01 / Research
Projects with industry and research partners
The laboratory's research focuses mainly on computer process control, PLC, SCADA and MES systems, automation of processes and facilities, measurement of non-electrical quantities, intelligent control – fuzzy controllers, process modelling and identification, fault detection and identification, and intelligent buildings.
Diver buoyancy controller using a buoyancy compensator
A controller that automatically raises and lowers a diver using a buoyancy compensator (BCD). Manual buoyancy control is difficult because buoyancy depends on depth and visibility under water is often poor.
Supervisory fuzzy controller for coordinated distribution of process steam
A supervisory fuzzy controller for integrated management of process steam distribution and stable electricity generation with a steam turbine. It was designed in the laboratory and then transferred to an industrial controller in production.
Development of a robust welding machine for MIG/MAG welding of high-strength steels
Together with our partners we developed an improved simulation model of the arc welding process and of an inverter welding power source. The models are useful for developing and testing new power circuits for welding power sources.
Web-based, remote and distributed control technology
Advanced universal building blocks for remote and distributed control based on modern communication and web technologies – with demonstration projects in energy management, remote controller programming and education.
Temperature control based on soft computing methods
Improved control of high-temperature systems using soft computing methods. The main goal is a more uniform temperature distribution in industrial furnaces for heat treatment of materials.
Power factor control on the synchronous generator of a CHP unit
The control of gas-engine cogeneration units used to maintain only a power factor of 1. With two PID controllers (direct and via reactive power), it now stably sets any value between 0.9 capacitive and 0.9 inductive, a requirement for certifying the units for the Polish market.
Fuzzy control of process steam generation with a biomass boiler
After the production was renovated, we returned a wood biomass boiler (about 23 t of steam per hour) from manual to automatic control. A fuzzy controller with 21 rules, based on operator knowledge and process models, coordinates the fuel and primary air supply according to steam production and furnace temperature.
Design, construction and control of a ball and beam balancing system using industrial control equipment
Nenad Muškinja, Matej Stojnšek. Elektrotehniški vestnik, 2023, vol. 90, no. 1/2, pp. 2–8. ISSN 0013-5852. COBISS.SI-ID 151284227.
Optimized fuzzy logic control system for diver’s automatic buoyancy control device
Nenad Muškinja, Matej Rižnar, Marjan Golob. Mathematics, 2023, vol. 11, no. 1, 15 pp. ISSN 2227-7390. DOI 10.3390/math11010022. COBISS.SI-ID 136246787. Citations (WoS, Scopus, 19 March 2026): 1.
Research programme P2-0028 Mechatronic Systems, funded by the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS).
DKUM ↗ · COBISS ↗ · Open access ↗ · JCR ↗ · SNIP ↗ · WoS ↗ · Scopus ↗
02 / Teaching
Bachelor's and master's theses supervised by
Development of an algorithm for detecting foam in a washing machine
The master's thesis examines the problem caused by too much foam in a washing machine. Its aim was to investigate possible solutions when excessive foam occurs. The introduction presents the key parts of a washing machine, the washing process and the problems caused by excessive foam, together with the solutions and measures used by other manufacturers when foam is detected. The second part presents the key findings from measurements and the basis for defining a foam detection algorithm. We defined a new foam detection algorithm and carried out a functional test of the algorithms.
Design of the electrical installation of a bitumen coating line
The bachelor's thesis describes the design of a bitumen coating line. It covers the customer's requirements, the selection of suitable components and the preparation of the electrical drawings. It presents Eplan, in which the electrical drawings were made, the selected components and individual parts of the drawings. The thesis describes in detail the implementation of the project on site, the problems and solutions encountered during the work, and the final appearance of the bitumen coating line.
Design and selection of control systems for a smart home
The bachelor's thesis presents various control systems for a smart home, their history and development. It also describes the communication protocols and smart devices that can be used in such a home. As more and more suppliers of smart home equipment of varying quality appear on the market, we compare different manufacturers. The aim is to find a high-quality, affordable and technically feasible smart home solution according to the customer's wishes and needs, connecting different devices through communication protocols and choosing a suitable product.
System for measuring and monitoring the production process and efficiency of a cogeneration (CHP) unit
There are more and more initiatives today for the use of renewable and high-efficiency energy sources. Units that generate primary electricity while also using the secondary heat to prepare hot water play an important role. The bachelor's thesis describes an automated measurement system for CHP units. It first describes the measurement environment and the company that manufactures the units, then all tasks and procedures for testing finished CHP units. The first part covers the selected measuring equipment, the design of the electrical circuit and the available communication protocols. The second part presents how the program was developed, with diagrams and descriptions of the individual function layers, followed by data analysis and processing for the measurement reports. Instructions for using the measurement system and possible improvements are given at the end.
