Control Systems Laboratory
at the University of Nevada
M. Sami Fadali EE Department
University of Nevada
Reno, NV 89557
email: fadali@ee.unr.edu
Abstract
The junior level Control Lab is an important
component of the Electrical Engineering curriculum at
the University of Nevada, Reno. Its serves to familiarize
the student with the design simulation and analysis of
control systems. The emphasis is on the basics and
advanced theoretical concepts are avoided. The
electronic instruments used in the lab are all capable of
interaction with personal computers through the HP
interface bus. This creates an integrated lab
environment that combines data acquisition and
analysis.
The major topics considered in the lab are
transducers, circuit implementation of controllers,
mathematical modeling, computer-aided design and
simulation of control systems.
Introduction
Control systems curricula are often viewed by
students as theoretical and highly mathematical.
Students are often unable to relate the theory to
applications in the real world. The obvious solution to
this problem, is to include lab experiments in the control
curriculum. Most US universities have formal labs or lab
components as part of their control courses (see for
example, [1]). In addition, there are many universities
world wide that include labs in their control curricula [2].
The Electrical Engineering curriculum at the
University of Nevada Reno includes 7 required credit
hours and 3 elective hours in the control systems area.
At the junior level, students are required to take a three
credit hour lecture class and a one hour lab. At the
senior level, the students can take a digital control class,
a state-space class or both. Each of the senior level
classes includes some experimental lab work but has no
formal lab component.
The junior level lab and lecture class are corequisites
with the lab experiments selected to support and
complement the lectures. The junior level class covers
(i) Modeling mechanical, electrical, and electro-
mechanical systems
(ii) Block diagrams and Mason's rules
(iii) Introduction to state-space models and simulation
diagrams
(iv) Steady-state and transient time response
characterization
(v) Root locus and introduction to root locus design
(vi) Frequency responseplots
(vii) The Nyquist criterion
The experiments for the junior control lab are
selected based on the topics for the corequisite lecture
class so that
(a) They cover basic principles rather than advanced
concepts.
(b) They include modeling, analysis, simulation and
design of control systems or basic components of
control systems.
(c) Formal lab reports that document the experiments
and include experimental data are required.
(d) The theoretical concepts utilized in the lab are
covered in the lecture.
(e) Scheduling of labs can be synchronized with the
lectures as much as possible.
The following major topics are considered essential
and are introduced through one or more experiments:
a) Transducers: Variable resistance transducers
(strain gages), thermal transducers (thermocouples)
and electromechanical transducers (tachometers)
are introduced.
b) Circuit Implementation: Comparators, lead and lag
compensators are implemented and tested in the lab
using operational amplifiers.
c) Modeling: Mathematical models of thermal and
electromechanical systems are examined in the lab
 and the model parameters are determined. The
models are simulated using the computer package
SIMULINK1.
d) Analysis: The responses of physical systems to
standard inputs such as the step or sinusoid, are
examined experimentally and compared to the
results of computer simulation. The effects of
modeling imperfections and disturbances are
examined in simulations and the results are used to
explain the experimental observations. Plots that
characterize the system, including step response and
frequency response plots, are obtained.
e) Design: Controllers are designed for a DC motor
velocity control systems using the CAD package
PROGRAM CC2. The design is completed subject
to constraints on the controller parameters. The
closed-loop system is simulated using SIMULINK
and the robustness of the design is evaluated. The
controller is implemented and tested in the lab and
the experimental results are compared to the
simulation.
Experiments
The experiments included in the junior control lab are
listed below with brief descriptions
1- Familiarization with Lab Instrumentation and
Safety Rules:
The instructor short lecture on safety rules and
discusses a safety handout prepared especially for
the control lab. The students then make basic
measurements to introduce them to the basic lab
instrumentation and their use for data acquisition in
conjunction with the personal computer.
2- Implementation of Common Operational Amplifier
Circuits:
Students build an inverting amplifier, a summer
and a comparator using operational amplifiers and
examine the response of the circuits. A voltage
follower circuit is used to demonstrate loading and
buffering for two cascaded R-C circuits. The
students must consult the data sheets for the
operational amplifiers.
1SIMULINK is a trademark of the MATH WORKS
INC., Natick, MA.
2PROGRAM CC is a trademark of SYSTEMS
TECHNOLOGY INC., Hawthorne, CA.
3- Experimental Modeling of a Temperature
Transducer:
An empirical model is derived for a temperature
transducer by dipping it into a hot water bath then
removing it and recording the temperature versus
time curve. The experimental data are collected
using a digital storage scope and transferred to a
personal computer. A curve fitting program is used
to obtain the model parameters.
4- Experimental Modeling of a Strain Gauge:
The gauge factor of an Omega Engineering strain
gauge is experimentally determined using a bridge
circuit. The strain gauge and bridge are mounted
on a steel strip. The strip is fixed at one end and a
weight is attached to the other. The bridge is
balanced and the bridge balance equation is used to
determine the change in the resistance of the strain
gauge. The dynamic response of the steel strip to a
sudden release of the weight (step response) is also
recorded using a digital storage scope. The
damping ratio, undamped natural frequency and
damped natural frequency for the system are
estimated.
5- DC Motor Control:
The Feedback corporation DC Servo Module is
used to compare armature and field control of DC
motors. An attenuator unit is used to model varying
loads. The students obtain torque-speed
characteristics at several input voltage settings.
Estimates of the no-load speed can be used to
evaluate some motor parameters.
6- Introduction to SIMULINK:
The students are introduced to the MATLAB
simulation toolbox SIMULINK. This includes
creating new files, opening block menus, selecting
and connecting blocks, setting block parameters,
setting simulation parameters and plotting
simulation results. These skills are learned by
simulating a DC motor velocity control system.
