This module will give the students an introduction to pneumatic/electro pneumatic and hydraulic systems.It will cover basic pneumatic and hydraulic components and their use in complete systems. The student will also become acquainted with standard pneumatic and hydraulic symbols in accordance with IEC standards and be able to use a software simulation package to draw and simulate practical circuits.

This module will also cover advanced pneumatic and electro pneumatic circuits including sequencing of pneumatic cylinders. The circuits will be build and simulated in software.

1. Describe the components of a compressed air and air treatment system.

2. Demonstrate an understanding of pneumatic circuit operation, including sequence control.

3. Apply the cascade method to solve pneumatic sequentialproblems involvingcascade groups andcylinders.

4. Demonstrate an understanding ofbasic hydraulic systems.

5. Design and simulate electro-pneumatic circuits to sequence cylinders.

6. Employ formulae to calculate flow rate, piston force, system pressure and piston size.

On completion, the learner will be able to design and implement a program-based control unit which will make decisions based on sensor input to drive actuators, e.g. Control unit detects temperature rise and display on an LCD. The module encourages self-directed learning and hardware development in the learner's own environment. An Arduino kit is needed for this module (K000007 Official Arduino Kit).

The learner will be exposed to small signal interfacing, controlling actuators such as different types of motors, using an LCD display, Internet communications between devices and data transmission.

1. Recall numbering systems (decimal, binary, hexadecimal) and to convert between them
2. Develop datatransmission programs based on a set of characters

3. Develop programs to control actuators based on interfacing via analog and digital methods toprescribed sensors using a variety of methods such as analog to digital conversion and pulse width modulation.

4. describe how IP packets are transmitted on the internet and outline the main elements of a network and the meaning of the IP packet header attributes.
5. Interface application programs to a given API with the corresponding documentation to implement automation solutions (e.g ArduinoAPI to control actuators based on sensor information)

Instrumentation 1 is a foundation course in the principles of electronic circuit theory and the fundamental technologies & practical applications of sensors. The module aim is to equip learners with the basic theoretical and practical skills required to analyse and test low voltage direct current electrical circuits. It addresses topics such as Ohm's Law, Kirchoff's Laws, voltage, capacitance, inductance, semiconductors and the sensing of common parameters for system monitoring and control including temperature, pressure, light, and distance.

The ambition of the module is to equip the learner with the necessary knowledge and skills for further studies in electronics, mechatronics, and instrumentation.

1. Describe the atomic model, and understand the basic atomic structure of conductors, insulators and semiconductors

2. Define common electrical units, describe electrical terms, laws and relationships
3. Perform calculations of component values and electrical quantities
4. Describe the electrical characteristics and applicationsof semiconductors, diodes andLEDs.

5. Describe the principle of operation, construction, characteristics and use of a selection of components, including common sensors and actuators
6. Become familiar with taking measurements oncircuits using voltmeters, ammeters and ohmmeters and to record and analyse the results in reports.

The aim of this work placement is to develop the student's ability to work unsupervised, to gain a deeper understanding of the workplace and to contribute to the continuous improvement of the workplace.

1. Carry out tasks without supervision.
2. Produce a detailed report on their employers industry including the roles and responsibilities of individuals.
3. Complete a Massive Open Online Courses (Lean Sigma Quality)
4. Plan a Quality Improvement project.
5. Reflect on their further learnings within the workplace.

Develop skills in calculus with further differentiation techniques.

Introduction to integration, and integration techniques including substitution rule, integration by partial fractions, and integration by part.

Factor and remainder theorems.

Complex numbers are important in many engineering applications.

First order differential equations.

1. Apply differentiation techniques for example, logarithmic, parametric, implicit, and partial differentiation .

2. Introduce complex numbers, graphing, Cartesian, polar forms, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of complex numbers, deMoivre’s theorem.

3. Introduction to integration, standard integrals, substitution rule, integration by parts.

4. Integration using partial fractions.

5. Solve first order differential equations using seperation of variables
6. Factor & Remainder theorems.

In this module students will be introduced to the concept of PLCs and their implementation in automation systems. Students will learn how to program brick type and modular PLCs and learn PLC relevant concepts of signal processing.

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1. Apply sequential function chart (aka Grafcet or state-transition) methods to control sequential processes including selective and parallel branching techniques.
2. Use simple programminginstructions to include the use of applied instructions and register use.

