Professor Roger Dixon BEng (Hons), MSc, PhD, CEng, FHEA, FIMechE

Professor Roger Dixon

School of Engineering
Professor of Control Systems Engineering

Contact details

Telephone
+44 (0) 121 414 5067
Telephone (2)
+44 (0) 121 414 2626
Email
r.dixon@bham.ac.uk
Twitter
Address
School of Engineering
University 麻豆精选
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Roger is Professor of Control Systems in the School of Engineering at Birmingham University.

He is a specialist in applied Control Systems, Mechatronics, Condition Monitoring, Fault Detection and Systems Engineering. Roger has published over 150 research papers and has lead major research activities in Industry and Academia.

His team in BCRRE at Birmingham work on research projects that have a strong focus on rail, but also include application to the road, aerospace and energy sectors.

Roger’s vision is to use his skills and enthusiasm to transform Industrial practice through a combination of world leading research and excellent teaching.

Qualifications

  • Fellow of IMechE (2011)
  • Fellow of Higher Education Academy (2006)
  • Chartered Engineer (2000)
  • PhD Control Systems Engineering (1996)
  • MSc Mechatronics (1993)
  • BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering (1992)

Biography

Roger was born in Morecambe, Lancashire and attended Lancaster Royal Grammar School (1981-1988). He was awarded a BEng (Hon’s) in Mechanical Engineering in 1992 and an MSc in Mechatronics in 1993, from Lancaster University. He studied for a PhD in discrete time modelling and control at the Centre for Research in Environmental Systems and Statistics (CRES), graduating in 1996. In October 1996 Roger took a position at ALSTOM in Leicester. Here he worked on and managed R&D projects involving the application of modelling, control and health monitoring techniques (applications included, power, hydraulics, aerospace, automotive, marine and rail).

Roger joined Loughborough as a Senior Lecturer in September 2003 and was promoted to Professor in 2013, having built a substantial Control Systems Group. This was followed by periods as Associate Dean for Research and Dean of Electronic Electrical and Systems Engineering at Loughborough.

Roger joined the School of Engineering at the University 麻豆精选 in May 2018, to lead the Control Systems theme within the BCRRE. His research and teaching interests span a number of technology areas: applications of advanced control, advanced actuators, fault-detection and health/condition monitoring, fault-tolerant control, system identification, system modelling & simulation.

Roger is a Chartered Engineer, Fellow of the IMechE and Fellow of the HEA.

Teaching

Roger has taught a variety of modules at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. These range from introduction to control systems engineering to advanced modules in modelling, control, sensing and actuation.

Postgraduate supervision

Roger has supervised many students to successful conclusion of their PhD studies.

Usually specific opportunities are advertised on jobs.ac.uk and .

He is always open to discussions with potential future students and applications for PhD studies in his research areas. If nothing is advertised, please feel free to get in touch to discuss your interests and potential opportunities.

Research

Main research expertise

  • Control, Mechatronics and Systems Engineering
  • Modelling and Simulation
  • System Identification, system modelling and simulation
  • Model-based estimation and control design
  • Fault-detection
  • Fault-tolerant
  • Health/condition monitoring      

Major research activities

Rail & Road:

  • Novel design of railway track switches
  • Active suspension and guidance
  • Condition monitoring systems for railway vehicles and infrastructure
  • Model-based control estimation and load management for electric vehicles

Aerospace:

  • Actuators for high-integrity applications
  • Model-based estimation and load management in generators and drives
  • Fault tolerance and distributed control of Gas Turbine engines
  • Fault detection in aircraft systems (actuators, fuel systems)

Other:

  • Condition monitoring of vacuum systems for nuclear fusion
  • Monitoring & Fault Tolerance in Liquefied Natural Gas Platforms
  • Model-based control of gasification plant
  • Condition monitoring of Wind-Turbines
  • Power plant modelling and control

Highlights

  • 1996 First experimental demonstration of an autonomous piling machine
  • 2000 HiL demonstration of Reliable Electric Actuation (REACTS) technology for Aircraft Engines
  • 2002 First experimental demonstration of active “smart spring” concept for naval machinery rafts
  • 2003 Patent Technology for Gas Turbine (sensor) fault tolerant control
  • 2004 Benchmarking Study on Gasifier Control
  • 2007 First Lab demonstration of control of a “High Redundancy Actuator”
  • 2013 Concept Demonstration and UK patents filed for new REPOINT railway track switch
  • 2017 Feedback control of HPSS Machine Demonstrated in Co-Simulation (self-adjusting switch)
  • 2018 REPOINT Light actuator design complete

