ER/EM 341 - Control Engineering

This course is presented as a first course of control engineering for engineering students. This course is in general terms is described as classical feedback control of dynamics systems; and is organized in four parts. The first part will cover the mathematical modeling of linear time invariant (LTI) dynamics systems, by using ordinary differential equations (ODE’s). This part will allow to the student integrate different physical systems, as mechanical, hydraulic, electrical or thermal into the mathematical framework of dynamical systems. The second part will cover the analysis of the dynamical system in the complex plane using the concept of transfer function. Into this framework we will analyze stability. Next, study the effects of feedback loops over the response of the systems and how is possible control by using the technique of root-locus. The third part analyzes the dynamical system studying the frequency response via the Bode plots and develops control tools to achieve a specific time response. Finally the student will integrate in a project associated with a relevant engineering problem the previous stages from the modeling, the parameter estimation, and the control techniques. At the end of the course, the students will have acquired an advanced knowledge on how to tackle the control of dynamics systems from the modeling to the control using classical techniques.