Introduction

A complete toolkit for teaching, learning, and understanding the essential concepts of automatic control systems

Edition after acclaimed edition, Automatic Control Systems has delivered up-to-date, real-world coverage designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of control systems. More than a comprehensive text, Automatic Control Systems includes innovative virtual labs that replicate physical systems and sharpen readers’ problem-solving skills.

New Features in the Tenth Edition

The Tenth Edition introduces the concept of Control Lab, which includes two classes of experiments: SIMLab (model-based simulation) and LEGOLab (physical experiments using LEGO® robots). These experiments are intended to supplement, or replace, the experimental exposure of the students in a traditional undergraduate control course and will allow these students to do their work within the MATLAB® and Simulink® environment—even at home. This cost-effective approach may allow educational institutions to equip their labs with a number of LEGO test beds and maximize student access to the equipment at a fraction of the cost of currently available control system experiments. Alternatively, as a supplemental learning tool, students can take the equipment home and learn at their own pace.

Highlights of the New Edition

This new edition continues a tradition of excellence with:

• A greater number of solved examples
• Online labs using both LEGO MINDSTORMS® and MATLAB/SIMLab
• Enhancements to the easy-to-use MATLAB GUI software (ACSYS) to allow interface with LEGO MINDSTORMS
• A valuable introduction to the concept of Control Lab
• A logical organization, with Chapters 1 to 3 covering all background material and Chapters 4 to 11 presenting material directly related to the subject of control
• 10 online appendices, including Elementary Matrix Theory and Algebra, Control Lab, Difference Equations, and Mathematical Foundation
• A full-set of PowerPoint® slides and solutions available to instructors

Endorsements and Resources

Adopted by hundreds of universities and translated into at least nine languages, Automatic Control Systems remains the single-best resource for students to gain a practical understanding of the subject and to prepare them for the challenges they will one day face. For practicing engineers, it represents a clear, thorough, and current self-study resource that they will turn to again and again throughout their career.

Trademarks

LEGO and MINDSTORMS are registered trademarks of the LEGO Group

MATLAB and Simulink are registered trademarks of The MathWorks, Inc.