Instrumentation and control

The area of instrumention and control is a technically profound field involving mechanical, thermodynamic, physical, chemical or biological systems, mathematical modelling and controller design. It requires extensive knowledge and understanding of processes and systems as well as a high level of engineering competency.

Although a large number of industrial controllers are available for standard applications, our customers require specially designed control algorithms for complex processes involving single and multiple parameters for which no standard off-the-shelf controllers can be used eg. iterative learning controllers for cyclic processes.

We develop adaptive, predictive, fuzzy and iterative learning control algorithms for our customers.

• Iterative learning control in injection moulding machines for plastics
• Optimal control of an automatic milling machine with six axes for dental ceramics
• Temperature control for high precision calibration tanks
• Control algorithms for rheometric material analysis
• Control of highly dynamic hydraulic actuators for vibration test stands
• Cyclic control for aluminium extrusion
• Dead-Beat control for minimising noise levels in machines with multiple axes

Control engineering goes hand in hand with mathematical modelling and simulation methods. Our customers value our know-how in the areas of finite element analysis including the design of FEA solvers, the solution of systems of complex partial differential equations, field theory and thermodynamics.

We provide you with the mathematical knowledge necessary for modelling, rapid prototyping and system development. With appropriate tools and Hardware in the loop simulations (in-house HiL systems), we design efficient control algorithms.

We have developed various solutions for our customers using dSpace systems, Labview in combination with hardware from National Instruments, Matlab/Simulink, Targetlink, Scilab and Octave.