INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION

Academic Year 2024/2025 - Teacher: Giuseppe NUNNARI

Expected Learning Outcomes

1. Knowledge and understanding. Students will learn to:

  • Represent Discrete Event  Systems (DES) by means of Petri nets.
  • Analyze the structural properties of a model represented by Petri nets and its control through the approach of monitor places.
  • Know the architecture of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC).
  • Know the programming languages ​​of programmable logic controllers (PLCs) as described in the IEC 61131-3 standard.
  • Know the structure of computer networks for industrial automation and systems for supervision and data acquisition (SCADA).

Applying  knowledge and understanding. Students will be able to:

  • represent, analyze and simulate the properties of discrete event systems (DES).
  • code the software for PLC  and debugging, both through the use of simulators and by operating in the laboratory directly on the HW devices.

3. Autonomy of judgment. Students will be able to judge the strengths and weaknesses of  techniques in use in the field of Industrial Automation.

4. Communication skills. Students will be able to illustrate the techniques learned in the course, interact in teams and collaborate with  industry experts..

5. Learning skills. Students will be able to autonomously extend their knowledge of the techniques used in the field of industrial automation, drawing on the vast literature available in the field.

Course Structure

  • The course takes place through  lectures and experiences in the laboratory. To each course topic  is devoted an adequate amount of time in the laboratory experiences which reinforce the learning. In the laboratory, students will use both software tool and hardware devices to learn the analysis of discrete event systems and PLC programming.
  • Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned and outlined in the syllabus.

Required Prerequisites

Computer Programming

Linear Algebra and Matrix Calculus

Feedback control systems

Attendance of Lessons

Regular attendance at lectures and laboratory activities is strongly recommended for the achievement of the expected educational objectives

Detailed Course Content

Discrete event systems (DES). DES representation by using Petri Nets. Analysis of Petri Nets. DES control using the Monitor approach. Continuous versus logic control. PID: Architecture and tuning approaches. Programmable logic controllers (PLC): architecture of a PLC, input-output modules special function modules PLC programming languages modules, special function modules. PLC programming languages. Graphic Graphic languages: Ladder Diagram, Function Block language (FBD), sequential function chart (SFC). Basic elements, instructions for timing and counting. Evolution rules Structures to control the program flow Examples of Evolution rules. Structures to control the program flow. Examples of programming using ladder diagram, FBD and SFC. Computer networks. The ISO/OSI model, network topologies, transmission media bus access methods: Polling, Token bus and Token Ring. CSMA/CD, Time Difision. Fieldbus: CAN and Profibus. Industrial Ethernet. Profibus. Supervisory systems and data acquisition (SCADA). Modules of a SCADA system: database processing module, communication module, operator interface module, processing module, communication module, operator interface module, alarm management , recipe management module, maintenance support module, expert system module.

Textbook Information

  1. Handbook of Industrial Automation, Ed. Marcel Dekker, 2000.
  2. Hassen D.H., Programmable Logic Controllers - A practical approach to IEC 61131-3 Using Codesys, Wiley, 2015.
  3. Bolton, Programmable Logic Controllers, 5th edition, Elsevier, 2009
  4. Slides delle lezioni

Course Planning

 SubjectsText References
1Nozioni di base sulla rappresentazione dei sistemi dinamici ad eventi discreti mediante Reti di PetriHandbook of Industrial Automation, Slide delle Lezioni
2Analisi delle proprietà delle Reti di Petri e Controllo mediante l'approccio dei posti monitor.Handbook of Industrial Automation, Slide delle Lezioni
3Architetture dei Controllori a Logica Programmabile (PLC).Bolton, Slide delle Lezioni
4Programmazione dei PLC utilizzando i linguaggi dello standard IEC 61131-3.Hassen,Slide delle Lezioni
5Nozioni di base sulle reti informatiche per l'automazione industriale e sui sistemi per la supervisione e l'acquisizione dei dati (SCADA) ai fini del monotoraggio ed il controllo di processi industriali.Handbook of Industrial Automation, Slide delle Lezioni

Learning Assessment

Learning Assessment Procedures

The exam consists of a written and an oral test. The test concerns two aspects: 1) The analysis and control of discrete event systems using Petri nets, 2) The implementation of a control program for an assigned industrial process using the languages ​​learned in the course. The program can be written using a laptop if available to the student. Examples of the written tests assigned can be downloaded by registered students on the website dedicated to the course within the Teams portal (https://teams.microsoft.com). The oral test consists of a discussion of the written test and an interview on the topics presented during the lectures. The student is expected to draw up a report certifying the tests performed during the laboratory. Sample reports will be available in advance on the Teams course website.

Verification of learning can also be carried out electronically, should the conditions require it.

To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students may request a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures based on educational objectives and specific needs. Students can also contact the CInAP (Centro per l’integrazione Attiva e Partecipata - Servizi per le Disabilità e/o i DSA) referring teacher within their department.

 

Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises

  • Define a Discrete Event System (DES) is a system.
  • What is a Petri Net (PN) ?
  • When a transition is controllable
  • When a transition t in a PN is enabled ?
  • When a sequence of transitions is enabled ?
  • When a PN  free of self loops is said to be pure ?
  • When a state M of a given PN is reachable from state Mo ?
  • Describe the property of bounness of a PN.
  • When a PN is live ?
  • Classify when a PN is a state machine, an event graph, a free-choice net etc.
  • What are siphon and traps of a PN ?
  • What are P and T invariants of a PN ?
  • How P and T invariants are useful to analyse the boundness and liveness of a PN ?
  • Explain the GMAC approach
  • Explain the GMAC approach in presence of not controllable transitions.
  • Shortly describe the hardware architecture of a PLC.
  • What kinds of Program Organization Unit (POU) are defined in the IEC61131 standard ?
  • What are the main kinds of data types ?
  • What are the kinds of Program Organization Units (POU) ?
  • Describe the main features of the SFC language as described in the  IEC61131 standard.
  • Describe the main features of the ST language as described in the  IEC61131 standard.
  • Describe the main features of the LD language  as described in the  IEC61131 standard.
  • Draw the general architecture of an Industrial Information Network.
  • Enumerate the layers of the ISO/OSI model.
  • Explain the main features of the physical layer.
  • Explain the main features of the data-link laye.
  • Explain the main protocol to access the physical media.
  • Explain the differences between the CSMA/CD and the CSMA/CR.
  •  Explain the main features of the network-link laye.r
  • Describe the Profibus fildbus.
  • Describe the CAN fieldbus.
  •  Describe the Industrial Ethernet.
  • Describe the main features of a SCADA system

 

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