Wolfgang Weller (cyberneticist)

Wolfgang Weller

Wolfgang Weller (born March 25, 1935 in Zwickau ) is a German engineer and professor of technical cybernetics . He is one of the pioneers of intelligent automation technology / process informatics and is a co-founder of the training of qualified engineers in the field of automation technology in Germany .

Career

Wolfgang Weller was born the son of a master hairdresser and his wife. The parental home was part of a family of craftsmen. From 1941 to 1949 he attended elementary school in Zwickau.

After graduating from the Käthe-Kollwitz-Oberschule in Zwickau in 1953, he began his studies at the Technical University of Dresden : basic studies in mechanical engineering with additional studies in electrical engineering; Specialized study of control engineering at the Institute for Control Engineering, founded in 1955 (Director: Heinrich Kindler ). He belonged to the first generation of students, from which the professors Hans-Joachim Zander (Dresden) and Herbert Ehrlich (Magdeburg / Leipzig) also emerged, and he was assistant to the later Professor Heinz Töpfer (Magdeburg / Dresden).

In 1959 he received his first degree graduate engineer (Dipl.-Ing.) In the field of electrical engineering with a specialization in control engineering at Heinrich Kindler . He offered him a position as a scientific assistant at his institute, but instead Weller initially preferred a practical position. He started his career in industry at the Scientific and Technical Office for Device Construction (WTBG) in Berlin, which later became the Institute for Control Engineering (IfR).

Working as a control engineer in industry

Scientific and technical office for device construction (WTBG), then Institute for Automatic Control (IfR), Berlin-Friedrichshain, Neue Bahnhofstrasse 9–17 (until 1968)

Initially, Weller worked as a laboratory engineer for device development. His first tasks included speed control with thyristor actuators and controllers for power plant automation. He then worked in the process engineering department as head of the commissioning group for boiler controls in several large power plants. This also included the experimental system identification of large boilers as well as work on multivariable controls, from which his first publications emerged.

He continued his work as a research assistant, group leader and deputy head of department, where he was involved in work on extreme value control, computer-aided control and simulation work on the analog computer (universal model and analog computer UNIMAR; the original is in the "Automatic Museum" of the HTWK Leipzig and can be visited together with other historical objects). During this time he also gave extensive lectures on advanced training courses at the Chamber of Technology (KdT).

In 1966 he received his doctorate as an external doctoral engineer at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the TU Dresden under Heinrich Kindler (grade: summa cum laude ).

Consultant and lecturer in Egypt

In 1966 and 1967, Weller worked abroad in the Arab Republic of Egypt as a consultant and lecturer at the Higher Institute for Electronics in Menouf. The aim of this stay was to support the start of teaching and teaching in the subjects of "Electrical Engineering" and "Circuit Theory" including the development of associated laboratory internships.

He was also a consultant at the Ministry of Higher Education in Cairo, where he developed concepts for courses to be set up and their technical equipment.

Resumption of industrial activity

Institute for Automatic Control (IfR), Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg, Storkower Straße 115A (1968–1991, then AUCOTEAM)

After his return from Egypt, Weller resumed his work at the Institute for Automatic Control (IfR) in 1968, and he became head of the Scientific System Fundamentals and Computer Center. The IfR emerged from the WTBG and formed the central research and development center in the Association of Nationally Owned Enterprises (VVB) "Control engineering, device construction and optics". In addition to the commissioning of a new institute computer and the first work on the use of process computers, he also contributed to the development of the universal system of devices and facilities for the automation of technological processes called "ursamat".

At the same time, Weller held a part-time teaching position for special areas of control engineering at the University of Rostock, Faculty of Technical Electronics, from 1968 to 1970. In 1969 he was granted the qualification to teach (facultas docendi). With his doctorate in science (Dr. sc. Techn., Corresponds to the habilitation) in the field of ship automation, his work for the University of Rostock ended at the same time in 1973. The IfR has generally promoted such collaborations with colleges, universities and academy institutes, so that well-known professors have emerged: Gunter Schwarze , Achim Sydow , Georg Brack , Bernhard Rodenbeck , Werner Kriesel , Hans Fuchs , Jürgen Beuschel .

Work as a professor at the Humboldt University in Berlin

In 1970 Weller was appointed full professor to the chair for technical cybernetics at the Humboldt University of Berlin (HUB). At the Electronics Section with a degree in Electronics, which was newly founded in 1968 , he systematically built up the field of automation technology as a major (regulation and control technology, system theory, industrial automation, robotics). Another important pillar of this is measurement technology , which has been represented in this section by Hans Hart since 1969 with the corresponding chair for measurement and testing technology .

