Get a Temperature Control Lab
The Temperature Control lab kit includes:
- Arduino (Leonardo)
- Temperature control PCB shield
- USB barrel jack power (20AWG) cable for heaters
- 5V USB power supply (US plug, EU/UK/AU plugs available upon request)
- USB cable for serial connection to MacOS, Windows, Linux, Raspberry Pi computer
There is additional information on the TCLab with free online courses on topics such as introduction to Python, data science, process control, dynamic optimization, machine learning, and data-driven engineering.
Option 1: Amazon
The Temperature Control lab kit is on Amazon (Prime). Amazon Prime members in the US have free shipping. International orders may have additional fees for shipping and customs charges.
Option 2: Invoice for Bulk Orders
For instructors or other large orders, please use the bulk order (10+ units) form for large orders. An invoice is generated for payment with Paypal, credit card, or wire transfer. Contact support@apmonitor.com for additional help with bulk orders.
Option 3: PayPal / Credit Card
The PayPal option is available for U.S. or International Orders. Shipping time for the U.S. is typically 3-5 business days. Shipping time for International orders is typically 3-5 weeks, depending on the location. Expedited shipping (6-10 business days) is also available.
Temperature Control Lab $39 USD + shipping
Temperature Control Lab
The PID TCLab and MPC TCLab use the same hardware with an Arduino Leonardo, TCLab shield, 2A power supply, 20AWG power cable, and USB communication cable.
The power plug is Type A (US) with converters to EU (Type C), UK (Type G), and AU (Type I) upon request. Software is available in Python, Simulink, and MATLAB with basic PID or advanced control modules.
Over 10,000 lab kits have been produced for destinations around the world to individuals, companies, and universities. They are used in courses such as Begin Python, Process Dynamics and Control, Dynamic Optimization, and Machine Learning.
The 2015 NSF-sponsored report Chemical Engineering Academia-Industry Alignment: Expectations about New Graduates identifies a strong industrial need for practical understanding of process control and system dynamics. Industry feedback also suggests more weight on translating process control theory to practice. To meet this need, laboratory experiences are integrated into many process control courses. With the growth of enrollment in chemical engineering, laboratory resources are often strained and scheduling for these labs can be difficult to manage. For this reason, we developed a pocket-sized process control lab that reinforces process control theory and is available to groups of two students each.
We give the small and inexpensive process control experiment to students to reinforce concepts in dynamics and control theory. Over 70 universities have adopted this lab for process control instruction. Some of the participating universities include Notre Dame, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Georgia Tech, New York University, Louisiana Tech, McMaster University, Christian Brothers University, Villanova, University of Iowa, University of Pretoria, Western Michigan University, and others. This lab was presented at the 2017 and 2022 ASEE (American Society of Engineering Education) Summer School as part of resources for teaching process transient analysis. Lab solutions for instructors are provided in Python and MATLAB.
