SC 645 - Intelligent Feedback and Control

Basic Information

Course Code: SC 645
Course Name: Intelligent Feedback and Control
Course Offered In: 2023-2024
Semester Season: Spring
Instructors: Prof. Leena Vacchani
Prerequisites: No strict prerequisites but it is recommended to do atleast some introductory level course in controls like EE302 or SC301.
Difficulty (1 being easy and 5 being tough): 2

Course Content

Part-I: Fundamentals of feedback systems: Basic concepts and techniques, tuning procedures, Model based PID tuning, Set point weighting, Integral wind-up, Benchmarking tuning techniques Part-II: Industrial control techniques: Cascade, Ratio, Split-range, Selective, Feedforward compensation, Gain scheduling and applying relevant ISA standards Part-III: Multi-variable control: RGA, Condition number, Decoupling, Various multiple loop feedback control techniques, MIMO concepts Part-IV: Latest PID techniques: Machine Learning methods for PID tuning, Eventdriven, Data-driven PID Control techniques.

First part of course deals with definition of feedback systems and some real-life examples of such systems and which control techniques are used it in with what level of accuracy. Second part goes in detail for each of these control techniques individually, highlighting advantages and disadvantages and mathematical modelling of the same. Also different techniques for PID tuning of these control laws was taught. In the later half of course, Prof introduces multi-variable systems and control laws for the same. This is not taught in great detail; just the tip of iceberg. In the last week, ML techniques for PID tuning like RL was just introduced.

Feedback on Lectures

The Professor had comprehensive slides that had all the theory but she would write the proofs and graphs of control laws on the blackboard. Her method of explanation was well-suited for the subject and she maintained pace to ensure the class never got too boring even during the “purely theoretical part”.

She was very enthusiastic about teaching and made sure that it was not just one-way traffic in lecture. She would regularly pose brain-teasing questions and keep asking random people to make sure everyone is engaged in the lecture.

She was also very prompt with doubt redressal and systematic in his presentation of topics.

Feedback on Evaluations

This was the best part of the course. There was no quizzes, midsem or endsem. Instead, there were 5 MATLAB coding assignments with 10% weightage to each, and ample time was given to attempt them(2 weeks) considering they could be aced with just small amount of effort. 1 in-class MATLAB assignment was also given with 20% weightage and finally, there was a course project which accounted for 30% of total weightage.

Study Material and Resources

K. Astrom and T. Hagglund, PID Controllers: Theory, Design and Tuning, R. Vilanova and A. Visioli, Advances in Industrial Control, Springer, 2302225 Multivariable control systems: An engineering approach, by P. Albertos and A.Sala,Spring

Follow-up Courses

None

Final Takeaway

The course was very light and could keep up with it with minimal effort. The Professor was also very affable and enthusiastic, which is why the class would remain filled up to 70% even though there was no attendance criteria imposed. The content is really interesting as it deals with practical side of control, which is ew considering most of the courses deal with just the theory of control system.

I would recommend doing this course only if you are interested in knowing about the industrial control process and how control laws are implemented in real-world like big industries and power plants. If someone wants to explore the mathematical control side like optimization, linear-nonlinear systems, then he/she may not find this course any good.