4 Your design case study

4 D_C

• Design case study

• Electronic log book

4 D_C 1
 Engineering Practice
An example of a project in a consultant company
• The project: investigate different control methods, for example for a
particular control system, taking into account some practical issues.
• Stages of the project
1) Basic simulation study based on the simplest plant model provided
and some further study …… (This module, some Year 3 projects)
2) Detailed modelling and control, also consider theoretical and
practical issues associated with sensors and actuators (MEng
project).
3) Develop the required hardware/software and test on real systems
This module is to teach you how to: investigate different control
methods for (the system of your individual case study), taking into
account some practical issues, mainly at the level of Stage 1

4 D_C 2
Pitch angle control for wind turbine rotor speed
Controller to Plant to be
be designed controlled

Parameters of your plant   * * ng  * * K  * * ng  * *

model are in the Canvas
“Lecture Slides”, file name: 18_19 CENo and plant parameters

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 Engineering Practice: Electronic Logbook (EL)
Your Logbook in companies: original details, in
case there is a dispute about your design.
• Special features of Electronics Logbook (EL):
 Better book-keeping, serve multi-purpose
 Copy and paste of your design/results, to be used by
your final report: some writing, editing, better quality
figures, etc. based on what already in the EL.
 Electronic materials may be used for another project
 Rename your CENo.docx as
CENo ** logbook.docx
• Not formally assessed (no mark), but you need to submit
your final EL as supplemental materials to support your
final report.
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 Your Electronic Logbook (EL) for you !
Suggested contents in your EL
(Insert at very beginning)
CENo: XX Name: YYYYYY
Record of you have done Part 1 Lab tasks A and B, see pp.56-80

Copy a block diagram of your case study and record the parameters

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 Important !
Make sure you get your
plant transfer function right
before any further work
( You can asking one of us to check )

4 D_C 6
 Weekly working record in your EL (from Week 3)

In the weekly table:

 Work: summary of work you have done in that week
 File: keep record where do you keep your files and file names
 Hour: how many hours you have spent on this project in the week.
“time sheet” in a company, the company charge your client:
Hourly rate × the number of hours you have spent
Note: be Honest about hours spent
• Overstate it
 Pros: Your commitment
 Cons: Your ability
• Understate it: you get less payment than it should be
Record your work and results …… (continue next slide)
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 EL: Between working tables of two weeks
You record (copy and paste) useful information you wish to keep
(some of them may be used in your final report), for example for
your PID controller design:
 Your Kcr and Pcr values
 …….
 Some simulation results …… for example draft plots copied
from scopes using “copy to clickboard then paste to EL”

Logbook help you to debug problems

Checking your work step-by-step
Backup your electronic logbook regularly

4 D_C 8
 More challenging design topics in
coming weeks. When come to your
design, you may need to refer to
materials reviewed so far.

Make your question specific.

4 D_C 9