2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The current study focuses on the design, assembly and operation of a simple control system using an Arduino Uno R3 microcontroller board. The system involves controlling the light level in a small box. An LED and a photoresistor are placed on opposite sides of the box. A second light, placed underneath the first light, is independent of the control system and serves as a disturbance. The control system is run using MATLAB Simulink. The system has been assembled, the controller tuned, and the process tested. The brightness of the light inside the box is controlled to achieve a desired set point. A secondary light is manually adjusted, also using Simulink, and the response of the control system is monitored. Different size boxes or light layouts can be used to modify system behavior. This simple, low cost, hazard-free system can serve as a first hands-on introduction to process control, allowing students to familiarize themselves with controller boards and put to practice principles they can apply to other small or large-scale processes.