7- Simulation of Armature Controlled DC Motor:
SIMULINK is used to simulate a DC motor running
in open-loop and closed-loop position control
configurations. The students simulate the motor
using basic blocks (summers, integrators and
amplifiers) then using the transfer function block.
The effect of modeling imperfections is examined
for open-loop and closed-loop systems.
8- Two-tank Experiment:
The TecQuipment Two-tank experiment includes a
two tank system, a pump, a flowmeter. A controller
 can be used to adjust the inflow to maintain a
constant head in either or both tanks. The students
evaluate the gains of the pump and sensor and
observe the effect of adjusting the controller gain on
the response to a step change in the desired water
head for a single tank. The waveform is recorded
using a storage scope and then printed directly from
the scope.
9- Frequency response of a Speaker-Microphone:
A sinusoidal input is applied to a speaker and the
output of a microphone is examined using an
oscilloscope. The input frequency is varied and a
Bode plot of the frequency response is completed.
The system is band pass and the students obtain the
upper and lower 3 dB points from the frequency
response.
10 Design of P, PD and PID Controllers:
With the aid of PROGRAM CC, the students design
P, PD and PID controllers for the Feedback DC
Servo Module. The designs are subject to
constraints on the controller parameters and are
therefore more complicated than those completed in
home work assignments. The designs are
completed in the s-domain using root locus plots.
11- Simulation of DC Motor with P, PD and PID
Controllers:
The control systems designed by the students in Lab
10 are simulated using SIMULINK and the effects
of nonlinearities, parameter errors and disturbances,
on their performance are examined.
12- Implementation of P, PD and PID Control of DC
Motor:
The student designs of Lab 10 are implemented
using the Feedback DC Servo Module.
Experimental results are obtained for each
controller and the discrepancies between theoretical
design and practical implementation are explained
with the help of the simulation results of Lab 11.
The last three experiments are treated as a single unit
with one report required for the three labs. The three
experiments are intended to mimic standard practice in
control system design where extensive simulation is
performed prior to implementation of a new design.
Lab Handouts
At the end of each lab session, students receive a brief
handout describing the experiment to be completed the
following week. The handout includes the following
sections:
OBJECTIVE: A brief statement of the purpose of the
experiment.
REFERENCES: Resources to be consulted by the student
in preparation for the lab.
PRIOR PREPARATION: A description of the tasks the
student should complete in preparation for the lab.
APPARATUS: A list of the equipment used in the
experiment.
PROCEDURE: This is the main section of the handout
and describes the actual experiment to be completed by
the students. It includes
1) Introductory remarks: Provides background
motivational information for the experiment.
2) Experiments: A list of tasks to be completed by the
students.
3) QUESTIONS: These test the student's
comprehension of the experiment and the experimental
results and must be answered in the lab report.
Lab Reports
Formal lab reports are required for each experiment
or experiment block. The lab reports must comprise the
following sections:
1- Objective
2- Theoretical background.
3- Block diagram, circuit diagram or equipment
description.
4- Experimental procedures and data collected.
5- Results and discussion including answers to
handout questions.
6- Conclusions.
It is now accepted that industry values written and
oral communication skills. The lab reports teach
students how to present their results, discuss them and
learn from them as expected in engineering practice.
 Lab reports are often of very high quality and include
computer generated plots of experimental data, analysis
using spread sheets and analysis using CAD packages.
They are typically typed using word processing packages
such as WORD PERFECT or MICROSOFT WORD.
Safety
Safety is an important issue that must be emphasized
in every lab course. The danger of electric shock is
always present with inexperienced but inquisitive
students. Shock normally occurs in one of three ways.
The person may come into contact with:(1) both wires of
an electrical circuit; (2) one wire of an energized circuit
and the ground; or (3) a metallic part that has become
“hot” by being in contact with an energized wire while
the person is also in contact with the ground.
curriculum. It exposes the student to a variety of sensors
and instruments used in control systems as well as other
fields. Students consider the lab a heavy load, in view of
the fact that it counts for one credit hour only. However,
discussions with visiting alumni generally give the lab
high marks. The feedback we get indicates that what is
needed most in industry is more "hands on" experience
that emphasizes basic skills rather that the latest
theoretical developments.
References
1. U. Ozguner, "Three-Course Control Laboratory
Sequence", IEEE Control Systems Magazine, Vol. 9,
No. 3, April 1989, pp. 14-18.
2. A World View of Control Education, IEEE Control
Systems Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 2, April 1996.

The severity of the shock received when a person

becomes a part of an electrical circuit is affected by three
primary factors: (1) the amount of current flowing
through the body(measured in amperes); (2) the path of
the current through the body; and (3) the length of time
the body is in the circuit. Other factors that may affect
the severity of shock are the frequency of the current, the
phase of the heart cycle when shock occurs, and the
general health of the person prior to shock. The effects
from electric shock depend on the type of circuit, its
voltage, resistance, amperage, pathway through the body,
and duration of the contact. Effects can range from a
barely perceptible tingle to immediate cardiac arrest.
The important point to remember is that low current does
not necessarily mean low danger since the path through
the body can be a deciding factor.

Another danger in the control lab is the thermal

hazard in the thermocouple experiment. Hot water can
cause severe burns. Discipline must therefore be
maintained in the lab at all times to avoid danger to
individuals and equipment.

We have prepared a special safety handout for the

control lab that emphasizes all the above points. The
safety handout is discussed in the first lab session with
reference to the specific experiments of the lab. The
response of the students has, in general, been positive as
they have become more aware of the seriousness of safety
issues in an electrical engineering lab.

Conclusions

The control lab at the University of Nevada Reno is

an important component of the electrical engineering