E79: Engineering Systems
This course teaches an approach to engineering in which systems are modeled as mathematical functions, and the system’s input signals are mapped to output signals using these functions. By identifying a set of mathematical functions that can model many real-world systems, we only need to understand, design, build, control, and analyze a few characteristic systems to understand how to apply the same techniques to many real-world situations. That is, the approach generalizes to systems found in many kinds of engineering including mechanical, thermal, and electrical.
In this course, the systems engineering approach will be taught using underwater robotics as a teaching vehicle. Mechanical, thermal, and electrical systems of the robots will be modeled, constructed, analyzed, designed, and controlled using the systems engineering approach.
By the end of E79, students will be able to:
Model a linear, time invariant mechanical system.
Model a linear, time invariant electrical system.
Determine a system’s transfer function and frequency response function.
Determine the transient response of a linear time invariant system using transfer functions and Laplace transforms.
Determine the frequency response of a linear time invariant system using frequency response functions and Bode plots.
Design a stable feedback control system to meet transient specifications.