Student-focused undergraduate laboratory development: position control of a printer head

We discuss the development of laboratories for our introductory undergraduate control course. Specifically we discuss the development of, and modifications to, a laboratory rig for printer head control. The rig is cheap and versatile. The laboratory reinforces the effects of PID tuning on a second order system in closed-loop. Students have been involved at all stages of the development and have directed the work. The result is a highly successful laboratory package that has been received with enthusiasm.