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Novel Networked Remote Laboratory Architecture for Open Connectivity Based on PLC-OPC-LabVIEW-EJS Integration. Application in Remote Fuzzy Control and Sensors Data Acquisition
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In this paper the design and implementation of a network for integrating Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), the Object-Linking and Embedding for Process Control protocol (OPC) and the open-source Easy Java Simulations (EJS) package is presented. A LabVIEW interface and the Java-Internet-LabVIEW (JIL) server complete the scheme for data exchange. This configuration allows the user to remotely interact with the PLC. Such integration can be considered a novelty in scientific literature for remote control and sensor data acquisition of industrial plants. An experimental application devoted to remote laboratories is developed to demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of the proposed approach. The experiment to be conducted is the parameterization and supervision of a fuzzy controller of a DC servomotor. The graphical user interface has been developed with EJS and the fuzzy control is carried out by our own PLC. In fact, the distinctive features of the proposed novel network application are the integration of the OPC protocol to share information with the PLC and the application under control. The user can perform the tuning of the controller parameters online and observe in real time the effect on the servomotor behavior. The target group is engineering remote users, specifically in control-and automation-related tasks. The proposed architecture system is described and experimental results are presented.
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... Åström et al. [13] shows a closed-loopthree-loop control structure that is typical of modern simulation systems and employs a controller to address the issue of significant latency brought on by the use of CAN networks. PLC control in conjunction with control algorithms and forecasting techniques like load noise compensation and error prediction [14] [15]; however, the data from still contain some lags and inaccuracies [9], [10], [13]. In order to increase the system's response time, we directly concatenate the signal from the PLC controlling the Drive/Servo combination in this study and employ an artificial neural network of the MLP type. ...
Maritime simulation systems provide opportunities to acquire technical, procedural, and operational skills without the risks and expenses associated with on-the-job training. Maritime simulation systems are tools used to simulate real-world scenarios for training and research purposes, in which they are used to train seafarers in a safe and controlled environment. These systems are used to simulate different scenarios, such as navigation, maneuvering, and ship handling. The simulation systems allow users to learn and practice different scenarios without exposing themselves to real-life risks. However, at the moment, Vietnam's maritime simulators are dependent on other nations, which results in a lack of technological autonomy, a lengthy transfer of technology, high expenses, and a reduction in national security. Therefore, there is a lot of interest in developing a domestic maritime simulation system. With a rotation angle of α = [α1 α2 α3]T from the PLC controlling the DC/Servo system, the motion platform of the marine simulation system is built on the Stewart platform design principle. Due to the use of conventional control methods, this system suffers from a time delay of up to 1200ms, which prevents it from reacting to real-time control. In this paper, we investigate a novel technique for controlling the dynamic model with three degrees of freedom (3 DOF) of a cockpit cabin deck using artificial neural networks. The findings demonstrate that the reaction to real-time control, rotation error, and drive/servo system movement are all greatly improved.
... This approach involves commercial development software and hardware boards that allow for making a custom system and scenarios. Several data acquisition examples of chemical laboratory projects using LabView can be found, such as [10]- [13], among others. Although it is very powerful, intuitive, and supported by a large community, its high price may restrict its application, particularly in smaller non-commercial applications. ...
This paper presents the development of an acquisition system and data logger from an existing set of three continuous stirred-tank reactors in series. The reactors are currently used in chemical engineering educational laboratories to perform kinetic and tracer experiments. In this sense, to accomplish the store data process, the volumetric flow rate and the concentration of tracer, reactants and/or products of the reaction must be acquired as a function of time. In the original experimental set-up, only the signal conditioning system was operational, while the acquisition, visualization, and control systems were obsolete and damaged. Thus, a new system composed of an interface and real-time acquisition data is proposed alongside preserving the main reactor structure. A graphical user interface and the automation of the various actuators were developed based on worldwide usage and low cost, respectively. This system, based on a common 8-bit microcontroller and an application developed in Lazarus, allows the storage of the acquired data in a time-series database. In this way, students can analyze the results later or in real time. Moreover, remote access allows controlling the reactor and getting data by the Internet of Things (IoT) resources. Additionally, the proposed system using IoT allows data to be shared with the community as a dataset.
