What is the ACE-Box? | ACE-Lab What is the ACE-Box?
The ACE-Box is a low-cost, portable, 3D-printed toolkit for practical automatic control engineering. It supports a practical-led approach, where learners begin with hands-on hardware activity before using mathematics through a model-based design approach. ACE-Box comes in different forms that are used together, bringing the physical parts needed to build, sense and actuate control systems into a repeatable desktop setup.
01Portable, low-cost build
Compact enough for desk, classroom or home use, with 3D-printed parts and accessible components.
02Different forms
Base + Sense and Actuate are designed to be used together for complete hands-on activities.
03Software ready
Supports MATLAB and Simulink workflows for modelling, testing and refining controllers.
The two ACE-Boxes (Base + Sense, Actuate).
ACE-Box is available in two forms that are designed to be used together.
ACE-Box (Base + Sense)
Provides the portable 3D-printed structure and sensing layout for building the desktop setup and capturing system behaviour.
- Base, tray and securing block for repeatable assembly.
- Labelled sensors and supporting components for measurement tasks.
- Prepares the signals used for modelling and controller testing.
ACE-Box (Actuate)
Adds the motor-driven hardware that turns controller outputs into visible physical movement for hands-on experimentation.
- Connects control outputs to actuators and moving parts.
- Supports DC motor, servo and stepper motor activities.
- Pairs with Base + Sense for complete closed-loop experiments.
ACE-Box full set-up with DC motor PI speed control
