last modified: 18/07/2003

Course code: wb3421-03

Course name: Automation and Control of Transport Systems

This concerns a Course

ECTS credit points: 5

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Marine Technology

Section of Transport Technology

Lecturer(s): G. Lodewijks

Tel.:  015 - 27 88793 /      

Catalog data:

Automation, control, conveyor systems, data acquisition, data mining, data analysis and communication

Course year:

MSc 1st year

Course language:

English

In case of Dutch: Please contact the lecturer about an English alternative, whenever needed.

Semester:

2A / 2B

Hours per week:

2

Other hours:

 

Assessment:

Oral exam

Assessment period:

 

(see academic calendar)

 

Prerequisites (course codes):

     

Follow up (course codes):

     

Detailed description of topics:

This course focuses on the automation and control of modern transport systems.

Automation is often necessary to increase the capacity or to reduce operating costs of transport systems on one hand while maintaining a sufficient level of operational accuracy on the other hand.

Automation requires full control of a transport system and its equipment and a throughout understanding of the transport process and the dynamics of the transport equipment involved. In this course the automation of a number of typical transport systems will be studied.

Basis of this course is a study of the dynamics of the transport process and the transport equipment. In an automated transport system data communication is important to ensure reliable performance. In this respect equipment and process monitoring is important as well. Therefore data acquisition, mining, analysis and transfer will be discussed in detail.

The course is concluded by a practical assignment where the control of transport equipment used in an automated transport system will be studied.

Course material:

  • Lecture book

References from literature:

  • To be determined

Remarks assessment, entry requirements, etc.:

Access to the oral examination only after completion of the practical assignment     

Learning goals:

(1) To categorise transport systems and identify properties that determine their performance; (2) to describe mathematically the transport process and the behaviour of transport equipment; (3) to determine the requirements to automate a transport system in terms of control algorithms and equipment involved; (4) to experience the difference between automation in concept and automation in practice.

Computer use:

Uses of data acquisition equipment and database software

Laboratory project(s):

A laboratory assignment is part of the course. During the assignment the operation of an automatred transport system for handling containers will be studied. The last four weeks of the course will be used for this assignment.

Design content:

Not applicable

Percentage of design:  0%