ASE-9457 Industrial Communication Systems, 5 cr

Additional information

The final evaluation is based on exam and assignments, both need to be completed within the same academic year

Person responsible

Borja Ramis Ferrer, Luis Gonzalez Moctezuma, Jose Martinez Lastra


Implementation Period Person responsible Requirements
ASE-9457 2019-01 3 Jose Martinez Lastra

Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes of the course: The ASE-9457 Industrial Communication Systems course attempts to provide a unified overview of the field of industrial communications. The course is divided in two main blocks: 1. Basics of data communication and 2. Industrial networks, including Industrial Communication Technologies, such as PROFIBUS, CAN, DEVICENET, SERCOS, INTERBUS, Ethernet, EtherCAT, among others. The second block also includes safety buses and functions. After the completion of the course, students shall be able to remember and understand the basics of data communications and the different types of technologies for implementing industrial communications. Further, through the performance of the course assignments, students will be able to configure different types of fieldbus devices and understand the flow, structure and meaning of data packets that are exchanged within industrial networks. The course includes a total of four assignments: + Each one of the first three assignments focus on a specific industrial communication protocol. More precisely, and by this order, the students will perform assignments on PROFIBUS, CAN and INTERBUS. In addition, the instructor will teach about Ethernet and EtherCAT as the technologies used for connecting the different bus couplers to the computers used by students. The structure of each assignment is similar. Particularly, the students will first understand the specific network setup and will learn how to configure the different components. Then, they will analyze the electromagnetic signals with an oscilloscope in order to understand the binary data being send. For this activity, students will need to understand the concepts learned during the course lectures. Finally, the students will have to find the answer to some questions included in the corresponding assignment questions sheet. + The last assignment is focused about the understanding of motion control. For this, the students will perform an experiment with a motor that is connected to the same workbench that they used on previous assignments.


Content Core content Complementary knowledge Specialist knowledge
1. + Communications, data and the Internet + Protocol architecture      
2. + Data transmission + Transmission media + Signal encoding     
3. + Introduction to industrial networks, classification and MICE     
4. + PROFIBUS and Industrial Ethernet + CAN, DeviceNet + Interbus + Safety buses     

Instructions for students on how to achieve the learning outcomes

The grade will be calculated as: 40% final examination and 60% course assignments and laboratory works. Both parts must be passed.

Assessment scale:

Numerical evaluation scale (0-5)

Correspondence of content

Course Corresponds course  Description 
ASE-9457 Industrial Communication Systems, 5 cr ASE-9456 Factory Communication Systems, 6 cr  

Updated by: Martinez Lastra Jose, 30.05.2019