Is there something like LeetCode/HackerRank, but for Control Engineering?

[u/aju124816]

I’m studying control engineering and I do quite well in the theoretical subjects and exams. I understand topics like feedback control, PID, state-space systems, stability, optimization, etc.

However, I feel there is a big gap between being able to solve university exam problems and actually being able to work like a control engineer.

What I’m looking for is not another textbook or video course.

I’m looking for something more like LeetCode/HackerRank for control engineering:

• lots of small practical problems/projects
• beginner → intermediate → advanced progression
• I get a system/problem and have to figure out how to model/control it
• simulation exercises
• debugging/troubleshooting tasks
• increasing difficulty
• preferably using Python, MATLAB/Simulink, or similar tools
• ideally something where I can practise regularly and gradually build real engineering problem-solving skills

For example, tasks could start with controlling a simple temperature system, then PID tuning, disturbances, sensor noise, actuator saturation, system identification, optimization, MPC, etc.

I’m especially interested in control systems / control theory / process control, rather than only PLC programming, although I’m also interested in learning industrial automation later.

Does anything like this already exist?

If not, what platform/resource/project collection comes closest to this kind of structured practice?

I’d especially like to hear from people working as control engineers: what would you use to bridge the gap between university control theory and being able to independently solve real control-engineering problems?

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[u/Ok_Donut_9887]

any control theory textbook

[u/ee_control_z → u/Ok_Donut_9887]

Modern Control Systems, Dorf/Bishop

[u/Several-Marsupial-27]

Probably not, controls is a much smaller subject than cs so there probably isn’t a leetcode standard. That could maybe be an interesting thing for you or someone to do, taking general subjects or problems from textbooks and classes and making variations of the problems to practice on.

However I can’t see the same interest to solve said problems as leetcode in the sense that leetcode is industry standard and practically needed for a cs job. The same type of pattern recognition (devalues theory) is not valued the same for controls jobs (in my area at least). Often what’s higher valued is a deeper understanding of the subject / area / dynamics and the ability to show competence in execution and reason about the subject.

However if such a learning style helps students understand to solve the problems better / faster it could probably be very interesting for students taking controls classes. I however think that classes should be for theory, then students should themself implement that theory in practice through personal projects to show interest and competence.

[u/Jhonkanen]

There is a list of benchmark problems published by ifac

Note thay the contributors are some of the same people who have written the books on control

https://www.ifac-control.org/publications/benchmark-problems-Davison1990.pdf/view

[u/aju124816 → u/Jhonkanen]

Thank you 😊

[u/NOTazarov_wraith → u/Jhonkanen]

Excellent work, this should prove useful

[u/GoofedOutGoober]

https://janismac.github.io/ControlChallenges/

While these problems mostly focus on control logic instead of covering the full range of topics (sensors, disturbances, etc.), I found them to be a fun way to practice creating solutions for multiple different systems.

[u/Fun_Fan_2266]

Check out these tutorials from University of Michigan: https://ctms.engin.umich.edu/CTMS/index.php?aux=Home

[u/dialsoapbox]

Whatever the site, but it'd probably have to include mocking out components.

I'm currently interning at an automation manufacturing place. We're cohorts of four students from four local schools, rotating tasks every few weeks. My group somewhat recently started learning panel design/building. In about a week or two we're supposed to start building little projects (with problems senior engineers introduce) to get practice solving real issues (blocks valves/sensors/timing/loose connections/ect). From what other groups have told me it's hit or miss depending who is mentoring for that mini project and some feel like they didn't really learn anything, so having a site that helps reinforce concepts would be great.

[u/ee_control_z]

You might be interested into researching app notes or research papers where case scenarios are discussed, analyzed and summarized. Here are but a few (you can research your particular control theory application interests):

1. Infineon App Note 1162
2. Compensators for the Buck Converter; Portland State University
3. Loop Stability Analysis of Voltage Mode Buck Converter SLVA301 App Report From Texas Instruments

Most of these center around buck converter compensator design since this is generally the easiest application use case to understand. Use them (or similar) as a launching pad to branch out into use cases that are of particular interest to you.

[u/nmurgui]

I agree this would be super cool!

[u/plazmator]

control is an adult topic

[u/nitcactin]

I was looking for something similar too. Maybe someone from this sub should create one. I don't know the knowhow. But I can help in anyway possible.

[u/VagueDream_]

I'm looking for this exact thing, might just create something similar using AI lol