3. Produce ladder logic to solve electro-pneumatic sequential problems involving the use of two cylinders.

4. Employspecific addressing configuration of an industry standard PLC and apply same to practical automation problems.

5. Create ladder logic to solve industrial problems using timers, counters and flip flops.

6. Demonstrate an understanding of structured text programming.

Instrumentation 2 builds on the core electronic circuit theory and sensor principles gained from the Instrumentation 1 module. It starts by introducing the learner to the concept of networks and the effects of loading. The module also considers the important specifications of sensors and gives an overview of basic control theory. 555 timers and signal conditioning such as transistor circuits, amplifier circuits, A/D and D/A conversion are also are analysed.

The ambition of the Instrumentation modules is to equip the learner with the necessary knowledge and skills for further studies in electronics, mechatronics, and instrumentation.

1. Describe the concept of measurement and control systems, explain associated terminology, and perform calculations on actual systems

2. Design interfacing circuits to switch/drive a DC load, using a transistor
3. Design and complete calculations on signal conditioning circuits involving opamps

4. Design timer circuits to provide timing pulses and delays, in mechatronics systems
5. Build, test and take measurements of signal conditioning circuits for sensors.

The aim of this work placement is to further develop the student's workplace skills, to be able to propose and execute workplace improvement projects and to form a clear view of their own personal and career development.

1. Apply Organisational Behaviour theories within their own workplace.
2. Prepare a career development plan.
3. Apply for a position and do a job interview.
4. Learn new work skills and work without supervision.
5. Apply knowledge-based theory and skills acquired in their educational environment to practical situations in the work environment.
6. Propose and defend solutions to workplace based problems.
7. Execute a project.

The purpose of this module is to equip the learner with the knowledge, skill and competence to select plastic materials for use in a given commercial application.

1. Explain the nature of thermoplastic and thermoset polymer materials
2. Analyse polymer technical property data sheets supplied by material manufacturers
3. Compile a basic plastic material requirement specification for a given service application
4. Undertake a basic plastic materials selection based upon the compiled requirement specification
5. Identify commodity, engineering and high performance thermoplastic/thermosets and principal commercial uses and applications
6. Identify why, where and when engineering, thermoset and high performance polymers are selected instead of commodity thermoplastics for commercial applications
7. Apply knowledge and skills to encourage sustainable design and use applications of polymers

Industrial Data communication is the manipulation of variables that can be implemented into the technology that automatically processes data. The technology under investigation include computers and other communications electronics that can collect, store, influence, formulate and allocate data to serve or control exact processes examples are motor control, electric switching, analogue to digital conversion, digital sampling.

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1. Demonstrate a basic a basic knowledge of digital circuitry using logic.
2. Interface sensors and transducers
3. Explain the function of analogue communication.
4. Describe high-pass low-pass and band-pass filters
5. Understand Analogue to digital conversion and digital to analogue conversion.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of digital motor control

Control Systems is all about plant and processes (systems) how they behave when subjected to certain inputs (system response) and how to get them to do what we want (system control). Control Systems 301 introduces the student to the characteristics of systems commonly encountered in mechatronics.

1. Use Laplace transform techniques to predict and interpret second order system response to step and ramp inputs.
2. Find the steady-state response of a system to a sinusoidal input by the substitution of j for s in the transfer function.
3. Use Laplace transform techniques to find the transient and steady-state response of a system to a sinusoidal input.
4. Use block diagram algebra, especially Mason’s theorem, to reduce elementary control system diagrams to canonical form.
5. Establish system stability or instability by the plotting of poles and zeros on the complex plane
6. Implement and tune control systems using aPID control strategy.

This module deals with various automation technologies ranging from:

Advanced PLC Programming

Scripting to interface with PLC

Embedding C# or other languages into PLC applications

Safety BUS PILZ stop buttons

Apply these technologies to routine industry scenarios

1. Apply advanced PLC programming

2. EmbedC# or other languages into PLC applications

3. Apply scripting to interface with PLC

4. Implement machinery safety using Pilz SafetyBUS p standard

5. Apply the above technologies to routine real-life industry scenario

The subject aims to give the student the skills to design and build Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) and distributed control systems software using graphical programming techniques

1. Acquire the necessary skills to produce visual models of real world events
2. Demonstrate a proficiency in the design and development of a HMI
3. Broaden a knowledge of the theory behind and techniques employed in program design
4. Use visual programming techniques (i.e. Labview) to interface with industrial hardware
5. Understand the function and application of networkingprotocols

6. Understand the deployment of SCADA software for the development of increasingly complex tasks.
7. Be able to implement remote telemetry over a Client/Server architecture.
8. Understand OPC Server and Client communication.

