MMA2005 · Modelling and control

Overview

In this unit, you will learn how to understand and shape the behaviour of dynamic systems you will meet throughout mechanical, mechatronics, and aerospace engineering. The unit follows a clear model, analyse, and design progression: you begin by describing physical systems mathematically, then explore how those systems actually behave, and finally learn how to influence that behaviour through feedback control. Along the way, you will become comfortable moving between transfer function, state-space, and block diagram representations, and interpreting system responses in both the time and frequency domains. Computational tools are used throughout to help you test your intuition, visualise behaviour, and strengthen your engineering reasoning as you make informed design decisions. This unit gives you the foundation you need for advanced studies in control and dynamic systems, and for your later capstone projects.

Areas of study: E3001 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) - Specialisation: Aerospace engineering E3001 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) - Specialisation: Mechanical engineering E3001 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) - Specialisation: Robotics and mechatronics engineering E6011 Master of Professional Engineering - Specialisation: Mechanical engineering

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook lists an examination for this unit.

Continuous Assessment: 50% Final Assessment: 50% Assessment in this unit includes competency hurdle assessment tasks. The consequence of not achieving a competency hurdle is a fail grade (NH) and a maximum mark of 45 for the unit.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. Construct mathematical models of engineering systems, analyse their stability and dynamic behaviour, and apply feedback control principles to meet specified performance requirements.
2. Use computational tools to simulate, interpret, and reason about the behaviour and control of engineering systems.
3. Record and structure technical notes to support understanding, communication, and independent learning in engineering contexts.

Workload

The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester, typically comprising a mixture of 3-6 hours of scheduled learning activities and 6-9 hours of independent study per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher-directed learning, peer-directed learning, and online engagement. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment, and preparation for scheduled activities.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.