The course aims to provide the following competences:

• Basic modeling techniques for dynamical systems
• PID Controller tuning
• Understanding of the concepts of stability and model/control limitations

Specifically, we will include the following course content:

• Basic modeling of dynamical systems – for example (*) DC-motor, hydraulics, simple mechanical systems etc.
• Feedback – data acquisition / microcontroller / actuation loop
• Stability and stationary conditions
• System types
• P, PI, PID, PID+ control configurations
• Linearity and deviations (saturation, friction phenomena etc.)

(*) As much as possible, examples will be chosen to reflect the professional background of the course participants.

After completing the course, you will be able to model and analyze dynamical systems, linearize them in operating points, design PID-controllers for them, and verify stability of the closed-loop systems. Furthermore, you will be able to implement the controller in a microcontroller subject to real-time constraints.  Also, you will obtain knowledge of the nomenclature used in control engineering, permitting more seemless exchange of knowledge within the company.

In the course you learn about and get answers to:

• Dynamics – how systems move, and why the concept of ”inertia”, ”speed”, and ”forces” are ubiquitous in physical systems – not just mechanical ones.
• Real-time behavior in sampled-data systems – why it matters more than most engineers think.
• PID control – the ubiquitous controller structure that can be used for (almost) anything, and why integral control is necessary for most control loops.

The course involves both theory and practice. The theory will be provided through lectures given by experienced lecturers in small seminars, and subsequently you will get to solve exercises and work together with other engineers in small teams on hands-on laboratory experiments.

The course is organized around three lecture and workshop days on-site at AAU Campus Aalborg, each spaced approximately one week apart. Theory lectures will be complemented by both pen-and-paper and computer-based exercises, along with laboratory experiments. Between the lecture/workshop days on-site, participants will engage in online Q&A sessions to facilitate discussions on their learning progress.

In the course you will have the opportunity to network and share experiences with the other participants. Moreover, you will have the opportunity to discuss more advanced topics with the lecturers.

The instruction will be conducted in English.
(If all participants are Danish speaking, it can be agreed to run the course in Danish).

Jan Bendtsen:
Associate Professor with 20 years of experience in teaching, supervision, and research in software and control engineering; extensive collaboration with companies in the Jutland Energy-related industry, as well as supervisor for more than 100 completed Master Theses in Control and Robotics since year 2000.

Kirsten Mølgaard:
Associate Professor with more than 30 years’ experience in teaching and supervision at bachelor and master level as well as research and company collaboration. The focus area has been control engineering in areas as energy, thermal-, mechanical- and fluid systems, smart grid and robotics.

Carsten S. Kallesøe:
Senior specialist at Grundfos and Industry Professor at Department of Electronic Systems, AAU.

The course is targeted at engineers in Danish companies in the production industry, energy sector, building sector, utility companies, etc., who can see the need for control in their daily development projects, but do not have a formal education in control engineering.

This could for example be mechanical engineers, software engineers, or environmental engineers interested in working with embedded systems, or control engineers who simply feel the need for a short brush-up.

The course requires that the participants possess programming skills and basic knowledge about embedded systems. Furthermore, the participants are required to have at least a high-school level understanding of physics and dynamical systems.

The participants must be able to read technical literature in English.

No requirement.

Location
The course is held at AAU Campus Aalborg at:
Institute for Electronic Systems,
Fredrik Bajers Vej 7C
9220 Aalborg Ø.
Teaching room 209

Parking Information
Free parking is available in the parking lot at Fredrik Bajers Vej 1. The entrance to Frederik Bajers Vej 7C2 is on the opposite side of the parking lot, separated by Bertil Ohlins Vej. Alternatively, you can use the Kroghstræde parking area.

Course certificate
After the course, you will receive by e-mail your course certificate from AAU with details of course name,
number of hours and name of the teaching professor.

Physical (on-site) teaching at AAU Campus, Aalborg. Teaching room 209

9:00 - 10:15 - Seminar 1: Basic systems theory

• Welcome & introduction
• Basic theory on dynamical systems and feedback control
• Signals and systems basics
• Transient and steady-state behaviors, stability

10:30 - 12:00

• Exercise Session (Simulation, Pen/Paper)

12:00 - 13:00

• Lunch & Networking

13:00 - 14:15 - Seminar 2: Microcontroller-System Interaction

• Basic Modeling of Physical Systems
• Continuous vs. Discrete Time
• Real-Time Systems, Microcontrollers, I/O (Sampling)

14:30 - 16:00

• Exercise Session (Pen/Paper, Microcontroller)

Virtual session (link to online meeting will be provided by e-mail)

10.30 AM - 12.00 PM - Questions and answers & Introduction to lab sessions

Physical (on-site) teaching at AAU Campus, Aalborg. Teaching room 209

9.00 -12.00 - Lab session 1: Parameter identification

• Experiment, data acquisition, identifying model parameters.

12.00 - 13.00

• Lunch & Networking

13.00 - 14.15 - Seminar 3: Controller tuning

• System types
• P, PI, PID controllers
• Closed loop transfer functions & poles

14.30 - 16.00

• Exercises (pen/paper, simulation)

Virtual session (link to online meeting will be provided by e-mail)

10.30 - 12.00

• Questions and answers & Introduction to lab sessions

Physical (on-site) teaching at AAU Campus, Aalborg. Teaching room 209

9.00 - 12.00 - Lab session 2: Controller implementation

• Experiment, closed loop operation

12.00 - 13.00

• Lunch & Networking

13.00 - 15.30 - Lab session 3: Controller implementation (cont’d)

• Continuation of lab session 2

15.30 - 16.00

• Closure

Virtual session (link to online meeting will be provided by e-mail)

10.30 - 12.00

• Follow-up on the course