Learning Partnerships, Unit Catalogue 2008/09 |
AS20249 Automation, control and PLCs |
| Credits: 5 |
| Level: Intermediate |
| Semester: 1 at Swindon College |
| Assessment: EX 40%, PR 60% |
| Requisites: |
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Aims: The aims of this unit are to enable students to acquire the knowledge and skills to apply programmable logic control (PLC) techniques in simple control systems and describe their use in automated control systems.
Learning Outcomes: By the end of the unit students should be able to: * describe the function and operation of PLC systems; * use PLC programming techniques; * apply PLC programming techniques to the control of automated systems; * describe the operation and use of modern sensors and their use in control systems; * model automated control systems. Skills: During this unit students should gain the following skills: Intellectual * gathering, processing and analysing technical information (A) * formulating outcomes (A) * evaluating the performance of a PLC controlled production system (F,A) Professional * using information technology effectively (F,A) * using PLC programming techniques (F,A) Practical * developing identification and observational skills to maintain records and contribute to reports (T,A) * applying problem solving techniques to a simple control system (F,A) Key * writing reports (A) * application of number (F,A). Content: This unit concentrates on: * investigating the design and operational characteristics of typical PLCs; * applying logic functions to produce PLC programs; * using PLC programming techniques to manage automatic control systems; * describing the operation of modern sensors for measuring pressure, temperature, level and flow; * describing signal processing and conditioning techniques; * analysing automated systems using block diagrams with and without feedback. |