The Center for Applied Automation (CPA) was founded in April 1997. The founder and first manager of the CPA was prof. Dr. Zivomir Petronijevic, who created a wide network of associates, provided funds for the purchase of basic equipment for work and education, and in extremely difficult conditions took care of staff strengthening of the Center and the field of automation at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Kragujevac. In this period, until 2001, the cooperation with the companies ECM - Kragujevac, Mikrokontrol - Belgrade and Siemens d.o.o. White City. By the study and the decision on establishment, CPA has a defined space, which consists of rooms C-91, C-82, C-85 and CPA-1,2,3 (approx. 235 m2), and equipment that consists of the corresponding inventory of these rooms.

The same acts define the basic activities of the Center: Design, reengineering, revitalization and maintenance of automation plants and more complex technical equipment; Simulation analysis and software implementation of management and decision algorithms; Implementation of technical means of measurement and management; Consulting services; Realization of scientific research projects; Organizing new laboratory units and issuing certificates for certain instruments and phenomena; Modernization of teaching in the wider field of automation and related disciplines; Organizing and performing practical work for interested students, young engineers and other interested professionals; Organizing continuing education courses; Publishing; Promotion of new technologies, etc.

Display of part of the equipment - donation from Siemens d.o.o. Belgrade (devices for the so-called level of microautomation)

The primary task of the CPA is to establish a network of institutions, companies and individuals, in order to encourage and organize education and creativity in the field of these and related activities, which includes the provision of specific professional, educational and scientific research services.

Miroslav Ravlić, M.Sc., and the company Mike elektronik-Mladenovac gladly included young CPA associates in their activities and jointly performed with CPA towards users from the economy. CPA included interested students in independent experimental work in the field of profession and research. The result of this work are experimental sets that are now used in regular classes, virtual laboratory models, or student papers published at renowned conferences in the country and abroad. As CPA associates, students are also involved in specific projects.

Laboratory models - some of the results of the work of students, CPA associates

A	B	C	C

A) From the internal library B) Donation of the company EUROICC-Belgrade C) JSCADA (diploma thesis of Vladimir Milašinović done in cooperation with the company EUROICC on the automation of the sugar factory "Jugozapadna Bačka" - Bac)

CPA has formed and implemented several continuing education courses. The course "PLC - programming and implementation" was funded in 2003/04 by the European Agency for Reconstruction. Cooperation has begun with the renowned company Informatika from Belgrade, which has decided to help the education business in which it is engaged, and has a CPA as a partner in business of mutual interest. For many years, cooperation with experts and institutions from the environment (Institute "Mihajlo Pupin", Belgrade, Institute of Automobiles, Kragujevac, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Belgrade, Faculty of Medicine, Kragujevac, etc.) has yielded results in education, publishing, project activities, and the promotion of new ideas and technologies.

Manager of the Center - Dr. Milan Matijevic, full professor