Other activities

A selection of recent Professional Activities include:

  • Chair of UK Automatic Control Council (2017-2020)
  • Chair of IFAC Symposium on Mechatronic Systems 2016
  • Chair of UKACC Int. Control Conf 2014
  • Associate Editor of Int. Journal of Mechatronic Systems (2016 – present)
  • Associate Editor of Int. Journal of Automation and Computing (2010 – 2016)
  • IFAC Technical Committee on SafeProcess (2005-present)
  • IFAC Technical Committee on Mechatronic Systems (2007-present)
  • Int. Program Committee Member for IFAC SafeProcess 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015
  • Int. Program Committee Member for IFAC Mechatronics 2011, 2013, 2019.
  • Int. Program Committee for Conf. on Control & Fault-Tolerant Systems, SysTol 2010 & 2013
  • Numerous invited talks on Track Switching including at “Future of Rail” 2016 (London) and TRA2018 (Vienna)
  • Invited lecture at workshop on “Time For Causality” - Sustain, Bristol (4/2012)
  • Invited lecture at EC workshop on “Advanced FDI/FTC”- Duisburg, Germany (3/2009)
  • External Examiner (UG) Bath University (2014-18)
  • External Examiner (MSc) Sheffield University (2017-present)

Publications

Journal Papers:

Farhat, N, Ward, CP, Goodall, RM, Dixon, R, (2018) The benefits of mechatronically-guided railway vehicles: A multi-body physics simulation study, Elsevier Journal of Mechatronics, Volume 51,pp115-126, ISSN 0957-4158, .

Narváez C., R.A.; Blanchard, R.; Dixon, R.; Ramírez, V.; Chulde, D. (2018) Low-Cost Syngas Shifting for Remote Gasifiers: Combination of CO2 Adsorption and Catalyst Addition in a Novel and Simplified Packed Structure. Energies 2018, 11, 311.

Bemment, SD, Ebinger, E, Goodall, RM, Ward, CP, Dixon, R (2017) , Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit, 231(9), pp.1048-1065, ISSN: 0954-4097. DOI: .

Bemment, SD, Goodall, RM, Dixon, R, Ward, CP (2017) , Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit, DOI: .

Gowid, S, Dixon, R, Ghani, S (2017) , Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control, ISSN: 0022-0434. Full text: . DOI: .

Harrison, T, Bemment, SD, Ebinger, E, Goodall, RM, Ward, CP, Dixon, R (2016) , IFAC-PapersOnLine, 49(21), pp.260-266.

Gowid, S, Dixon, R, Ghani, S (2016) , International Journal of Acoustics and Vibrations, 21(2), pp.184-191, ISSN: 1027-5851. DOI: .

Gowid, S, Dixon, R, Ghani, S (2015) , Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 27, pp.1495-1511, ISSN: 1875-5100. DOI: .

Davies, J, Dixon, R, Goodall, RM, Steffen, T (2015) , International Journal of Automation and Computing, 1, pp.1-1.

Gowid, S, Dixon, R, Ghani, SAAA (2015) , Applied Acoustics, ISSN 0003-682X,, Volume 88, pp.66-74, DOI: .

Goodall, R, Freudenthaler, G, Dixon, R (2014) , Vehicle System Dynamics, 52(12), pp.1642-1657, ISSN: 0042-3114. DOI: .

Hubbard, PD, Ward, C, Dixon, R, Goodall, R (2014) , Vehicle System Dynamics, 52, pp.52-370-52-386, Full text: . DOI: .

Gowid, S, Dixon, R, Ghani, S (2014) , International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, 31(3), pp.293-310, ISSN: 0265-671X. DOI: .

Khan, S, Goodall, RM, Dixon, R (2013) , International Journal of Systems Science, 44(12), pp.2234-2254, ISSN: 0020-7721. DOI: .

Hubbard, PD, Ward, C, Dixon, R, Goodall, RM (2013) , Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit, November 2013 vol. 227 623-634(no. 6), pp.623-634, DOI: .