... These systems and algorithms find broad application in numerous projects related to process control system engineering. Therefore, there is an urgent requirement to establish a DCS distributed control system laboratory, which would permit remote access to project data via an industrial cloud platform tailored to meet scientific research and engineering project demands [32,33]. This system would facilitate on-site project monitoring, diagnosis, engineering debugging, and the storage backup of project data, ultimately leading to the creation of an industrial internet platform for intelligent control. ...
Fieldbus control systems play a pivotal role in industries such as mining, beneficiation, and metallurgy, facilitating precise process control. However, diverse process conditions and applications often lead to challenges during system implementation. The prevalence of process control projects underscores the need for dedicated control system laboratories to address these problems. Our research delves into the complexities of process control systems, focusing on mainstream brands such as Siemens, Rockwell, and Emerson, involving analysis of network architectures, software, and hardware configurations. Through rigorous testing of real equipment systems, we uncover prevalent issues in practical control system applications. These findings guide the resolution of technical challenges faced in project control, concurrently enhancing the design and debugging prowess of engineering professionals. We also anticipate the trajectory of intelligent manufacturing, embracing collaborative manufacturing aspects in networked environments. This research establishs a robust foundation for the forthcoming generation of control network technologies specific to metal mining, beneficiation, and metallurgy.
... (15) The most important factor in the success of remote access DAQ systems is the availability of a server that can be accessed via the internet. (16) Despite the rapid development of DAQ hardware, the role of the PC has not been replaced. ...
... Plant yang digunakan adalah plant yang telah dirancang sebelumnya melalui penelitian [8], namun penelitian tersebut hanya berbasis PC dan belum dapat dimonitoring jarak jauh secara real time. Plant ini menggunakan web server untuk menghubungkan user dengan komputer dengan alat pengendalian level yang memiliki dua buah sistem pompa, sehingga user dapat mengubah nilai setpoint dan dapat memonitoring variabel proses dari website [9]. Plant ini juga dilengkapi webcam yang akan terhubung kepada website menggunakan live streaming service, agar pengguna dapat melihat secara langsung detail proses pengendalian level secara real-time. ...
Kegiatan praktikum memiliki peran penting dalam pendidikan teknik, terlebih untuk pendidikan vokasi yang memiliki sistem pengajaran dengan rasio 60% praktek dan 40% teori. Pandemi COVID-19 saat ini, terdapat himbauan untuk menjaga jarak (Physical Distancing) serta mengakibatkan mahasiswa tidak dapat melakukan pengajaran dan praktikum secara langsung. Virtual Live Streaming Simulator memungkinkan praktikan untuk mengakses dan berinteraksi dengan alat praktikum melalui layanan live streaming. Pada penelitian ini plant yang digunakan adalah plant pengendalian level air dengan dua buah pompa. Virtual Live Streaming Simulator terdapat webcam yang akan terhubung kepada website menggunakan live streaming service. Web server digunakan untuk menghubungkan praktikan dengan alat pengendalian level secara virtual, sehingga praktikan dapat mengubah nilai setpoint, serta dapat memonitoring variabel proses melalui website. Tahap rancang bangun sistem ini dibagi dua yaitu rancang bangun sistem interface dan sistem live streaming pada web. Tahap karakterisasi digunakan untuk mengetahui performasi alat dan tahap pengujian Virtual Live Streaming Simulator ini terletak pada akses live streaming dan interaksi praktikan dengan plant pengendalian level air. Data yang akan diambil adalah data latensi dari sistem tersebut.
This paper describes a new approach to streamline the development of Remote Laboratories (RL) for Control Education based on TwinCAT Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and Easy JavaScript Simulations (EJsS). On one hand, the TwinCAT PLC is used to implement the laboratory back-end (responsible of closing the feedback loop over the plant under study) with industrial real-time automation methodologies. On the other hand, EJsS is used: 1) to define the RL Human-Machine Interface (HMI) front-end (used by the students to parametrize & observe the evolution of the PLC behavior and signals) and 2) to smooth and centralize the majority of the tasks that the instructors have to perform to configure and deploy the RL. This second utility of EJsS, a novelty of the RL presented in this paper, is supported by an EJsS Plugin that has been especially designed with that purpose. Besides, it is worth noting that our new RL is supported by an improved version of ReNoLabs, developed in 2016 to be a lightweight middle-ware of RLs with EJsS HMI webpages and different types of back-ends, whose Node.js-based server has been updated to backup the functionality of the EJsS Plugin. This paper also shows how to use our approach to setup a RL and describes the main characteristics of two RLs that have been updated with it.
