This module provides the necessary understanding, knowledge and skills to equip Electronic and Computer Engineering students with the necessary skills to design automated systems for industrial manufacturing process, built environment and other domains.

[Motion Control] Open Loop and servos/closed loop electric motors, drives and controllers, steppers, DC servos, brushless motors. motion sensors/transducers for servo operation, tachometers, optical encoders, resolvers. [Pneumatics] Electro pneumatics, valves, pneumatic devices, pneumatic control systems. [Programmable Logic Controllers PLCs], PLC programming and installation. [Mechanical System Components] and considerations friction, low friction designs, inertia matching, gear-boxes, screws, worms, toothed belts, harmonic drives. Choice of motor system to match speed, accuracy, stiffness, efficiency requirements etc. [Industrial Robots] Classification; robot programming. [Building Automation] Use of programmable logic devices for home/building automation and security applications in modern buildings. [Laboratory Work] Problem based laboratories will use a combination of Automation Rigs Labview and PLC exercises.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: 1. Recall and describe the function and characteristics of industrial subsystems such as pneumatic / electro-pneumatic circuits, stepper motor and servo motor control systems and PLC controlled machines. 2. Describe, illustrate and evaluate the mechanical sub-systems of an automated system design. 3. Analyse automation system design taking into account inertia matching, gearbox selection, accommodation of friction and other such aspects. 4. Identify and describe the elements in a motion control system design for stepper motor and servo motor systems including the power switching stage and the motor control block. 5. Design pneumatic and electro-pneumatic circuits within automation/machine systems. Research, design, problem solve, synthesise and demonstrate a working automated system design for a target system brief (e.g. Ventilation and humidity control system. Industrial automated assembly system etc.) 6. Describe communication and networking standards used in automation e.g. in energy control. Formulate judgements of automation option alternative from environmental and energy efficiency perspective.

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Lectures and practical experience via Lab work. Students work through a series of automation design experiments in the lab and follow this with a lab design mini-project where they must develop an automation solution design for a target automation application drawing upon the system components that they have covered in the module.