Wright, N, Dixon, R, Verhoeven, R (2013) , Fusion Engineering and Design, 88(6-8), pp.1236-1239, ISSN: 0920-3796. DOI: .

Ward, CP, Goodall, RM, Dixon, R, Charles, GA (2012) , Vehicle System Dynamics: international journal of vehicle mechanics and mobility, Online first publication, pp.1-20, Full text: . DOI: .

Steffen, T, Schiller, F, Blum, M, Dixon, R (2012) , International Journal of Systems Science, Available online - to be printed, pp.1-18, DOI: .

Grewal, KS, Dixon, R, Pearson, J (2012) LQG Controller design applied to a pneumatic Stewart-Gough platform, International Journal of Computing and Engineering, 9(1), pp.45-9.

Dwyer, VM, Goodall, RM, Dixon, R (2012) , International Journal of Reliability, Quality and Safety Engineering, 19(1), ISSN: 0218-5393. DOI: .

Khella, M, Pearson, JT, Dixon, R, Ciric, D, Day, I, King, R, Milnes, J, Stafford Allen, R (2011) , Fusion Engineering and Design, 86(9-11), pp.2766-2769, ISSN: 0920-3796. Full text:  .

Grewal, KS, Dixon, R, Pearson, J (2011) Model-based fault detection and isolation applied to a pneumatic actuation system, comadem, 14(4), pp.40-51.

Khella, M, Pearson, J, Dixon, R, Ciric, D, Day, I, King, R, Milnes, J, Stafford-Allen, R (2011) Systems approach for condition management design: JET neutral beam system-A fusion case study, Fusion Engineering and Design, ISSN: 0920-3796.

Ward, CP, Weston, PF, Stewart, EJC, Li, H, Goodall, RM, Roberts, C, Mei, TX, Charles, G, Dixon, R (2010) , Proceedings of IMechE Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit, 225, pp.202-218.

Du, X, Dixon, R, Goodall, RM, Zolotas, AC (2010) , Mechatronics - Special Issue on "Servo Control for Data Storage and Precision Systems", from 17th IFAC World Congress 2008, 20(1), pp.102-112, Full text:  .

Bennett, P, Dixon, R, Pearson, J (2008) Comparing residual evaluation methods for leak detection on an aircraft fuel system test-rig, Systems Science, 34(2), pp.63-74, ISSN: 0137-1223.

Dixon, R (2006) , IEE Proceedings: Control Theory and Applications, 153(3), p.253, ISSN: 1350-2379. DOI: .

Dixon, R and Pike, AW (2006) , IEE Proceedings - Control Theory and Applications, 153(3), pp.254-261, ISSN: 1350-2379.        DOI: .

Dixon, R (2005) Benchmark Challenge at Control 2004, Computing & Control Engineering Journal, 10(4), pp.21-23, ISSN: 0956-3385.

Dixon, R (2004) , Control Engineering Practice, 12(9), pp.1113-1125, ISSN: 0967-0661. DOI: .

Daley, S, Johnson, FA, Pearson, JB, Dixon, R (2004) , Control Engineering Practice, 12(4), pp.465-474, ISSN: 0967-0661. DOI: .

Dixon, R and Pike, AW (2002) Application of condition monitoring to an electro-mechanical actuator: a parameter estimation based approach, Computing & Control Engineering Journal, IEE, 13(2), pp.71-81, ISSN: 0926-5805.

Liu, GP, Dixon, R, Daley, S (2001) Design of Stable Proportional-Integral-Plus Controllers, Int. J. Control, 74(16), pp.1581-1587, ISSN: 0020-7179.

Dixon, R, Pike, AW, Donne, MS (2000) , Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, 214(1), pp.389-394, ISSN: 0959-6518.

Liu, GP, Dixon, R, Daley, S (2000) Application of Multi-objective Proportional-Integral Auto-tuning to the Gasifier, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, 214(1), pp.395-404, ISSN: 0959-6518.

Dixon, R (1999) Advanced Gasifier Control, Computing & Control Engineering Journal, IEE, 10(3), pp.93-96, ISSN: 0956-3385.

Seward, DW, Scott, JN, Dixon, R, Findlay, JD, Kinniburgh, H (1997) The Automation of Piling Rig Positioning using Satellite GPS, Journal of Automation in Construction, 6(3), pp.229-240, ISSN: 0926-5805.