C.R.A.W.LAB

MCHE 474: Control Systems

  • Inverted Pendulum
  • Control and Motor Drivers
  • NAO - 3

Lecture: Tuesdays & Thursdays, Time 12:30pm — 1:45pm, Rougeou Hall, Room 309

Lab: Various Rooms, Various Times

Official Course Description: Classical and modern control theory. Response of first and second-order systems, stability analysis and frequency response methods. Computer control of machines and processes.

Prerequisites: MATH 302, MATH 350, and ENGR 313 with a grade of C or better — Prerequisite Form

Unofficial Course Description: We're going to learn system dynamics and controls in a way that moves beyond paint-by-number textbook examples and labs. We'll model, simulate, then implement controllers on experimental hardware in the C.R.A.W.LAB. We'll learn not just control theory but also the practical issues surrounding its use. We’ll learn to reason about dynamics and control, rather than just regurgitate prescribed methods without any understanding of them. Both the simulation and experimental work will be supported through free, open-source tools used by some the most innovative labs and companies on the planet. If you want to work at Waymo or Tesla or SpaceX or on Apple’s not-so-secret autonomous car project, this is the controls class you want to take.

Syllabus: pdf

Schedule: pdf

Textbook: Modern Control Systems (13th Edition) by Richard C. Dorf and Robert H. Bishop

Lectures

Homework


Mini-Projects

Report Template

Exams

Mid-Term 1
Mid-Term 2
Final Exam

Video

Lectures
Worked Problems

Coming Soon…


Python & Misc.
Jupyter Notebook Basics
Quick Windows Introduction

Jupyter Notebooks

Core Topics
Problem Solutions

Coming Soon…

Projects & Misc.

Supplemental Material

General Controls References
PID Control
Dynamics
Differential Equations
Python Related
Writing & LaTeX
Dr. Joshua Vaughan

Associate Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Rougeou Hall, Room 225
Lafayette, LA USA

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