TRAINING COURSES and SEMINARS

The technologies, methods and tricks of the world-leading users for better control in shorter time
for new and experienced control technicians and engineers, operations support staff and supervisors

 Termine und Broschüren für deutschsprachige Kurse siehe unten


To master the increasingly demanding tasks with less manpower and in shorter time special education is necessary. Besides, studies like the famous one by Solomon Ass., have shown that the education level of the staff is one of the two most significant factors (the other one being intense utilisation of APC) for the profitability of a production plant.

ACT's courses address this need by providing exceptional practical know-how in a clear, easy way and fill the gaps left by theoretical control education. Theory is given to the extent necessary, but main emphasis is on the most effective approaches and their practical implementation. Newcomers gain sound knowledge in use of standard and advanced techniques and experienced users the extra know-how to handle difficult situations and to achieve top performance in shorter time. Key features:

*   Selected material including special, little known techniques that give maximum effect with simple means: Principles, selection criteria, implementation, tuning, troubleshooting, examples of successful applications but also pitfalls. Some basic topics are re-visited and even experienced participants emphasize that they have gained extra valuable insight on themes which seemed well known

*   Many realistic hands-on exercises with our award winning tool TOPAS deepen the understanding and cover many real-life situations

*   Coverage of the economic effects of improved control – important to justify extra effort and properly present the success

*   An exceptionally experienced instructor: Over 25 years in APC and model based predictive control, also in training

*   Intensive work in small groups with individual guidance to ensure outstanding results

*   Questions are always welcome and answers are developed together in order to maximize the understanding. 

This is what participants say:

"Best course I ever had", "Important for every control professional", "The most practice oriented training I ever had", "Very good integration of different needs and backgrounds", "I had several courses, did not believe that I could learn so much more",
"An eye-opener!"

Course schedules

"Applied Control Techniques (ACT)" training course

- Part 1: Process analysis, control strategy development, PID control

Three days. Extensive coverage of process analysis, control fundamentals and PID feedback control provides in-depth knowledge for fast controller selection and tuning and a sound basis for advanced controls. Main topics:

*   Motivation for closed loop, automatic control, economical benefits of improved control

*   Selection of the information source and the manipulated variable, decision criteria regarding single loop / cascade / multivariable control, need for a feedforward...

*   Process types and dynamics, tests and process parameter estimation, measurements and signals, sampling, noise and filtering, feedback control fundamentals, basic control concepts, tag processing and sequencing.

*   PID control: Principles, configuration choices and selection criteria, different tuning approaches (load vs. setpoint tuning, open / closed loop methods), influence of operating conditions on performance and tuning, single loop vs. cascade control, level control - incl. special tuning for minimum change in manipulated flow (e2 PID)

*   Performance measurements, economics of closed loop control         

- Part 2: Advanced Control

Two days. The key techniques to master more difficult situation and to optimize loop performance. Main topics:

*   Advanced PID control: Non-linear PID, Smith Predictor, Predictive PID

*   Feedforward-, constraint-, multivariable-, model based control, Relative Gain Analysis - RGA, real time optimization (EVOP, model based optimization), ...

*   Standard and advanced control of widely found equipment

*   Application design and implementation issues, incentive estimation, performance measurement and analysis

Download a brochure and registration form

“Model Based Predictive Control (MBPC)” training course

Three days. MBPC is THE technology for top performance and indispensable for processes with difficult dynamics (long deadtime, high ratio of deadtime to time constant, overshoot or inverse response, strong interactions between variables..), as well as cases where careful and smooth action on the process is required and also where PID tuning simply is difficult and too time consuming. Main course topics:

*   Motivation for MBC, alternatives, fundamental principles

*   Types of models and formulations

*   Plant tests and model development / validation / updating

*   Single loop and multivariable control, regulatory control and optimization, the main approaches (Monoreg, HIECON, DMC, IMC, AMC..), selection criteria

*   Application design and implementation, user interface, incentives for MBPC

*   Main exercises with AMC (see our page on Technology): Tests, model building - validating - updating - refining, coping with model errors and non-linearities, continuous model improvement, feedforward control, multivariable control.

Download a brochure and registration form

  Training courses in English:


Next courses in Brussels, Belgium (language: English):

*   Applied Control Techniques:  March  9 - 13, 2009           Brochure and registration form

*    Model Based Control:             March 15 - 17, 2009          Brochure and registration form

The following courses in fall 2009 in Brussels, Belgium (language: English):

*   Applied Control Techniques: October 19 - 23, 2009

 

 

   Deutschsprachige Kurse:
Nächster Kurs in Neuss, NRW:
*      Angewandte Regel- / Leittechnik und Advanced Control: November 17-21, 2008   Broschüre und Anmeldeformular         
Nächster Kurs in Halle / Saale:
*      Angewandte Regel- / Leittechnik und Advanced Control:  Dezember 1 - 5, 2008   Broschüre und Anmeldeformular         
Erster Kurs in 2009 in Burghausen, Bayern:
*      Angewandte Regel- / Leittechnik und Advanced Control:  Februar 16 – 20, 2009   Broschüre und Anmeldeformular 

Neuer Kurs in 2009 in Burghausen, Bayern:
*      Regeltechnik Master Class:  März 23, 2009                         Broschüre und Anmeldeformular

Neuer Kurs in 2009 in Burghausen, Bayern:
*      Modellgestützte Regelung:  März 24 – 26, 2009                   Broschüre und Anmeldeformular

 

 

 

ACT - D.I. Hans H. Eder KEG
Wienerstr. 10, 3443 Elsbach, Austria
Belgian office: Madeliefjeslaan 13, 3080 Tervuren
Phone ++32-(0)2-767-0895, e-mail: office@act-control.com