Upgrade of a fuzzy control algorithm on a programmable logic controller with a link to Matlab
Today's industrial programmable logic controllers (PLCs) can run increasingly sophisticated code and thus perform demanding logic operations in industrial applications. The TIA Portal environment (Siemens) includes the higher-level language SCL (Structured Control Language), which enables advanced algorithms to be developed with structured programming for execution in the PLC. Controlling non-linear systems requires control algorithms that operate reliably over the whole operating range; these are developed using soft computing methods such as fuzzy logic, neural networks and parameter optimisation algorithms. The master's thesis focuses on developing and extending existing SCL code for fuzzy logic in a PLC running fuzzy control applications. The algorithm is designed in Matlab/Simulink with the Fuzzy Logic Toolbox, and the chosen structure and rules are exported to SCL code. This universally adaptable and portable block structure (inputs/outputs/rules) is imported into the PLC environment as SCL code and generates a function block for use in a control application. In this way the function blocks can be developed in different versions of TIA Portal and on different PLC models. The blocks were tested on laboratory models of air flow control and level control of three connected hydraulic tanks.
Smart electrical installation with the standardised KNX system
The bachelor's thesis presents the independent implementation of a KNX smart installation in a new building. It covers the KNX home automation system and its structure, the elements used, and the ETS5 software in which the program was made. The smart installation project was carried out by the author from the start of construction to moving in. It covers lighting, shading, ventilation and automation with various scenes. It can be operated with installed push-buttons or through a user interface on a phone.
Control of a duplex system of two circulation pumps
In this thesis we built the control of two circulation pumps for pumping water. A controller switches operation between the pumps at a preset time or when one pump fails. It also receives fault signals from the frequency converters and alternates between the active and the standby pump at intervals. The control is easy to use, and its parameters can be changed without connecting a computer.
Upgrade of a conveyor system using Siemens TIA software and a SICK barcode reader
The bachelor's thesis presents the upgrade of a conveyor system. The aim was to add a barcode reader and store the scanned barcodes in a database. Using SCADA and the VBScript language, the scanned barcodes were written to two tables in the database. A program for automatic and manual control of the conveyor system was developed, together with a SCADA system for monitoring the barcode reader that displays the barcodes already read from the database.
Design and construction of a machine for carbonating beer and soft drinks
The bachelor's thesis presents a beverage carbonation machine, its structure and operation, and the carbonation process in general. It describes the mechanical and electrical components used on the machine, such as the B&R controller, digital and analogue I/O, power supply and temperature modules, the panel, actuators and sensors. It shows the structure of Automation Studio and work with it, creating and configuring a new project, and the basics of the Automation Basic language. Finally, it describes the production programs, the CIP program and the program for measuring the product level in the tank.
Design of an energy-efficient air conditioning and ventilation system
The master's thesis covers the automation of an air handling unit with energy-saving capability. It first explains the importance of saving energy and using renewable energy sources, then describes the operation of an energy-efficient air conditioning and ventilation system and all its possible operating modes. This is followed by the design of air handling unit N1 and all its components, an explanation of all the processes in it, and the control logic written in Codesys. The program runs on an Andivi U-DDC controller connected via I2C to two U-MIO I/O units, and the heating, cooling and free cooling modes are simulated. Finally, a visualisation application was made for monitoring operation and setting the desired temperatures and operating modes.
Use of a temperature controller with built-in artificial intelligence in industrial applications
The bachelor's thesis deals with the OMRON NX-TC2405 temperature controller with built-in artificial intelligence on a laboratory wind tunnel. To get to know the controller, we designed a two-segment laboratory wind tunnel, each segment with a temperature sensor connected to the controller. The thesis describes the measurement of different control methods on the wind tunnel and closed-loop process control: on-off control, PID, 2-PID, and the adaptive control and auto-tuning offered by OMRON. The work was made possible by MIEL Elektronika d.o.o., which provided full support in building the system.
Remote supervision and autonomous control of a floodgate on the Ledava 1 relief canal
The bachelor's thesis deals with remote supervision and autonomous control of a floodgate on the Ledava 1 relief canal. Severe weather was the main reason for making the floodgate fully autonomous, integrating it into the supervisory system and enabling remote operation and control. The floodgate does its job when conditions for work are almost impossible, so a multi-level mode of operation is essential. The control was designed in SoMachine; the algorithm runs on a Schneider Electric TM241CE24R PLC, and the SCADA was implemented in GE Digital Proficy iFIX.
Advanced locking system for automatic sliding doors
The aim of the master's thesis is to show the complete engineering approach to developing a new generation of electric locks for automatic sliding doors. We identified the problems of the existing lock and investigated possible types of alternative actuators. We ordered samples of different motors, built our own electromagnetic actuator and designed printed circuit boards in Altium Designer for working prototypes. After writing the microcontroller code, we compared the locks in a series of tests and chose the one that best met the initial criteria.
Rotary inverted pendulum
- Building a mechanical structure and successfully stabilising the pendulum in the upright position.
- We built a mechanical structure holding a Mitsubishi HG-KN13J servo motor, which moves the arm and with it the pendulum.
Ball and beam
- A system for controlling the position of a ball on a tilting beam (ball and beam)
- The ball position is sensed with a membrane potentiometer
Positioning and synchronisation system
- The system synchronises the speed and phase angle of two independent systems.
- A three-phase motor carrying a numbered dial is driven by a frequency converter acting as the speed controller.