After designing and operating large laboratory classes in Automatic Control for 20 years, the pandemic brought us to rapidly set up replacements resorting entirely to the network. We here describe the solution we produced for basic courses, and that we offer to the community as free software. We also spend a very few words on (still preliminary) evaluation results about the presented activity, and we take the occasion to very briefly discuss our findings in a view to outlining a comprehensive strategy to also involve advanced courses.
This paper discusses the results of a feedback study for a remote laboratory used in the education of control engineering students. The goal is to show the effectiveness of the remote laboratory on examination results. To provide an overview, the two applications of the remote laboratory are addressed: 1) the Stewart platform, and 2) the quadruple water tank system. Combining both applications allows a broad spectrum of practical examples featuring challenging control aspects such as multiple-input-multiple-output control, decoupling, non-minimum phase systems, open-loop unstable systems, and PID control design. The remote laboratory feedback study was performed using a five-point Likert-type scale survey to elicit the students' level of satisfaction with the laboratory. Three years of student examination results were also studied to compare performance before and after integrating the remote laboratory. In the first of these years there was no use of the remote laboratory. In the second year, the remote laboratory was introduced on a voluntary basis, and in the third year the remote laboratory was obligatory. Student feedback indicates that the remote laboratory needs further development to counter its limitations. A major conclusion of the survey was that there is keen interest in the remote laboratory to provide practical experience in the training of a control engineer. It can be concluded that the remote laboratory has a positive effect on student examination results.
Virtual and remote labs have been around for almost twenty years and while they have been constantly gaining popularity since their appearance, there are still many people in the control education community who either do not know many details about them or do not know them at all. What are their benefits? Which examples of virtual and remote labs for control education can be found in the Internet and how spread and popular are they? What are the current trends and issues in the implementation and deployment of these tools? And the future ones? These and others are some of the questions we answer in this paper, trying to bring the attention of the control education community to these tools which, we believe, are meant to have an increasing importance and relevance for the 21st century students.
The integration of Wireless Sensors Networks (WSNs) into Cyber Physical Systems (CPSs) is an important research problem to solve in order to increase the performances, safety, reliability and usability of wireless automation systems. Due to the complexity of real CPSs, emulators and simulators are often used to replace the real control devices and physical connections during the development stage. The most widespread simulators are free, open source, expandable, flexible and fully integrated into mathematical modeling tools; however, the connection at a physical level and the direct interaction with the real process via the WSN are only marginally tackled; moreover, the simulated wireless sensor motes are not able to generate the analogue output typically required for control purposes. A new simulation module for the control of a wireless cyber-physical system is proposed in this paper. The module integrates the COntiki OS JAva Simulator (COOJA), a cross-level wireless sensor network simulator, and the LabVIEW system design software from National Instruments. The proposed software module has been called "GILOO" (Graphical Integration of Labview and cOOja). It allows one to develop and to debug control strategies over the WSN both using virtual or real hardware modules, such as the National Instruments Real-Time Module platform, the CompactRio, the Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA), etc. To test the proposed solution, we decided to integrate it with one of the most popular simulators, i.e., the Contiki OS, and wireless motes, i.e., the Sky mote. As a further contribution, the Contiki Sky DAC driver and a new "Advanced Sky GUI" have been proposed and tested in the COOJA Simulator in order to provide the possibility to develop control over the WSN. To test the performances of the proposed GILOO software module, several experimental tests have been made, and interesting preliminary results are reported. The GILOO module has been applied to a smart home mock-up where a networked control has been developed for the LED lighting system.
