colleges, institutes, for various disciplines [11], and even sometimes, for scientific experiments, as not every university can afford up to date laboratory hardware, not to forget the devoted time for installation, training of the technical staff [12,13] and the costs of maintaining and repairing them [14]. A heavy sharing imposes a shuffled schedule where the configuration of each hardware has to be regularly modified between two sessions.…”

ULLSIMGRAF: An educational tool with syntax control for Grafcet notation

“…In general, most of the works related to PLC education are focused on web access to controller, such as Ref. [11][12][13][14], where the systems to control are, respectively, a thermal training, a DC motor, coupled water tanks, and a four-tank system. This article presents an educational tool, called ULLSIM-GRAF, designed for support in the teaching of PLCs in the second year of Industrial Electronics Engineering degree.…”

“…In general, most of the works related to PLC education are focused on web access to controller, such as Ref. , where the systems to control are, respectively, a thermal training, a DC motor, coupled water tanks, and a four‐tank system.…”

A multi-process pilot plant as a didactical tool for the teaching of industrial processes control in electrical engineering course

“…Other several cases have described the successful implementation of educational kits and PBL in engineering courses at universities worldwide. 10–15…”