Courses and the UGCL

The modeling and analysis of the forced and free vibrations in both single and multi degree-of-freedom lighty damped mechanical systems is one of the first steps towards the understanding of the behavior of linear dynamical systems. Dynamic models can be used to design (linear feedback) control systems and the actaul implementation of real-time controllers on a physical system can provide a stimulating demonstration of the effects of dynamics and control. Both graduate and undergraduate courses that teach topics on dynamic modeling of free-body motion, multi-degree flexible mechanical system behavior and feedback control benefit from the experiments in the UnderGraduate Control Laboratory. The following courses at the department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering use or have used the UGCL for instructional purposes:

• MAE143B: Linear Control - Theory and Applications. Introduction to the analysis of linear dynamical systems and the design of linear feedback controllers for mechanical Engineering students.
• MAE143C: Digital Control Systems. Introduction to the analysis of discrete time systems and the design of digital controllers.
• CENG120: Chemical Process Dynamics and Control. Introduction to the analysis of linear dynamical systems and the design of linear feedback controllers, with specifc applications directed to the modeling and control of chemical processes.
• MAE171A: Mechanical Engineering Laboratory. Laboratory course is to analyse experiments in the are of fluid and solid mechanics and control systems.
• MAE171B: Mechanical Engineering Laboratory. Laboratory and Design course in which students propose, analyse and complete a mechanical or aerospace related project that involves the design and analysis of a fluid mechanics, solid mechanics or (electromechanical) control system.
• MAE283A: Parametric Identification - theory and tools. A graduate and upper division undergraduate course on experimental modeling using system identification techniques where data of the UGCL is used in homework sets and their final projects.

The experiments in the UGCL are used to generate data for in-class laboratory demonstation and realistic homework problems for most of the courses listed above. In addition, the UGCL is used in the senior level undergraduate laboratory and design courses such as MAE171B and MAE156A to faciliate projects that require instrumentation; signal acquisition; experiment based validation of first principle models; identification and parameter estimation methods; and real-time controller implemenations. Students can perform experiments and gather data to verify finite-dimensional (discrete) and infinite-dimensional (continuous) methods for modeling dynamical systems. The laboratory also provides tools for the introduction to stability and implementation of both linear and non-linear feedback control systems.