Automated Control System for the Remote-Controlled Torch Positioner

The goal of this project is to design and implement a controls system for Dr. Morscher’s burner rig. The rig serves to simulate jet turbine conditions and test how materials, specifically ceramic matrix composites, react under high temperatures and stresses. Currently, the location of the torch relies solely on manual adjustments and has no automated control system. The improved design will automatically adjust the torch position based on the desired temperature of the sample being tested, therefore maintaining a steady environment for the sample. The current method of manual adjustments for regulating temperature is a crude solution that does not allow for specific testing conditions. We will utilize LabView to create the controls system with the input being the Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) camera for temperature measurement, and the torch’s distance from the sample being the output. A FLIR camera mount will be modeled and produced to create a stationary position for the camera to take accurate measurements. The torch mount for this setup has already been created, including the servo motors required to move the torch. The main objective of this project is to create a controls system that will allow the mount to automatically move depending on the temperature input by the FLIR camera