Laboratories
The laboratories that provide support for research in the Graduate Program of Automation and System Engineering include laboratories of the Department of Automation and Systems Engineering, which hosts the Graduate Program, and multidisciplinary laboratories from other academic departments.
1) Research Facilities at the Department of Automation and Systems Engineering
The main computational facilities for research are provided by the computer network of DAS, which has the following structure and statistics:
- Users: 310 (Professors, Staff Members and Graduate Students).
- Computers: 180 PC-like computers, 10 servers, and 6 printers.
- A local internet of 100MB/s (Servers with 1GB/s) and a backbone of 1GB/s, hosted by the Computer Center of UFSC and the National Research Network (RNP).
These equipment are distributed in various laboratories, offices for professors, and study areas for graduated students. Of particular relevance are the following laboratories:
- LCA (Laboratory for Automation and Control): This lab occupies two areas:
- The first area has 100 m², dedicated primarily to research involving hardware and electronic/mechanical devices. The lab provides infrastructure for research in control and automation engineering with diverse applications, including oil and gas (separation of oil and gas, flow measuring), mobile robotics (including robotic soccer), etc. This lab has a number of consoles with Supervision Software and Programmable Logic Controllers, and 15 computer workstations.
- The second area has 40 m², dedicated primarily to classes, with diverse processes of laboratorial scale (temperature control, velocity and position, lighting, flux, PH, level, pressure, and a small oil well, among others). These equipment are used mostly for teaching purposes, with particular focus on techniques for process control in the undergraduate and graduate programs. About 10 computer workstations are available.
- LIN (Laboratory for Instrumentation): Occupying an area of 67 m², this lab provides services for teaching and research. The laboratory has a SMAR plant for control of flow, pressure, and temperature of a process, making use of sensors and actuators that are all integrated with an Industrial Foundation Fieldbus network. This lab is used both for practical training and research involving instrumentation and industrial networks. Besides two computers that are connected to the plant, other four computer workstations are available for experimental support.
- LAI (Laboratory for Automation and Industrial Informatics): This lab is available for practical training and research, occupying a physical area of 60 m² that includes diverse automated cell units: four manipulation robots, three assembly lines in laboratory scale, four Programmable Logic Controllers, and fourteen computer workstations.
- LMM (Mecatronics Assembly Laboratory): This supporting lab occupies an area of 40 m², being used for assembly of electronic and mechanical automation systems. It offers support to a range of research, academic and development activities of the department.
- LPR (Research Support Laboratory): Occupying an area of 40 m², this lab is for technical training and research. It is equipped with ten computer workstations, several LEGO kits, mobile robots and other automated systems for laboratory use. This lab provides support for teaching and research activities in automation systems.
- LTIC (Information and Communication Technology Laboratory): Occupying an area of 290 m², this lab is used both for practical training and research. The lab hosts several research groups and equipment within the field of Information Technology (Software), including computer networks, distributed systems, urban traffic control systems, and computer vision, among others. LTIC also hosts equipment of the Human Resources Program in Automation, Control, and Instrumentation for the Oil and Gas Industry, which is funded by the National Agency of Oil, Gas, and Biofuels. The lab also provides general facilities for undergraduate research assistants and graduate students (Master’s and Ph.D. candidates). This lab has about seventy computer workstations.
2. Multidisciplinary Laboratories of Other Departments
- LABMETRO (Laboratory for Metrology and Automation): This laboratory is part of the infrastructure of the Mechanical Engineering Department, being dedicated to the development and application of Mechanical Metrology, including research and development of new methods for measurement and other aspects having an impact on the quality of productive processes. It occupies a physical area of 900 m². The main equipment include: an optical system for people recognition from 3D human faces; a sensor for measuring the concentration of gases dissolved in the oil of electric transformers; an optical system for measuring the residual tension; consoles for testing compressors; measurement instruments dedicated to quality control; optical sensors for measuring electric quantities, etc.
- LASHIP (Hydraulic and Pneumatic Systems Laboratory): This lab is part of the infrastructure of the Mechanical Engineering Department, being dedicated to practical training and research on hydraulic and pneumatic components, devices, and systems. It occupies an area of 440 m², including laboratories for hydraulics, pneumatics, and instrumentation. The main lab equipment are: components for pneumatic automation; automatic power unit for test of hydraulic components and systems; proportional hydraulic components; data acquisition systems; consoles equipped with PLCs for pneumatic, hydraulic, and electro-pneumatic automation; measurement systems; console for testing valve, proportional valves and positioning hydraulic systems; more than forty computer workstations and other peripheral equipment for information processing, automation, and control; software for dynamic analysis and simulation; software for mechanical design (CAD) and software for analysis of fluid flow (CFD).
- LCP (Laboratório de Controle de Processos): eThis lab is part of the infrastructure of the Chemical Engineering Department, which host a distillation jointly with the Department of Automation and Systems Engineering. The distillation column is for ethanol and water applications, having a distributed heating structure and being equipped with automated instrumentation operated with a Foundation Field bus network, and a supervisory control system based on the OPC technology. The distillation column occupies and area of approximately 60 m², being used for academic training and research in process control.