The aim of this work placement is to further the student's work experience, develop their team-working skills, further develop their design skills and learn to contribute to the improvement of processes in their industry.

1. Demonstrate the acquisition of new work skills.
2. Coordinate a team.
3. Further develop their own Computer Aided Design skills.
4. Identify a problem which needs to be addressed of importance to the organisation.
5. Plan a major project.
6. Reflect on their further learnings within the workplace.

This is an introduction to robotics that entails the mathematical modelling of robotic movement as well as the programming of key movements for the building and design of basic robots.

1. Choose and integrate hardware components for a simple robotic system.

2. Design and synthesize simple software control systems for individual robotic joints

3. Develop and implement mathematical models of multi-link robots to describe the relationship between individual joints and the position and velocity of the robot’s end effector

4. Apply elementary computer vision techniques to control an intelligent robot.

5. Program simple paths and tasks on articulated robotic arm platform.

6. Design and report development of practical robotic systems that incorporate all of the above.

Review of Data Acquisition, Automation System Architecture – Hierarchical Levels, Functional Layered Models – OSI reference model, System engineering approach, Input / Output Structures, Control Unit Structure, Protocols, Communication principles and modes: network topology, transmission media, noise, cable characteristic and Instrumentation and control devices..

1. Understand the function of a bus protocol.
2. Perform the ID and IO check of an ASI Bus.
3. Explain alternating pulse modulation
4. Explain the functionality of Ethernet

5. Display an understanding of how the microprocessor computes data.
6. Demonstrate IEEE-488 devices and programming

7. Use LabVIEW client/server software

Control Systems is all about plant and processes (systems) how they behave when subjected to certain inputs (system response) and how to get them to do what we want (system control). Control Systems 302 introduces the student to analog and digital strategies for controlling these systems

1. Carry out practicals using analog control techniques on mechanical and fluid equipment.

2. Derive the difference equations for numerical integrators and differentiators.
3. Test for discrete system stability by location of the z-plane poles.
4. Design digital controllers using cancellation pole placement, one-step-ahead and Kalmanand Diophantine pole placement strategies.

5. Implement simple machine learning strategies in linear regression, logistic regression and neural networks using Matlab/Octave software.

6. Use software (e.g. LabView, Simulink) to tune PID controllers.

This module consists of topics from Integral and Differential Calculus, Linear Algebra and Complex Numbers. These topics include differential equations and applications, Laplace Transforms, De Moivre's Theorem, Fourier Transforms, Gaussian Elimination and z-transforms.

1. Solve first order differential equations using separable variables technique and the integrating factor method
2. Solve first and second order differential equations using Laplace transforms
3. Solve second order differential equations using the complementary function and particular integral methods.
4. Calculate powers of complex numbers using theorems of DeMoivre and Euler.
5. Solve linear systems using Gaussian Elimination and apply this to engineering problems

6. Be able to obtain the z-Transform of some standard functions and solve first order difference equations.
7. Evaluate eigenvalues and eigenvetors and solve matrix transformation problems

This 10 credit module involves the design, construction and reporting of a mechatronics project which will typically involve the following elements:

1. Visual interface . e.g. computer screen, lcd readout, control panel with indicator lights

2. Data acquisition . i.e. measurement using appropriate sensors with conversion of signals where necessary from analog to digital and vice versa.

3. Control . The project should be capable of maintaining a measured property within defined limits and be able to cope with small disturbances. Alternatively there could be decision-making based on machine vision or counting/sorting functions. Switching something on and off is not sufficient.

1. Design a system typically incorporating a visual interface, data acquisition and control to meet a defined aim
2. Demonstrate the application of theory covered in Level 7 in the design of hardware for the project. Students are encouraged to use 3-D printing technology either in prototyping or the manufacture of final components.

3. Research and select components/software/control methods
4. Assess the potential safety hazards associated with the project and complete the corresponding risk assessment form.
5. Demonstrate the ability to plan and manage the project (inc.budget and time)
6. Build and test a system typically incorporating a visual interface, data acquisition and control to meet a defined aim
7. Evaluate the project and made recommendations as appropriate
8. Effectively communicate the project concept, project plan and design via areport, presentation and interview

The aim of this work placement is to prepare the learner for their career beyond the end of this programme.

1. Establish a foundation of continuing professional development in preparation for full-time employment.
2. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the engineer’s role in society and the need for the highest ethical and professional standards of practice, including issues of sustainability and the environment, health, safety, cultural and legal responsibilities.
3. Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the processes, techniques and methods applied in product or process design and development within their employers industry.
4. Reflect on their further learnings within the workplace