Automatic

Control system

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 Chapter 1: Introduction

Learning Objectives:
• Understands basic concepts and definitions in Control Systems.
• Explain the function of an automatic control system.
• Understand the structure and components of a control system.
• Identify a block diagram representation of a physical system.
• Explain the difference between an open loop and closed loop
control system.

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 Chapter 1: Introduction

Control Systems are an essential part of modern engineering and

technology. They are designed to regulate the behavior of dynamic systems,
ensuring that processes operate within desired parameters.
Control systems can be found in virtually every aspect of life, from household
appliances to complex industrial processes, and their evolution has
significantly shaped the technological advancements of the modern world.
Automatic control is an important and integral part of space-vehicle
systems, robotic systems, modern manufacturing systems, and of any
industrial operations involving control of temperature, pressure, humidity, flow,
etc. It is desirable that all engineers and scientists are familiar with the theory
and practice of automatic control.

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 Chapter 1: Introduction

Brief History of Automatic control

The first historical feedback system is the water-level float regulator said to have
been invented by the Rusian I. Polzunov in 1765 . The level regulator system is
shown in the figure. The float detects the water level and controls the valve that
covers the water inlet in the boiler.

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 Chapter 1: Introduction

The first automatic feedback controller used

in an industrial process is generally agreed
to be James Watt’s flyball governor,
developed in 1769 for controlling the
speed of a steam engine. The all-
mechanical device, shown in the adjacent
figure measured the speed of the output
shaft and utilized the movement of the
flyball to control the steam valve and
therefore the amount of steam entering the
engine.

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 Chapter 1: Introduction

The shaft axis of the governor is connected

via mechanical linkages and bevelled gears
to the output shaft of the steam engine. As
the shaft speed of the steam engine
increases, the ball weights rise and move
away from the shaft axis
And, through mechanical linkages, close
the steam valve and slow down the engine.

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 Chapter 1: Introduction

The next century was characterized by the development of automatic control

systems through intuition and invention.

Efforts to increase the accuracy of the control system led to slower attenuation
of the transient oscillations and even to unstable systems. It then became
imperative to develop a theory of automatic control.

In 1868, J. C. Maxwell formulated a mathematical theory related to control

systems using the differential equations of a governor.

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 Chapter 1: Introduction

The control problem

Maintain a variable process at a desired value while rejecting the effects of
outside disturbances by manipulating another system variable.

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 Chapter 1: Introduction

The control problem

Maintain a variable process at a desired value while rejecting the effects of
outside disturbances by manipulating another system variable.

Feedback control:
Measurement
Control decision
System modification

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 Chapter 1: Introduction

The control problem

Maintain a variable process at a desired value while rejecting the effects of
outside disturbances by manipulating another system variable.

Automatic control:
Process: single or multiple
variables
Measurement: sensors
Error detection: compare H
to h
Controller: generate
corrections
Final control element:
modify process

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 Chapter 1: Introduction

Block diagrams
Automatic control systems use mathematical descriptions of subsystems to
reduce complex components to inputs and outputs.
Signals flow between components in system based on arrow directions.

Armature n (rpm)
Va (V)
DC motor

Temperature
Vout (mV)
T (°C) Temperatu
re sensor 11
 Chapter 1: Introduction

What is a Control System?

At its core, a control system is a device or set of devices that manage,
command, direct, or regulate the behavior of other devices or systems. The
primary objective of a control system is to ensure that a system's output follows
a desired path or maintains a certain setpoint despite disturbances.

A control system consists of interconnected components to achieve a

desired purpose. The control system is represented by a single block.
Since, the output is controlled by varying input, the control system got this
name.

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 Chapter 1: Introduction

Some terminology..
Sensor: Device that measures a required external signal. The eyes of control: if
you can measure it, you can control it.

Actuator: Device employed in control systems to alter or adjust the environment

(The electric motor drive used to rotate a robotic arm is an example of an
actuator which transforms electrical energy to mechanical torque).

Disturbance: Any external or internal factors that unexpectedly affect the

system’s performance (e.g., wind affecting a drone's flight, aircraft subject to
disturbances in form of wind-gusts).

Setpoint: The target or desired value for a system (e.g., room temperature of
22°C for an HVAC system).
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 Chapter 1: Introduction

Some terminology..
Command: The input signal that controls the system, usually coming from a
human or automated source (e.g., throttle command in an aircraft).

Output: The actual response or result of the system (e.g., the actual
temperature inside the room after adjusting the thermostat).

Measurement Noise: Random, unwanted variations in sensor readings due

to inaccuracies or environmental factors (e.g., electrical noise,
temperature fluctuations affecting a sensor).

Deviation: The difference between the actual output and the desired
setpoint, also called error (e.g., actual temperature is 20°C when the
setpoint is 22°C).
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 Chapter 1: Introduction

Some terminology..
Tracking: The system’s ability to follow a time-varying setpoint (e.g., a drone
tracking a moving object).

Regulation: Maintaining a fixed setpoint despite disturbances (e.g.,

regulating water levels in a tank regardless of fluctuating inflows).

Corrector: The mechanism or algorithm used to reduce deviation, often

implemented by feedback (e.g., a proportional–integral–derivative PID
controller that adjusts the motor’s speed).

Surveillance / Security: Monitoring systems for fault detection, alarms, and

diagnostics.

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 Chapter 1: Introduction

Some terminology..
Servo Systems: Used to provide accurate position, velocity, or torque
control (e.g., robotics, computerized numerical control CNC machines).

Regulation: Systems designed to maintain a constant output despite

disturbances (e.g., thermostat regulates room temperature by turning the
heater on or off, automatic voltage regulators in power grids keep voltage
levels within a specified range despite changes in demand).

