A Hands-On Laboratory on Industrial Hardware, Process Control and Advanced Automation

Abstract The field of process control comprises a wide set of functions along the life-cycle and through all levels of the automation system pyramid. To give students a glance of the complexity of process control it is important to provide the possibility to try as much functionality as possible at own hand. That is why the practice on industrial relevant hard- and software should be an important part of control education. Beside theoretical basics given in lectures, study trips to industrial plants and deepening loop-control-laboratories a laboratory along the levels of the automation pyramid as well as along the life-cycle of a plant give the students the big picture of process automation. This paper presents the challenges, requirements and concepts for such a laboratory. The presentation of the resulting laboratory plant (M3P.AC) as well as a field report about five years ongoing labs finalize the paper.