Simulink Temperature Control Lab (TCLab) with Arduino

The Simulink Temperature Control Lab connects to an Arduino Leonardo with a TCLab shield.

The Temperature Control Lab is a plug-and-play Arduino device to teach machine learning and process control. Two heaters and an LED are adjusted. Two temperature sensors have a multi-variate and dynamic response to heater changes. Thermochromic pigment turns pink when hot and black when it cools off. The Simulink lab gives data so that theory and methods are reinforced with concrete and tangible examples. There is course material available to students and instructors thanks to efforts by many professors. The TCLab is also available on Amazon.

TCLab Homepage: https://apmonitor.com/heat.htm
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/TCLab-Temperature-Control-Lab/dp/B07GMFWMRY

The National Science Foundation sponsored a report on Chemical Engineering Academia-Industry Alignment for Expectations about New Graduates. The report identifies a strong industrial need for practical understanding of process control and system dynamics. Industry feedback also suggested more weight on translating theory to practice in a way that is scalable for large class sizes. Instructors from 40 universities have adopted the lab, primarily for process dynamics and control education. Over 1900 lab kits have been distributed to individuals and instructors.

More information (video): https://youtu.be/E5747TUHVmQ