This compact experimental unit offers every opportunity to learn the fundamentals of control engineering through experimentation on a linear position control system.

  The experimental set-up is mounted on a housing which accommodates all the electronics. A transparent protective cover permits safe observation of the experiments. A carriage can be moved by a DC motor via a toothed belt. The linear positioning is measured by a rotary encoder and delivered as a voltage signal. The output signal from the sensor is sent to the software controller. The output signal from the controller influences the motor current. The motor is automatically shut down if the carriage reaches one of the two end positions.

  The powerful state-of-the-art software is an integral part of the training system, embodying the principle of hardware/software integration (HSI). It enables the experiments to be conducted and evaluated in a user-friendly manner. The software has network capability. The link between the experimental unit and the PC is made via a USB port. 

  The well-structured instructional material sets out the fundamentals and provides a step-by-step guide through the experiments.

- fundamentals of control engineering based on the

  example of a linear position control system with

  integral control action
- open loop control response
- effects of different controller parameters and

  methods on the response of the closed loop

  system
- recording of step responses 
  * reference variable
- controller optimisation
- software-based controlled system simulation
  * comparison of different controlled system

    parameters