Overview
This project-based unit is about designing fluid power systems for automated and semiautomated industrial plants. This unit deals with exploring fluid power elements and their ISO standard symbols, designing fluid power circuits using actuators, directional control, and other valves, sensors, and control systems. Control technology may include both hydraulic and pneumatic systems integrated with programmable controllers (PLCs and microcontrollers). In small teams, you will undertake project work involving solving real-life industrial problems. There are also several laboratory experiments in the areas of hydraulic and pneumatic operating system design and control circuit design integrated with PLCs for automated machines. You will use simulation software (SimScape and/or FluidSim) for confirming the functionality of designed projects prior to prototyping. You will communicate professionally using discipline-specific terminology to present designs and problem solutions. Students enrolled in online mode must attend a compulsory residential school to facilitate peer collaboration and attainment of the unit learning outcomes.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2026
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Students
Students are looking for better conceptual understanding of the projects they do in both Assignment 1 and Assignment 2.
Selection of project topics should be completed in Week 1 and the lecturer should provide clear concept of the selected topics in Week 1 so that the students can start working on their group assessment item from Week 2.
Feedback from Students
Students are preferring to start Lab experiments as early as in Week 3.
There are six lab experiments and these should be spread over the Term starting in Week 3 or 4 instead of all labs concentrated together in week 8 or 9.
Feedback from Students
Pneumatic control integrated with PLCs was a good experience for students.
Recommended to continue delivery of the unit with the developed structure (Hydraulics, Pneumatics and PLCs). This helps students to become job-ready graduates in areas of automation and smart production.