SEMARANG — Two Computer Engineering students from the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Semarang (FT UNNES), Muhammad Haris and Fasyah Kamal Pakuso Dewo, unveiled an intelligent Automatic Mains Failure (AMF) system powered by Fuzzy Logic and integrated with a PID Governor for backup generator sets (gensets). The electrical automation prototype was showcased during the EXPO Capstone exhibition at Building E11, FT UNNES, on Wednesday (November 11, 2026).
The system was engineered to ensure seamless, reliable, and stable backup power delivery during outages or disturbances on the main utility grid (PLN). Conventional backup generators often suffer from delayed manual switchovers and frequency instability caused by sudden shifts in electrical load—issues that can disrupt critical operations and damage sensitive electronic equipment.
To overcome these challenges, Haris and Fasyah unified two complementary control strategies into a single coordinated platform. For power transfer management, a Fuzzy Logic controller serves as the decision-making core of the AMF unit. By continuously evaluating main grid conditions, the algorithm determines the optimal response to automatically initiate or disengage generator operations the moment a blackout or voltage anomaly occurs.
To guarantee power quality once the generator is running, the system incorporates an integrated Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) Governor. Driven by real-time sensor feedback, the PID controller regulates engine speed via a servo actuator linked directly to the generator’s throttle mechanism. This closed-loop control keeps engine RPM precisely calibrated so that the electrical output frequency remains locked near the nominal 50 Hz standard, even under fluctuating load demands.
By synchronizing automated power switching with dynamic frequency regulation, the prototype elevates backup generator reliability while eliminating the need for manual intervention—making it highly applicable for laboratories, healthcare facilities, and small-to-medium enterprises.
The team completed the prototype on April 27, 2026, following a 148-day development cycle covering circuit design, control algorithm programming, and load testing. Built at a total fabrication cost of IDR 1.34 million (Rp1,340,000), the project demonstrates that industrial-grade power automation can be engineered domestically at a fraction of the price of commercial control modules.
Showcased at FT UNNES’s EXPO Capstone, the innovation directly contributes to SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by advancing resilient energy infrastructure and accessible industrial automation. Through practical, cost-effective engineering, UNNES Computer Engineering students continue to foster technological self-reliance and strengthen infrastructure reliability for modern industry.
