Using Apps for Teaching Process Control Classes

Abstract

Process Control classes focus on theory, with some education laboratories included where the student got some direct steps to work through. Thus, limiting the learning experience and the involvement of all students as the laboratories are run in groups. The temperature control labs produced by companies such as IJ Instruments and APMonitor offer the possibility of students working individually on process control experiments and gaining a more conceptual understanding of process control. However, considering that both control labs are using a GUI to control a small unit connected through a USB cable, the students are not gaining psychomotor skills anyway. This paper demonstrates that app-based control simulators can be an effective alternative to traditional laboratory experiments for teaching process control. App-based simulators can provide students with the same learning outcomes as traditional experiments, such as modeling systems, analyzing PID controllers, and designing feedback controllers. Additionally, app-based simulators offer several advantages over traditional experiments, including, Individualized learning, Flexible experiments: Students can easily change the parameters of the system and experiment with different control strategies, Varied experiments: A wide range of experiments can be created using app-based simulators, Cost-effective: App-based simulators are inexpensive to develop and use. The paper concludes by discussing the potential of app-based control simulators to revolutionize process control education. App-based simulators can make process control education more accessible, affordable, and effective. They can also help to prepare students for the challenges of working in the process control industry.