Because of its perceived level of difficulty, closed-loop system identification (SID) has suffered a historically bad rap. But powered by a supervisory control and data acquisition (scada) system donated by Adroit Technologies - a Proudly South African producer of technologically advanced, 32-bit, open automation, scadas - the University of Pretoria's Control Systems Section in the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, has successfully introduced a new method of teaching closed-loop system identification to undergraduate students in a simple and uncomplicated manner.
Closed-loop SID refers to the process in which plant models are identified using data collected from closed-loop experiments, where the underlying process is fully or partly under feedback control. Despite its bad reputation, closed-loop SID is preferential to open loop for unstable plants, or where experiments must be controlled for production, economic and/or safety reason, or where systems contain inherent feedback mechanisms.
Professor Ian K. Craig, section head: control systems in the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering at the University of Pretoria and closed-loop system identification specialist, Elsa de Klerk, former post-graduate student and now of Sasol Technology's Control Systems Department at Secunda simulated real world application by creating a 'wind tunnel' (composed of a hair dryer blowing into a tunnel) with variable airflow rates and temperatures, a PC 30 card in lieu of an expensive PLC, a PC running on MS Windows 98 and the Adroit scada to perform data acquisition, logging, trending, animation and control, as well as to provide visibility into the wind tunnel.
Single-input-single-output (SISO) transfer function between the voltage applied to the fan and the measured flow rate of air is controlled and identified by the closed-loop data. By successfully completing the experiment, students understood the basic closed-loop system identification (SID), applied closed-loop SID theory, designed and conducted closed-loop SID experiments, interpreted and analysed closed-loop data and were made aware of the difficulties and advantages of the different closed-loop SIDs available.
Undergraduates at the University of Pretoria using the Adroit scada to assimilate and analyse a real-world application
The new programmable graphic display for all industries ifm - South Africa
SCADA/HMI
The new 11 cm ecomatDisplay from ifm features 16,7 million colours, a high-resolution display with optical bonding and a powerful processor, all packed into a compact, robust housing.
Read more...Display systems for mobile machines ifm - South Africa
SCADA/HMI
The new 11 cm ecomatDisplay from ifm features 16,7 million colours, a high-resolution display with optical bonding and a powerful processor, all packed into a compact, robust housing.
Read more...Next generation of AI-powered video telematics
IoT & Automation Surveillance Transport (Industry)
Webfleet, Bridgestone’s fleet management solution in South Africa, has launched Webfleet Video 2.0, an AI-powered solution designed to enhance fleet safety, security, compliance with local regulations and operational efficiency through real-time video insights.
Read more...Key design considerations for a control room Leaderware
Editor's Choice Surveillance Training & Education
If you are designing or upgrading a control room, or even reviewing or auditing an existing control room, there are a number of design factors that one would need to consider.
Read more...Advanced surveillance storage from ASBIS
Infrastructure Surveillance Products & Solutions
From a video storage solutions perspective, SkyHawk drives, designed for DVRs and NVRs, offer high capacity, optimised firmware, and a reliability workload rating of hundreds of terabytes per year.
Read more...AAEON launches new panel PC series Vepac Electronics
SCADA/HMI
AAEON has released the OMNI-ADN series, a four-model collection of modular HMI panel PCs with display sizes ranging from 26 to 55 cm. The OMNI-ADN series is the first of AAEON’s HMI panel PC range powered by the Intel Processor N-series platform,
Read more...CCTV control room operator job description Leaderware
Editor's Choice Surveillance Training & Education
Control room operators are still critical components of security operations and will remain so for the foreseeable future, despite the advances of AI, which serves as a vital enhancement to the human operator.
Read more...Platform to access data and train AI models Milestone Systems
AI & Data Analytics Surveillance
Milestone Systems has announced Project Hafnia to build services and democratise AI-model training with high-quality, compliant video data leveraging NVIDIA Cosmos Curator and AI model, fine-tuning microservices.
Read more...AI means proactive surveillance DeepAlert Technews Publishing SMART Security Solutions
AI & Data Analytics Surveillance SMART Security Solutionsasked DeepAlert for some insight into how AI is transforming video surveillance, even to the extent of it being taught to protect the privacy of those in the cameras’ view.
Read more...Camera Selection Guide 2025
Camera Selection Guide Surveillance
The Camera Selection Guide 2025 includes a range of IP, thermal and speciality cameras aimed at a broad range of surveillance functions.
printer friendly version