RCDue - Laboratory System for Teaching Automation and Control - Concept of the system

Abstract

Paper describes an implementation of a low cost but nontrivial laboratory system for automation and control theory teaching purposes. The system called RCDue consists of two parts - a dynamic system module and a control unit providing measurement, control and communication with MATLAB through USB serial port. Wiring of the dynamic system module can be modified to get a system of the desired behavior. Application example named as R5C4 with four RC circuits is described together with its mathematical model and calculated step responses. The system can be used in laboratory for practical education of C or MATLAB programming, modelling and identification or control theory subjects.