EEE8151 : Distributed Control Systems
- Offered for Year: 2023/24
- Module Leader(s): Dr Mohammed Elgendy
- Owning School: Engineering
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
Aims
Advancing information Technology knowledge with respect to Industrial Automation and manufacturing applications
Outline Of Syllabus
Introduction to Distributed Control Systems (DCSs): Automated systems in modern manufacturing processes; production control components; sensors and actuators; microprocessor technology and system measurements; task execution within a microprocessor; real-time control systems; centralised and distributed control system; benefits of distributed control systems; introduction to SCADA Systems; remote terminal unit hardware.
Communication networks for DCSs: Communication media for wired data transmission; sources of noise and signal distortion; data transmission; network topologies; frame concept; medium access control (MAC) methods; error checking mechanisms; factors affecting network performance; line drivers; data synchronisation.
Network Protocols: ISO Reference Model: Standards used in automation industry; DCS Network Protocols; 7-layer ISO Reference Model; the General framework of the OSI reference model; details of the 7 Layers of the ISO/OSI model.
CAN: Controller Area Network: the history of the development of CAN; CAN specifications; CAN ISO/OSI reference model; CAN physical layer; bit stuffing; bit timing configuration; CAN bus basic operation; frame format and CAN extended data frame; CAN controller organisation; standalone and embedded CAN technology; bus arbitration message filtering; Basic and Full CAN implementations; CAN error handling; overview of the CAN hardware market; simulation of CAN bus based DCS network.
CANopen: CAN application layer; CAN based message specification, network management, distributor and layer management; CANopen profiles; CANopen device profiles; CANopen communication profile; application layer services; communication models; the object dictionary.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 20 | 1:00 | 20:00 | Completion of summatively assessed individual piece of coursework |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | Revision for final exam |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Final exam |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 15 | 2:00 | 30:00 | Present-in-Person (PiP): Five 2-hr lectures per week for three weeks. Non-Essential |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 2 | 3:00 | 6:00 | Present-in-Person (PiP): Lab sessions Non-Essential |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 24:00 | 24:00 | Reading of recommended literature and text books |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 8 | 1:00 | 8:00 | Two one-hour online synchronous sessions per week with Q&A. Non-Essential |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 100 | 1:00 | 100:00 | Reviewing lecture notes; general reading |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures provide core material and guidance for further reading, problem solving practice is integrated into lecture structure. Coursework provides examples of knowledge implementation. Topic is supported by case studies.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 120 | 2 | A | 75 | Summatively assessed individual piece of coursework (Maximum 4 pages) |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | 2 | M | 25 | Summatively assessed individual piece of coursework |
Formative Assessments
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical/lab report | 2 | M | Exercises formatively assessed using discussion boards and within the synchronous teaching sessions. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The examination provides the opportunity for the student to demonstrate their understanding of the course material. The problem solving aspects of the assessment enable the student to demonstrate that they are able to apply this understanding and their analysis and synthesis skills to novel situations.
The report will demonstrate the students' ability to apply the course material to a more practical situation and obtaining results from various DCS network scenarios.
The formative exercises will test student current knowledge and implementation throughout the module.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- EEE8151's Timetable