Control Design and Mechatronics: Educator and Classroom Resources

Open and Closed Loop DC Motor Control

This VI demonstrates how to run a Motor (or any Single Input Single Output system) without and with a controller designed with the NI Control Design toolkit within the Express Workbench Environment. Download Now.

LabVIEW Simulation of Closed Loop DC Motor System

This VI Simulates the behavior of the designed closed loop system by loading the identified DC Motor plant and the designed controller. The response to different inputs can be investigated (square wave, triangle wave, saw tooth wave, etc.), and different ODE solvers in LabVIEW Simulation can be used. Download Now.

Flexible Joint Control Design Case Study

This case study shows the use of State-Feedback Controller to move a flexible joint from one setpoint to another. The springs simulate a joint that has flexible elements in the arm. During the design process, you can change the weights in the LQR matrices to penalize the states and generate the desired dynamic response for the system. Download Now.

Estimating a Partially Known Continuous Transfer Function Model (System Identification Toolkit)

This case study illustrates how to use prior knowledge about an RLC circuit to define and estimate a partially known continuous transfer function model for the RLC circuit. You can use the LabVIEW System Identification VIs to complete this task.  Download Now.

Mechatronics Lab 1: Introduction to LabVIEW

In this laboratory, students learn how to use the National Instruments LabVIEW development environment, which is based on the graphical programming language G. They then write a LabVIEW program to acquire, display, and save an external voltage signal. Download Now.

Mechatronics Lab 2: Hall Effect Sensors

In this laboratory, students learn how to use a Hall Effect sensor to detect the presence of a magnetic field due to a permanent magnet. Then, in a simulation of an attendance counter at a turnstile, they write a NI LabVIEW program to count the number of times that a magnet is moved past the Hall sensor. Finally, they write a program to compute and display the total (cumulative) duration of low pulses. Download Now.

Mechatronics Lab 3: Strain Gage Sensors

In this laboratory, students build an analog circuit that will enable them to use a strain gage to measure the deflection of a metal ruler. They then add a noninverting op-amp to amplify the voltage output from the circuit and an analog low-pass filter to remove voltage fluctuations caused by high-frequency noise. Download Now.

Mechatronics Lab 4: Open-Loop Analog Control

In this laboratory, students write a NI LabVIEW program to drive a DC motor using an analog voltage signal. They also learn how to measure and view both angular velocity and angular position feedback signals from the motor. The DC motor is part of the MS15 DC Motor Control Module. They can control the angular velocity of the motor using either an analog voltage signal or a pulse-width modulated (PWM) digital signal. This laboratory uses only analog signals. Download Now.

Mechatronics Lab 5: Frequency Response

In this laboratory, students build a NI LabVIEW VI to obtain the frequency response (magnitude and phase) of an external system. They then use this VI to obtain the frequency response of an analog low-pass filter, an analog high-pass filter, an analog band-pass filter, and a DC motor. Download Now.

Mechatronics Lab 6: Closed-Loop Analog Control of DC Motor Velocity

In this laboratory, students build analog circuits to implement proportional (P), integral (I), and proportional-integral (PI) control of a DC motor using NI LabVIEW. The ultimate goal is to control the DC motor so that the velocity (voltage) output VOUT is equal to a (desired) reference (voltage) input r. Download Now.

Mechatronics Lab 7: Open-Loop Digital Control of a DC Motor

In this laboratory, students learn how to obtain and view digital feedback signals from the motor. They obtain the digital feedback signals from two separate sources - a slotted disc and a four-bit gray-code disc. They also learn how to drive the motor using a digital pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal.  Download Now.

Mechatronics Lab 8: Stepper Motors

In this laboratory, students write a NI LabVIEW VI for generating digital TTL signals that they can use to generate the stepping sequence for a four-phase unipolar stepper motor. They then use a function generator and an analog drive circuit to control the rate of rotation of a unipolar stepper motor in full-step mode.  Download Now.

Modern Control Systems

Dr. Robert H. Bishop, The University of Texas at Austin
Richard C. Dorf, University of California, Davis
Prentice Hall

ISBN-10: 0131457330 
ISBN-13: 9780131457331

Feedback Control of Dynamic Systems

Gene F. Franklin, Stanford University
J. David Powell, Stanford University
Abbas Emami-Naeini, Stanford University
Prentice Hall

ISBN-10:     0130323934   
ISBN-13:    9780130323934

Applied Mechatronics

A. Smaili and F. Mrad - American University of Beirut
Oxford University Press

ISBN-10: 019530702X 
ISBN-13: 9780195307023

Introduction to Mechatronics and Measurement Systems

David G. Alciatore, Colorado State University
Michael B. Histand, Colorado State University
McGraw-Hill

ISBN: 0072963050

• Signals and Systems
• Dynamic systems (Modeling & control)
• Mechatronics
• Embedded & hybrid Control
• Linear and Non-linear System Design
• Control Systems Theory (linear, multivariable linear)
• System Identification
• Neural Networks
• Fuzzy Logic
• Automation & robotics
• Adaptive Control

• Root Locus Design
• Frequency Response Design
• Feedback Control System
• Digital Control System
• Linear Feedback System
• MIMO
• Dynamic Modeling and Response
• State-Space Design
• Sensors
• Actuators (Electrical & Mechanical)
• Diodes, Transistors, Thyristors, Op-amps
• A/D and D/A Conversion

• Unlimited seats of NI software for your department, college or campus
• Comprehensive suite of LabVIEW and other controls software
• Automatic bi-annual updates with new and upgraded software

• Allow your students to install software on their personal laptops and PCs
• Affordable price for your entire student body
• Access to all software available in the Academic Site License

• Illustrate the fundamentals of control design, simulation, and mechatronics
• Control motor position, speed; parameter estimation of a haptic knob
• Includes Quanser QNET-010 DC motor control trainer/plant

• Illustrate the fundamentals of control design, simulation, and mechatronics
• Balance a vertical rod at the tip of a rotating arm – a classic pendulum control experiment
• Includes Quanser QNET-011 rotary inverted pendulum trainer/plant

• Illustrate concepts covered in fluid dynamics and thermodynamics controls
• Design control system to regulate temperature in chamber
• Includes Quanser QNET-012 HVAC trainer/plant

• Rugged, reconfigurable deployment platform for embedded and control applications
• Real-time controller to implement time-critical control applications
• Up to 10 MHz loop rate with digital I/O and up to 200 KHz loop rate with analog I/O

• Reuse existing work by interfacing with other simulation tools
• Design real-time control design applications with graphical programming
• Includes PCI-7831R board (FPGA target) and SCB-68 connector block