Utilizing Lego Mindstorms as a Teaching Platform for Industrial Automation

Industrial control systems are taught best using real systems. Such systems can be expensive, dangerous, and may break easily. In the other side simulations often do not react like the real system. IEC 61499 automation standard supports the current control system trend toward networks of event-driven distributed devices. Support for event driven control applications is new in IEC 61499 as are the tools supporting it. Three tutorials are presented to teach developing IEC 61499 event driven applications along with control theory basics using open source tools with the LegoTM Mindstorms hardware. This inexpensive training system can be used for teaching industrial control methods for students, as well as industrial professionals.