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Components of a typical Control System

Input (Reference signal, setpoint): the desired value or condition that the
system aims to achieve.
Controller: compares the actual output (from sensors) with the desired setpoint
and determines what corrective actions need to be taken (proportional (P),
integral (I), derivative (D), or combinations like PID controllers).
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Components of a typical Control System

Plant (process): system or device being controlled.

Actuator: mechanism that physically adjusts the system based on the
controller's signal.
Sensor: measures the output of the system and provides feedback to the
controller (in a closed-loop system).
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Components of a typical Control System

Feedback (Closed-Loop Systems Only): takes the actual output (as measured
by the sensor) and compares it with the desired setpoint.
Disturbance: external factor or input that affects the system’s output but is not
part of the desired control action.

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Components of a typical Control System

Output: the actual result or response of the system.

Control signal: generated by the controller based on the error and is used to
influence the plant or process.

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Classification of Control Systems

Based on the type of the signal used:

❖ Continuous time control systems: all the signals are continuous in time.
Example: electrical motor speed control - the control system continuously
adjusts the voltage or current supplied to a DC motor to regulate its speed.
❖ Discrete time control systems: there exists one or more discrete time
signals.
Example: digital control of robotics - the controller samples sensor data at
discrete time steps and calculates control signals for actuators based on the
sampled data.

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Classification of Control Systems

Based on the number of inputs and outputs present:

❖ Single Input and Single Output control systems SISO: have one input and
one output (e.g., thermostat (temperature control), voltage regulation in
power systems, speed control in electric motors).

❖ Multiple Inputs and Multiple Outputs control systems MIMO: have more
than one input and more than one output (e.g., speed control in electric
motors, quadcopter drone control: Inputs: Desired pitch, roll, yaw, and
altitude (setpoints). Outputs: Actual pitch, roll, yaw, and altitude.).

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Based on the feedback path:

An open-loop control system is a type of continuous control system in

which the output has no influence or effect on the control action of the
input signal. No feedback is involved. The system operates based only on
the input command.

Examples: A washing machine that runs a cycle based on the pre-

programmed time. An irrigation system that waters plants at fixed intervals
without checking soil moisture.

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A closed-loop control system uses the output measurement and the

feedback of this signal to compare it with a desired output (reference or
command). Example: Cruise control in cars adjusts throttle input based on
the current speed compared to the set speed. Temperature control in
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning HVAC systems adjust heating or
cooling systems to maintain a desired temperature.

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As we will discuss latter, closed-loop control has many advantages over

open-loop control including the ability to reject external disturbances and
improve measurement noise attenuation. We incorporate the
disturbances and measurement noise in the block diagram as external
inputs.

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Many feedback control systems contain more than one feedback loop. A
common multi loop feedback control system with an inner loop and an
outer loop is shown below. Other multi-loop feedback systems will be
studied in this course as they represent situations found in real-world
applications.

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Furthermore, as the systems become more complex, the interrelationship of

many controlled variables must be considered in the control scheme. A
block diagram depicting a multivariable control system is shown in the
figure below.

However, we use the single-loop feedback system for learning about the
benefits of feedback control systems, since the outcomes readily extend to
multiloop systems.
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Differences between the open loop and the closed loop control systems
Aspect Open-Loop Control System Closed-Loop Control System

Feedback No Feedback Feedback present

Based solely on input Based on the difference between output and setpoint
Control action
(error)
Accuracy Less accurate More accurate due to error correction

Response to Cannot adjust to disturbances Actively compensates for disturbances

Disturbances
Complexity Simple, fewer components More complex, includes sensors and controllers

Cost Lower cost, simpler to design Higher cost due to additional components

Stability Less stable More stable due to feedback adjustments

Application Suitable for simple, Suitable for tasks requiring precision and adaptability
predictable tasks
Maintenance Low maintenance Requires regular maintenance for feedback elements
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Examples of control systems

Example 1. Automated vehicles

Driving an automobile is a pleasant task when the vehicle responds rapidly to

the driver’s commands. The era of autonomous or self-driving vehicles is
almost upon us.

The autonomous vehicle must be able to sense the changing environment,

perform trajectory planning, prescribe the control inputs that include
steering, turning, accelerating, braking and many other functions typically
handled by the driver, and actually implement the control strategy. Steering
is one of the critical functions of autonomous vehicles.

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Example 1.2 Humanoid robots

A robot is a computer-controlled machine and involves technology closely

associated with automation. Industrial robotics can be defined as the field
of automation in which the automated machine (that is, the robot) is
designed to substitute for human labor.

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Example 1.3 Unmanned aerial vehicles

The research and development of unmanned aerial vehicles

(UAVs) is full of potential for the application of control systems. An
example of a UAV is shown in Figure below. UAVs are unmanned but are
usually controlled by ground operators.

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Example 1.4 Industrial control systems

Other familiar control systems have the same basic elements as the systems
shown in the beginning.

A refrigerator has a temperature setting or a setpoint temperature, a

thermostat to measure the actual temperature and the error, and a
compressor motor for power amplification.

The household oven, furnace, and water heater are other examples. In the
industry, there are many examples including speed controllers, process
temperature and pressure controllers; position, thickness, composition and
quality controllers, level adjusters etc…

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Reading task 1: Closed-Loop controller vs. cascade controller

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Conclusion:

Control systems and feedback play a central role in aerospace control,

Manufacturing technology, Robotics, Active damping, Climate control of
buildings, Chemical process control, Electrical power systems, Consumer
products, Active suspensions, Automatic braking, Engine timing, self-
driving cars, mobile communications, power control, noise cancellation in
headphones, and many other areas of engineering.

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THANKS

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