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Module

EEE8150 : Industrial Automation, PLCs and Robotics

  • Offered for Year: 2023/24
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Kristopher Smith
  • Owning School: Engineering
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Semester 1 Credit Value: 20
ECTS Credits: 10.0

Aims

1. To study the classification of industrial control systems.
2. To study the modelling of industrial plant, sensors and actuators
3. To study the on-off control of industrial applications.
4. To study Programmable Logical Controllers (PLCs) with industrial applications.
5. To study the application and tuning of PID controllers to industrial plant
6. To study the theory and application of Fuzzy controllers.
7. To study linear and nonlinear systems.
8. To study Robot modelling theory and its application

Outline Of Syllabus

Industrial Automation : Identification of key component technologies & motivation for study.
The Device Layer : An Overview of Sensors & Actuators
On-Off Control : Background to Relay-based Control Systems
Programmable Logic Controllers(PLCs) - Background, Programming Methods, Application
Modelling & Control of Linear Systems: P,PI,PID Controllers. Zeigler Nicholls Tuning Fuzzy Sets and Fuzzy Control Systems – Theory, Design and Application
Nonlinear Systems : Simple Pendulum, Inverted pendulum, Interconnected Tanks
Introduction to Robotics
Frames of reference and Mathematical Transformations applied to Robotics
Application of Denavit-Hartenberg

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion12:002:00In Person Assessment in January window (75% Module)
Structured Guided LearningLecture materials340:4022:40Review Lecture Notes and Video (20min prep for 20min video x 34)
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion130:0030:00Revision for Assessment (approx. 2hr per lecture)
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture111:0011:0011x1hr review/tutorial/teach over 4 weeks
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion115:0015:00Completion of PLC Assessment (25% Module)
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesPractical81:008:00MATLAB (8x1hr per lab )
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesPractical61:006:00Practical PLC Labs to support Lectures (class numbers /lab capacity dependent)
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study1105:20105:20Reviewing Tutorials, Lectures, PLC Practical and Matlab Session.
Total200:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

All of the PIP Teaching Activities (in the table above) are Non-Essential, meaning they all can be become synchronous online if public health situation requires no face to face teaching. This ensures all the teaching/learning outcomes can be met.

Lectures provides the core theoretical knowledge. The MATLAB SDL sessions are used to apply the knowledge to some practical scenarios to solidify the fundamental knowledge. The PLC Laboratory sessions provide an opportunity to gain practical experience and validate the theory introduced in lectures.

Face-to-face lectures can be replaced with online synchronous sessions support by non-synchronous videos if the public health situation requires it.
PLC Laboratory sessions can be immediately replaced with online simulation-based experiment, supported by synchronous drop-in sessions if the public health situation requires it.

Problem solving is introduced with the PLC Assignment requiring a deep understanding of the PLC code/hardware.
The Final Written Assessment tests that the learning outcomes have been achieved with questioning.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Exams
Description Length Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Written Examination1201A75In Person Assessment – Closed Book
Exam Pairings
Module Code Module Title Semester Comment
1Same Assessment Day/Time
Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Practical/lab report1M25PLC Assignment
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The Online Assessment requires knowledge of the material presented in the Lectures and MATLAB SDL sessions. The online assessment requires the knowledge of applications, understanding of course content and requires explanation/solving industrial problems. Students need to pass this online summative assessment to pass the module.


The PLC Summative Assessment takes all of the PLC tutorials and requires the student to problem solve, design and demonstrate the PLC controlling a real world task. The task will require a written report explaining/designing their own PLC task operation, providing a summative assessment demonstrating the PLC learning outcomes.

Reading Lists

Timetable