At the same time, Weller developed its own research activities as industry-related research with several partners: Development of independent computers, decentralized automation systems, matrix-programmable control (patent), programmable small control system, fiber optic bus system (patent), automatic splicer for fiber optic cables, robot applications, etc. In addition, he worked outdoors Research with a wide range of topics: Modeling of general cargo processes, discrete systems with Petri net descriptions, control algorithms for process computers, adaptive controls, intelligent and learnable controls (monograph). A research stay of several months at the Vrije Universitait Brussels after the personal travel ban was lifted in 1989 marked the relative conclusion of this research period.

In connection with this 20-year research work, there is the supervision of 27 doctoral students for Dr.-Ing. and 5 doctoral candidates for Dr. sc. techn. as well as participation in 100 doctoral procedures. These research results were also published in 50 lectures at scientific conferences and in 50 publications in specialist journals or in book form and have led to 4 patents.

Weller participated in advisory boards and committees: Council of the Electronics Section and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the HUB; Science Council of the HUB; Scientific advisory board for engineering colleges at the Ministry of Higher Education and Technical Education (1971–1974); Editorial board of the trade journal measure, control regeln, Berlin; Head of the KDT Microelectronics Base in Berlin (1978–1981); International university association for electronics technology (university institutes from Hungary, CSSR, GDR).

After reunification , Weller was first subjected to an evaluation of his professional competence and a review by the Gauck authority, as a result of which he was accepted into a professorship at the HUB. From its previous establishment, a department for electrical engineering and an institute for automation technology emerged in 1991, and Weller was appointed director. He immediately established connections to the TU Berlin, in particular a joint research project on evolutionary strategy optimization with the Institute for Bionics was started (head: Ingo Rechenberg ).

Weller ensured a considerable expansion of the laboratory internships and the establishment of an institute library thanks to extensive donations and grants received. By donating a process computer from the TUB, Weller was able to design the process computer technology course in a practical manner. Weller set up an institute network by initially equipping it with Apple computers (donation). The research cooperation with the companies Siemens (automation technology), AEG (donation of a PLC), Omron (donation of a PLC and a robot) and Festo (donation of a model factory) has contributed to new laboratory equipment.

Weller established further scientific contacts through his participation in the GMA subcommittee on Fuzzy Control : TU Darmstadt (Henning Tolle), TU Dortmund ( Harro Kiendl ), University of Kaiserslautern ( Lothar Litz ), University of Karlsruhe. These scientific collaborations made it possible for W. Weller to develop new courses in the field of soft computing (fuzzy control, neural networks, evolutionary strategies ), which he has also expanded for students of computer science.

Research interests of Weller were applications of fuzzy logic and fuzzy controller and the neuro-technology , self-optimizing nonlinear controllers, computer-aided tools for evolutionary strategic optimization, Petri net based controls concurrent processes (contacts with Hans-Joachim Zander ) and robotic applications, particularly navigation methods for mobile robots.

In 1992, a senate decision was made to discontinue the electrical engineering course at the HUB while expanding the electrical engineering course at the TUB. The integration into the Institute for Control Engineering and Systems Theory of the TUB was prepared by mutual agreement. However, a Commission proposal to take over limited staff from the HUB, including Weller, was rejected by the House of Representatives due to the tight budget situation. Weller's work at the HUB ended in 1998 two years before reaching retirement age as a result of the termination requirement.

Worked in an engineering office and as a freelance scientist

The looming end of his university career was the reason for Weller to found his own engineering office "Consulting Services for Intelligent Information Technologies" in 1993. Here he worked on projects from 1993 to 2008: Programmable compact controllers with fuzzy components; Multimedia conference systems; Automation and expert system application in underground natural gas storage facilities; Simulation tool for leakage measurements in sewage networks (City of Schwerte / Ruhr); Leak tests; Automation and communication system for pipeline-guided transport (cooperation with Ruhr University Bochum).

His publications include the application of cybernetic methods to natural systems; Innovative transport systems; Development of the field of automation (2 books); Cybernetics: system philosophy as a universally applicable methodology; Systems with automatic and independent behavior, agent systems (book); Energy transition: control of decentralized, self-sufficient island networks.

He was a member of the Scientific and Technical Society for Measurement and Automation Technology (WGMA) in the Chamber of Technology (KdT) Berlin and worked in the VDI / VDE Society for Measurement and Automation Technology (GMA) in Düsseldorf and Frankfurt am Main.

