Year
2021
Units
4.5
Contact
2 x 1-hour lectures weekly
19 x 2-hour practicals per semester
4 x 3-hour project works per semester
Prerequisites
1 Admission into MEEE-Master of Engineering (Electrical and Electronic)
1a Admission into MESC-Master of Engineering Science
1b Admission into MESCEE-Master of Engineering Science (Electrical and Electronic)
1c Admission into BENGRHMEEE-B Engineer (Robotics) (Hon), M Engineering (Electrical and Electronic)
Must Satisfy: ((1 or 1a or 1b or 1c))
Enrolment not permitted
ENGR2712 has been successfully completed
Assumed knowledge
An understanding of electronics such as can be obtained in ENGR8703 Electronics GE.
Topic description

Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), ladder programming, PLC instructions, timers, counters, flags and analog I/O in PLCs, testing and debugging a program on a PLC, generating timed and event-driven sequences such as traffic lights, automating and monitoring an industrial process with a PLC using on/off or PID (Proportional, Integration and Derivative) control, introduction to SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) systems, automation and control of a small-scale industrial assembly process, industrial automation in an assembly line including automatic warehouse, inspection, classification and delivery.

Educational aims

The topic aims to introduce students to the principles of electronic design for manufacturing and how to design PCBs for developing prototypes of advanced microelectronic circuits. It also covers how to work with professional design tools available in industry. The students will also learn how to design, program, test, and monitor an automated control system using PLCs.

Expected learning outcomes
On completion of this topic you will be expected to be able to:

  1. Understand the principles of electronic design for manufacturing
  2. Understand the use of electronic CAD (computer aided design) tools for designing printed circuit boards
  3. Understand signal integrity and electromagnetic compatibility when designing PCBs
  4. Understand appropriate design solutions for given requirements
  5. Understand the designing, programming, testing, and monitoring of automated industry processes using PLCs
  6. Understand generating timed sequences
  7. Understand issues affecting the control of an industrial plant with different control strategies
  8. Understand emerging research issues in electronic design