Research Methodology Part V:

Engineering Experiments Dr. Tarek A. Tutunji

Mechatronics Engineering Department

Philadelphia University - Jordan

Outline

• Engineering Experiments

• Practical Skills

• Festo Equipment

• Robotino

• Process Automation

• National Instruments Equipment

• Labview

• DAQ

• MyRio

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Engineering Experiments

• Engineering is concerned with applied science and therefore experiments are important to engineering research • Validation via physical experiments is more convincing than simulation

• Mechatronics engineering is concerned with control of mechanical

systems or processes and therefore experiments should be used to strengthen the research validation

• Lab measurements and control experiments are essential for proper

mechatronics research • PU labs have a collection of equipment that can be used for:

• Mobile robotics (Intelligence and Navigation) • Process Control (single and cascade control) • Data Acquisition (monitor and PC control of systems) • Embedded Controller Systems (real-time control) • Labview and MATLAB software (simulation + HIL)

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Mechatronics Research Steps

• Choose and focus your research area

• Review and understand theoretical background

• Identify and develop appropriate models and algorithms

• Simulate work to validate results

• Do experimental work to validate results

• Document your work

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Experiment Setup

1. Define the goals and objectives of the experiment

2. Select the input / output variables to be measured

3. Select the appropriate algorithms (such as control) to be used

4. Choose appropriate lab equipment and required interface (software + hardware)

5. Determine the time-span of the experiment and the appropriate number of data points to collect

6. Connect, run the experiment, and collect data

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Analyze and Interpret the data

• Plot the results

• Make observations and draw conclusions regarding the variation of the parameters involved

• Compare with predictions from theory and simulation

• Understand and document the results

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Practical Skills

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Courses Course Objectives

Lab

Equip

A B C

Mechatronics System Modelling and

Simulation

C1. Simulate industrial systems using software packages

C2. Identify dynamic physical systems

Advanced Measuring Systems and

Sensors

C1. Carry out calibration and error estimation of

measuring devices

C2. Design and assessment of the sensors used in

industrial systems

C3. Improve system performance

Distributed and Embedded Real-Time

Systems

C1. Implement small mechatronics system considering

requirements for a single-chip design.

C2. Work with system design development tools such as

MATLAB, LABVIEW, LOOKOUT HMI/SCADA, PROTEUS or

any other available software.

A. Robotino B. Process Control C. Labview + DAQ + MyRio

Practical Skills

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Courses Course Objectives

Lab

Equip

A B C

Industrial Mechatronics and Robotic

Systems

C1. Apply robot programming for robots to achieve a

given task

C2. Create robots models for design and analysis

C3. Apply machine vision technology for robot control

Advanced Control Theory C1. Design and simulate industrial and practical systems

C2. Improve the performances of control systems

C3. Implement advanced control techniques

Advanced Programming

C1. Apply object oriented paradigm (OOP) methods in

control and mechatronics systems in engineering

problems

C2. Create and model complex problems by using

appropriate tools

A. Robotino B. Process Control C. Labview + DAQ + MyRio

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Robotino

• The mobile robot system Robotino facilitates industry-orientated vocational and further training and the hardware consists of suitable industrial components

• Robotino is autonomous. • Numerous sensors, a

camera and a high performance controller provide the system with the necessary “intelligence”.

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Robotino Features

• Robotino is a fully functional, high quality mobile robot system with omnidirectional drive. The three drive units allow for motion in: Forward, backward and sideways directions

• Robotino is equipped with a webcam and several types of sensors, analogous to distance measurement

• The webcam makes it possible to display and evaluate a live camera image with the help of RobotinoView. Applications such as path and object tracking can be implemented.

• Additional sensors and actuators can be connected via an I/O interface

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Robotino Features

• Robotinos controller consists of an embedded microcontroller with a compact flash card and contains several demo applications

• The controller can be directly accessed via wireless LAN (WLAN). When correctly programmed, Robotino completes assigned tasks autonomously.

• The PC card contains operating system and functions library

• Robotino can be programmed with

• RobotinoView software at a PC via wireless LAN. RobotinoView is capable of transmitting signals to the motor controller, as well as displaying, changing and evaluating sensor values.

• Linux and C++ API

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Chassis and Command Bridge

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Drive Unit Module

• Robotino® is driven by 3 independent, omnidirectional drive units. They are mounted at an angle of 120° to each other.

• Each of the 3 drive units consists of the following components:

• DC motor

• Gear unit with a gear ratio of 16:1

• All-way roller

• Toothed belt

• Incremental encoder

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Controller Unit

• The Robotino® controller unit consists of 3 components:

• PC 104 processor, compatible with MOPSlcdVE, 300 MHz, and Linux operating system with real-time kernel, SDRAM 128 MB

• Compact flash card (256 MB) with C++ API for controlling Robotino

• Wireless LAN access point

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Controller Interface

I/O Circuit Board Module

• The I/O circuit board establishes communication between the controller unit and the sensors, the drive units and the I/O interface included with Robotino.

