Aims and Fit of Module

Study on control system design with sensor and transducer is required to get an ability to analyse the measurement, controller design, and system performance analysis. Module covers from the understanding of sensor/transducer itself and its circuit design to the integration of controller design with data acquisition unit. Naturally, the aims of this module are to enable the students:  



To understand the concepts of instrumentation and control system.


To understand the types of sensors and their application to the system.


To understand data error and approximation.


To understand the data acquisition process and applying instrument to control system. 


To understand the mathematical modelling of dynamic systems and different formats of system models. 


To learn the frequency domain design and analysis of control systems.


To understand the system stability and how to determine if a system is stable.



To understand control system synthesis methods in frequency domain.


To conduct computer aided system analysis and design.


To provide the student with the ability to select a suitable transducer and associated system for a given measurement application and to consider possible alternative solutions.

Learning outcomes

A. Understand instrumentation process with sensor configuration and evaluate physical effect from measurement.

B. Understand instrumentation system process (sensor, transducer, actuator) and its signal flow (continuous, digital), and analyse first- and second-order system response, and transfer function from Laplace transform.

C. Decide system stability with Routh Array, Root Locus and Nyquist plot.

D. Design feedback controller to stabilize overall system (PID controller, State feedback controller).

E. Combine control system with sensor and transducer.

Method of teaching and learning

This module will be delivered by a combination of 39-hour formal lectures, 4-hour tutorials, and a 6-hour lab session (for strain gauge experiment covering the learning outcome A).