Process Control dynamics Distributed parameter systems
Applied math Control system simulation & design Heat mass transfer.
MJMcCann Consulting
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Missile Guidance
My experience started with missile guidance control system dynamics and simulation on analog computers as an apprentice engineer in the aerospace industry.

University Research in Control
That got me interested in control and dynamics and given the opportunity, as the result of a studentship awarded by London University, I did a doctoral thesis (at Imperial College, London) on the control of distributed parameter systems. I was then invited to join the faculty at Case Institute, Cleveland Ohio (now CRWU) and there further honed the formal and mathematical skills. During those years, I was teaching control systems design to graduate and undergraduate students. It also provided the opportunity to act as consultant to major US firms who sponsored the industrial systems research programme.

Industrial and Consulting Experience
Industrial experience in the chemical industry and elsewhere has included topics such as

  • glass making processes involving distributed heat transfer and indexing machines,
  • polymer batch processes and stirred tank reactors,
  • production fed batch fermentation systems for anti-biotics,
  • simulation methods for distillation dynamics,
  • vacuum web coating processes,
  • Cooling water regulation of disolved solids and fouling.
  • Understanding process dynamics
    To be able to design control systems, it is necessary to know the intrinsic dynamic behaviour of the process. So, in most of these applications, the theme has been the explanation of physical phenomena by quantified analysis, backed up by experimentation and leading to design methods and modifications to solve problems for clients.

    Simulation Tools
    As a result of this experience, I've become an expert in the simulation and modelling of physical phenomena, particularly their dynamic behaviour. At first, the tool of choice was an analogue computer. Then digital simulation languages began to take over as computing power put the solution of sets of ordinary differential equations in easy reach. Analytical frequency domain methods have always been an important starting point to provide early insight into problems.
    Latterly computational tools have improved, software systems like MATHCAD (from PTC was Mathsoft) and 'MATLAB/Simulink' (from Mathworks) can handle both the frequency domain using Fast Fourier transforms and time domain using numerical methods. (See the Transmission Line example.)
    Nevertheless, there are still advantages in being able to "play" with simulations as we once did with analogue computers. So, I've programmed a simple simulation tool, McSimAPN, free for you to download, that exhibits that same sort of interactive, hands-on, hot-wirable behaviour for Continuous Time and Discrete Event systems within the same framework.

    Dr Mike McCann is a member of the IEEE, a Fellow of the IEE and a Chartered Engineer. You can see a Resume/CV and a list of publications on this website.

    If you have a problem in control system design and process intrumentation, where the first task is to understand the process (which means pretty well all of them!), then contact McCann. McCann's clients are widespread, but being based in the eastern USA, with strong links to the UK, places in PA, NY, NJ, MD, VA, DE are very easy to reach.

    Links in website:
    Home/Index Page

    About Dr McCann
    Summary
    Dr M.J.McCann
    Training Courses
    Bristol University Contacting me
    Contact in UK
    Location USA
    Philosophy
    Software Tools
    Fees
    Confidentiality

    Click to Applications PageApplications

    Business & Commerce
    TV Advertising
    Drugs Competition
    Housing Demand
    Automobiles Demand
    Wallcoverings Battle
    Cash Flow
    Human Resources
    Project Management
    Patent Analysis

    Chemical Industry
    Cooling Tower
    Fermentation
    Polymer Process
    Heat exchange
    Supercritical Fluid
    Distributed parameter
    Toxic gas allocation

    Electrical
    Control systems
    Initiation systems
    Ferrite Filters
    Microstrip Antennas
    Lightning

    Production & Process
    Automated manufacture
    Crimp and Press
    Glass making
    Glass molding
    Glass to metal seals
    Heat exchanger
    Helium Leak Testing
    RF Soldering
    Vacuum web coating

    Click to Applications PageApplications.

    Invitation. McCann can help if you have a design or operational problem that needs some technical support that is outside your team's experience, some quantitative assessment of what is really the cause of the difficulties, some design alternatives or just a fresh look by an intelligent interrogator.
    If you have a problem with the behaviour of a market sector, plant, process or item of equipment and would like to get a quantitative handle on it to improve yield or optimise performance, then contact me. I'm always ready to give a little time to discuss a new puzzle, in confidence, of course. We'll only worry about fees when there is some defined work. I can be flexible about how I work with you.
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    Dr M.J.McCann,
    POB 902,
    Chadds Ford PA
    19317 USA.
    T: 1 302 654-2953
    M: 1 302 377-1508 (Cell)
    E: mjmccann@ieee.org
    Request. Please let me know how you found this website and your interests by following this feedback link. Thank you Date: 2014.08.19
    File: control.htm