• Each of the motors in the individual drive units are controlled by a PID controller.

• Each motor can be controlled individually.

• Signals from the step encoder, all permanently installed sensors and all sensors and actuators which are connected to the I/O interface are forwarded to the controller unit or the additional actuators.

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I/O Interface

• The I/O interface makes it possible to connect additional sensors and actuators. They are connected by means of an included plug.

• 8 analogue inputs (0 to 10 V) (AIN0 to AIN7)

• 8 digital inputs (DI0 to DI7)

• 8 digital outputs (DO0 to DO7)

• 2 relays for additional actuators (REL0 and REL1). The relays can be connected as NC, NO or of CO contacts. D

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Available Sensors

• Infrared Sensors

• Nine infrared distance measuring sensors which are mounted in the chassis at an angle of 40° to one another

• The sensors are capable of accurate or relative distance measurements to objects at distances of 4 to 30 cm

• Incremental Encoder

• Three encoders are used. Each for an individual motor . They measure the speed in RPM and a PID is used for compensation

• Anti-collision Sensor

• Switching strip which is secured around the entire circumference of the chassis

• Inductive Sensors

• Diffuse Sensors

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Sensors

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User Interface

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WLAN Communication

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Camera Access

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• Open a new worksheet by clicking onto the symbol (1) in the toolbar.

• Now open the "Robotino® hardware" folder (2) by clicking it.

• Drag the camera symbol (3a) onto the desktop by holding down the mouse button.

• Click onto the green arrow in the toolbar (4) to start the program

• Open a window (5) with the actual camera image by double clicking the camera symbol on the desktop (3b). By reducing the desktop, you can enlarge the window showing the camera image.

Software Interaction

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Robotino SIM

• Robotino® SIM Professional is a simulation software with which Robotino operations can be represented virtually and program sequences can be simulated.

• Robotino® SIM Professional offers:

• Simulation to learn and test Robotinoin a vitual environment

• Programming with Robotino® View programming software or in a high-level programming language such as C, C++, C# etc.

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Demo Programs

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User Interface

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Control Program

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Loading and Starting a Program

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Process Automation Workstation

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• The MPS® PA Compact Workstation combines four closed-loops with digital and analog sensors and actuators.

• The system can be controlled via PC,

PLC, or manual. • It is possible to use single or cascaded

control for the following: • Level controlled system • Flow rate controlled system • Pressure controlled system • Temperature controlled system

PI Diagram

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Closed-Loop Level Control

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Closed-Loop Flow Control

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Closed-Loop Pressure Control

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Closed-Loop Temperature Control

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Commissioning to PC

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FluidLab

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Software Setup

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Measurement and Control

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Example: Continuous Level Control

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Labview: Two Main windows

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Tools Palette

FRONT PANEL

BLOCK DIAGRAM

Front Panel + Controls

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Block Diagram + Functions

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Acquire, Analyze, and Present

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Acquire, Analyze, and Present

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Data Acquisition (DAQ)

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Typical DAQ System

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Chasis

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Analog Input Card

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Analog Output Card

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Digital I/O Card

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Accelerometer Input Card

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Thermocouple Card

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Labview Rio Architecture

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• National Instruments (NI) provides reconfigurable hardware paired with graphical programming to researchers .

• This hardware/software approach with LabVIEW reconfigurable I/O (RIO) architecture. • It is based on four components: a processor, a reconfigurable FPGA, inputs and outputs,

and graphical design software. • Combined, these components provide the ability to rapidly create custom hardware

circuitry with high-performance I/O and unprecedented flexibility in system timing control.

NI myRio

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Servo Motor Interface

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DC Geared Motor Interface

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Accelerometer Interface

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Piezoelectric Interface

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Conclusion

• Lab experiments are essential for proper mechatronics research

• Available FESTO equipment include:

• Robotino

• Process Control Station

• Available National Instruments include:

• Labview

• DAQ

• MyRio

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Reference

• FESTO Robotino Manual, 544305

• FESTO Robotino SIM Professional Manual, 749261

• FESTO Process Automation, Compact Workstation Manual, 12/2008

• FETSO FluidLab Manual, 12/2008

• National Instruments, Labview Core 1 Course Manual

• National Instruments, MyRio Manual

• National Instruments, Data Sheets

• Du, Furman, and Mourtos “On the ability to design engineering experiments”. 8th UICEE Annual Conference on Engineering Education, Kingston, Jamaica, 7-11 February 2005

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