Thomas W. Secord – författare

A single-semester textbook unifying controls, automation, and robotics Engineering programs increasingly combine control systems, automation, and robotics into one required course rather than spanning multiple electives. Control Systems and Automation: Fundamentals of Logic, Modeling, Feedback, and Robotics is the first textbook structured for this single-semester format, progressing from logic-based control through continuous-time control to robotics, using robotics as the final unifying topic. The text covers differential equations and Laplace transforms, mathematical modeling of physical systems, frequency domain analysis, block diagrams, root locus methods, loop shaping design, and PID control with digital implementation. Examples span mechanical, electrical, fluid, and thermal engineering applications. MATLAB, Simulink, and Studio 5000 Logix are integrated directly into problem-solving approaches rather than treated as supplementary tools. The book also features: A dedicated chapter on PID control examining its relationship to modeling, feedback, and automation topics covered throughout the textIn-chapter exercises and end-of-chapter problems grouped by topic and difficulty level for flexible assignment design across diverse classesContent that prioritizes practical skill development and the most commonly used industry problem-solving techniques over advanced mathematical theoryCoverage of single-input, single-output modeling and control techniques alongside foundational introductions to robotics and automation principlesReinforcement of previously learned topics such as circuit design through cross-disciplinary examples connecting controls to prior courseworkDesigned for junior and senior undergraduate students in mechanical, electrical, and mechatronic engineering, this textbook prepares students for workforce challenges by unifying controls, automation, and robotics in a single accessible volume. First-year graduate students and working professionals pursuing independent study will also find it directly applicable.