Laboratory experimentation plays an essential role in engineering and scientific education. Virtual and remote labs reduce the costs associated with conventional hands-on labs due to their required equipment, space, and maintenance staff. Furthermore, they provide additional benefits such as supporting distance learning, improving lab accessibility to handicapped people, and increasing safety for dangerous experimentation. This paper analyzes the literature on virtual and remote labs from its beginnings to 2015, identifying the most influential publications, the most researched topics, and how the interest in those topics has evolved along the way. To do so, bibliographical data gathered from ISI Web of Science, Scopus and GRC2014 have been examined using two prominent bibliometric approaches: science mapping and performance analysis.
Objective of the Book: Considering the involvement of multiple disciplines (software, hardware, computer interfacing, Web development, Web security, user interface, and learning management), the development process for an Internet accessible remote laboratory is complex. In the absence of any common framework, each development initiative starts from scratch and there is difficulty in transferring and integrating technologies from one laboratory implementation to another. The proposed book is a timely effort to collect current developments in this area, as well as offer some suggestions for future direction, while providing a benchmark for the community. The editors will take every effort to gather contributions from all the major players in this field to foster wider collaboration within the community.
This paper describes the online course and handson laboratory for studying automated control systems. The lab, which is based on a DC motor, is an open source suitable for modern mobile devices. The lab includes video broadcast of real-time activity control and does not require additional client software.
University control engineering coursesusually focus on Proportional Integral Derivative (PID)controllers. Moreover PID controllers are used in morethan 90% of the industrial control applications, becausethey are relatively cheap, easy to use, and robust enoughfor most industrial applications. However, universityteaching attaches most importance to the theoreticalknowledge of PID controllers, rather than the practicalskills required to support the use of these controllers inindustry. In addition, the cost and space challengesassociated with hands on laboratories make simulationbased laboratories a more attractive option for teachingPID controllers. Unfortunately, simulations do notcapture the complexity of control systems that areimportant to develop the practical skills of students. Inthis paper, we present a laboratory setup that is used toteach practical skills in PID tuning. The system controlsthe temperature of a small fictitious house whosetemperature is affected by an uncontrolled heating sourceand blow fan. The PID data is accessible to the systemuser through OLE( Object Linking & Embedding) forProcess Control, also referred as Open ProcessControl(OPC) technology. This technology allows thesystem to be used as a hands-on or remote laboratory,which allows students to learn the complexity of PIDcontrollers, while removing the time and spaceconstraints imposed by purely hands on laboratories.Being accessible remotely, the setup enables andencourages instructors to include demonstrations of PIDtuning into their lectures
Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) systems are recognized to be effective tools to support teaching in Controls, especially in laboratory courses, rather than only simulations, since a more realistic student experience is achieved with no need of the use of a real equipment. This naturally leads to a better use of the resources for both the students and the university facilities and a reduction of costs invested in laboratory equipment. This paper presents a low-cost HIL application for a mobile robot to support learning in Automatic Control and Robotics. It consists of a simulator of the robot, which is built by means of physical modeling tools in the MATLAB®/Simulink® environment, and an Arduino Yun board. The communication between the simulator and Arduino is done by TCP/IP. For illustration purposes, some examples of possible control coursewares to be carried out using the developed testbed are given.
Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) systems are recognized to be effective tools to support teaching in Controls, especially in laboratory courses, rather than only simulations, since a more realistic student experience is achieved with no need of the use of a real equipment. This naturally leads to a better use of the resources for both the students and the university facilities and a reduction of costs invested in laboratory equipment. This paper presents a low cost HIL application for a mobile robot to support learning in Automatic Control and Robotics. It consists of a simulator of the robot, which is built by means of physical modeling tools
in the MATLAB/Simulink� environment, and an Arduino Yún board. The communication between the simulator and Arduino is done by TCP/IP. For illustration purposes, some examples of possible control coursewares to be carried out using the developed testbed are given.
As the need of automation increases significantly, a control system needs to be easily programmable, flexible, reliable, robust and cost effective. In this paper a review on the application of programmable logic controller (PLC) in our current market is discussed. Investigations on the applications of PLCs in energy research, engineering studies, industrial control applications and monitoring of plants are reviewed in this paper. PLCs do have its own limitations, but findings indicate that PLCs have more advantages than limitations. This paper concludes that PLCs can be used for any applications whether it is of simple or complicated control system.