Fonts (selection)

• Regulation of steam generators . (= Automation technology. Volume 56). Verlag Technik, Berlin 1967.
• with Hans Fuchs: multiple regulations . (= Automation technology. Volume 59). Verlag Technik, Berlin 1967. (Verlag Vieweg & Sohn Braunschweig 1968)
• Ship automation . Verlag Technik, Berlin 1972. (Licensed editions: Wydawnictwo Morskie, Gdańsk, 1974 and ИЗДАТЕЛЬСТВО СУДОСТРОЕНИЕ, 1975 г)
• Application of microelectronics in process automation. (= Automation technology. Volume 187). Verlag Technik, Berlin 1979 and 1981.
• with Heinrich Wilke: Programmable control devices . (= Automation technology. Volume 195). Verlag Technik, Berlin 1981.
• Learning controls . Verlag Technik, Berlin / Oldenbourg Verlag, Munich / Vienna 1985.
• Institute for Automation Technology at the Humboldt University in Berlin. In: Automation technology, Munich. Vol. 39, No. 9, 1991, p. 335.
• Automation technology at a glance . Beuth Verlag, Berlin / Vienna / Zurich 2008, ISBN 978-3-410-16760-0 .
• The system technology as an innovative concept . Books on Demand, Norderstedt 2008, ISBN 978-3-8370-5748-5 .
• Considerations and analyzes on topics of our time . Books on Demand, Norderstedt 2008, ISBN 978-3-8370-5633-4 .
• Automation technology through the ages - development history of a fascinating subject . Verlag epubli, Berlin 2013, ISBN 978-3-8442-5487-7 . (edoc.hu-berlin.de ; PDF; 3.3 MB; accessed on February 21, 2019)
• Artificial agents - a technology with great future potential . Printed by and published by epubli, Berlin 2013, ISBN 978-3-8442-5642-0 .

literature

• W. Oppelt : Small handbook of technical control processes. Verlag Chemie, Weinheim 1954. (5th edition Verlag Chemie, Weinheim and Verlag Technik, Berlin 1972, ISBN 3-527-25347-5 )
• H. Haas, E. Bernicke, H. Fuchs, G. Obenhaus (overall editor): ursamat-Handbuch. published by the Institute for Automatic Control Berlin. Verlag Technik, Berlin 1969.
• K. Reinisch : Cybernetic basics and description of continuous systems . Verlag Technik, Berlin 1974.
• We introduce: the book “Learning Controls”, the author Prof. Weller. In: ELEKTRIE, Berlin. Vol. 39, No. 12, 1985, p. 444.
• F. Dittmann: On the development of the “general regulatory knowledge” in Germany. Hermann Schmidt and the “Memorandum for the establishment of an institute for control engineering”. In: Wiss. TU Dresden magazine. Vol. 44, No. 6, 1995, pp. 88-94.
• W. Kriesel , H. Rohr, A. Koch: History and future of measurement and automation technology . VDI-Verlag, Düsseldorf 1995, ISBN 3-18-150047-X .
• D. Werner: Wolfgang Weller 70 years. In: Automation technology, Munich. Vol. 53, No. 7, 2005, p. 350.
• L. Starke: From the hydraulic controller to the process control system. The success story of the Askania works in Berlin and the device and controller works in Teltow. 140 years of industrial history, tradition and future . Berliner Wissenschafts-Verlag, Berlin 2009, ISBN 978-3-8305-1715-3 .
• KJ Reinschke: Memory of Heinrich Kindler , first professor for control engineering at the TH Dresden. In: Automation technology, Munich. Vol. 58, No. 06, 2010, pp. 345-347.
• E.-G. Woschni : Life in three German states - A Saxon reports. Tauchaer Verlag, Taucha / Leipzig 2012, ISBN 978-3-89772-215-6 .
• T. Heimbold : Introduction to automation technology. Automation systems, components, project planning and planning. Specialized book publisher at Carl Hanser Verlag, Leipzig / Munich 2015, ISBN 978-3-446-42675-7 .
• H.-J. Zander : Control of discrete event processes. Novel methods for describing processes and designing control algorithms. Springer Vieweg Verlag, Wiesbaden 2015, ISBN 978-3-658-01381-3 .
• W. Kriesel : Future models for computer science, automation and communication. In: Frank Fuchs-Kittowski, Werner Kriesel (Hrsg.): Computer science and society. Festschrift for the 80th birthday of Klaus Fuchs-Kittowski . PL Academic Research , Frankfurt am Main 2016, ISBN 978-3-631-66719-4 .

Web links

• Literature by and about Wolfgang Weller in the catalog of the German National Library