Computer Integrated

Manufacturing
ETIA 41413

Lesson 03 – Industrial control

Systems (Part 01)

Chamishka Jayathilake
Department of Applied Computing
Content
What is Automation?
Elements of Automated system
Level of Automation
Variables and Parameters
Continuous and discrete variables/control
Continuous Control Systems
Regulator control
Feedforward Control
Steady-State Optimization
Adaptive control
Identification
Decision
Modification
What is ‘Automation’?
✓Automation is the technology by which a process or procedure is
accomplished without human assistance.

✓It is implemented using a program of instructions combined with a

control system that executes the instructions.

✓To automate a process, power is required, both to drive the process

itself and to operate the program and control system.

✓Although automation can be applied in a wide variety of areas, it is most

closely associated with the manufacturing industries.
Basic Elements of An automated system
An automated system consists of three basic elements:
(1) power to accomplish the process and operate the system
(2) a program of instructions to direct the process, and
(3) a control system to actuate the instructions

4
(1) Power to accomplish the process and
operate the system
• An automated system is used to operate some process, and power is
required to drive the process as well as the controls.
• The principal source of power in automated systems is electricity.
Electric power has many advantages in automation.

5
(2) Program of instructions
✓ The actions performed by an automated process are
defined by a program of instructions.

✓ Whether the manufacturing operation involves low,

medium, or high production, each part or product
requires one or more processing steps that are unique
to that part or product.

✓ These processing steps are performed during a work

cycle.

6
(3) A control system
✓ The control element of the automated system executes the program
of instructions.

✓ The control system causes the process to accomplish its defined

function, which is to perform some manufacturing operation.

7
Industries and their production operations were divided into two basic
categories:

Process Process industries perform their

industries production operations on amounts of
materials, because the materials tend to
be liquids, gases, powders, and similar
Industries and materials.
their production
operations
Discrete manufacturing industries
perform their operations on quantities
Discrete of materials, because the materials tend
manufacturing to be discrete parts and products.
industries

8
Levels of Automation in the Two Industries
✓ Automated systems can be
applied to various levels of factory
operations.
✓ One normally associated automation
with the individual production
machines. However, the production
machine itself is made up of
subsystems that may themselves be
automated
✓ Five levels of automation can be
identified, and their hierarchy is
depicted as shown in the figure.
9
• The levels of automation in the two industries are compared in Table
below

10
At device level, At Machine level,
✓ There are differences in the types of ✓ The difference is that unit operations are
actuators and sensors used in the two controlled in the process industries, and
industry categories, simply because
the processes and equipment are ✓ machines are controlled in discrete
different. manufacturing operations.
✓ In the process industries, the
devices are used mostly for the
At cell or system level,
control loops in chemical, thermal,
The difference is between control of
or similar processing operations, interconnected unit processing operations and
✓ whereas in discrete interconnected machines.
manufacturing, the devices
control the mechanical actions At the upper levels (plant and enterprise),
of machines. The control issues are similar, allowing for the
fact that the products and processes are
different. 11
 Variables and Parameters in the Two Industries
✓ Variables are defined as outputs of
the process
✓ Parameters are defined as inputs to
the process
✓ In the process industries, the
variables and parameters of interest
tend to be continuous, whereas in
discrete manufacturing, they tend to
be discrete.

12
✓ A continuous variable (or parameter) is one that is uninterrupted as time proceeds, at least during the
manufacturing operation.
✓ A continuous variable is generally considered to be analog, which means it can take on any value within a
certain range. The variable is not restricted to a discrete set of values.
✓ Production operations in both the process industries and discrete parts manufacturing are
characterized by continuous variables.
Examples include
❑ force
❑ temperature,
❑ flow rate
❑ Pressure
❑ velocity

All of these variables (whichever ones apply to a given production process) are continuous overtime during the process,
and they can take on any of an infinite number of possible values within a certain practical range.
13
✓ A discrete variable (or parameter) is one that can take on only certain
values within a given range. The most common type of discrete
variable is binary, meaning it can take on either of two possible
values, ON or OFF, open or closed, and so on.

Examples of discrete binary variables and parameters in manufacturing include

❑ limit switch open or closed
❑ motor on or off
❑ work part present or not present in a fixture.

Not all discrete variables (and parameters) are binary.

14
• Other possibilities are variables that can take on more
than two possible values but less than an infinite
number, that is, discrete other than binary.
Examples:
✓Include daily piece counts in a production
operation
✓The display of a digital tachometer
• A special form of discrete variable is pulse data, which
consist of a series of pulses (called a pulse train).
• As a discrete variable, a pulse train might be used to
indicate piece counts.
Example:
✓ Parts passing on a conveyor activate a photocell to produce a
pulse for each part detected.
✓ As a process parameter, a pulse train might be used to drive a
stepper motor.
Continuous Vs Discrete Control
• Industrial control systems used in the process industries tend to emphasize the
control of continuous variables and parameters.

• By contrast, the manufacturing industries produce discrete parts and

products, and their controllers tend to emphasize discrete variables and
parameters.
• Just as there are two basic types of variables Types of control

and parameters that characterize production

operations, there are also two basic types of
control:
Continuous control Discrete control

The variables and The variables and

parameters are parameters are
continuous and discrete, mostly
analog; binary discrete 17
• Some of the differences between continuous control and discrete
control are summarized

18
Continuous Control Systems
✓Continuous control systems are a class of dynamic systems used to
regulate and manage various industrial processes and operations
continuously.

✓The usual objective is to maintain the value of an output variable at a

desired level, similar to the operation of a feedback control system

✓ Most continuous processes in the practical world consist of many

separate feedback loops, all of which have to be controlled and
coordinated to maintain the output variable at the desired value.

✓ There are several ways to achieve the control objective in a

continuous process-controls 19
Continuous Control Systems
Can you give an example for continuous control system?

Can you define a continuous control system to a temperature control

system in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system?

20
Continuous Control Systems -Example
Temperature control system in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The goal of this system is to maintain a specific
temperature within a controlled environment, such as a room or a building.
✓ Set point: The desired temperature is set by the user or the building management system as the set point for the control system.
✓ Sensors: Temperature sensors placed in the controlled environment measure the current temperature and provide feedback to the
control system.
✓ Controller: The control system compares the set point temperature with the actual temperature measured by the sensors and
calculates the difference, known as the error.
✓ Actuator: Based on the error, the control system activates the appropriate heating or cooling elements to adjust the temperature.
For example, if the actual temperature is below the set point, the heating system may be activated, while if it's above the set point,
the cooling system may be activated.
✓ Output: The heating or cooling elements modify the temperature in the controlled environment. The control system continuously
adjusts the output based on the error, aiming to minimize the difference between the setpoint and the actual temperature.
✓ Feedback: The control system constantly monitors the temperature and makes continuous adjustments to the heating or cooling
output to maintain the desired temperature. This feedback loop ensures that the system can respond to changes in the
environment or temperature fluctuations.
By continuously monitoring and adjusting the heating or cooling output, the temperature control system maintains a stable and
comfortable environment. This is an example of a continuous control system that operates based on continuous measurements and
feedback, allowing for precise temperature regulation over time.

21
Regulatory Control
✓ In regulatory control, the objective is to maintain process
performance at a certain level or within a given tolerance band of
that level.
✓ This is appropriate, for example, when the performance attribute is
some measure of product quality, and it is important to keep the
quality at the specified level or within a specified range.
✓ In many applications, the performance measure of the process,
sometimes called the index of performance, must be calculated
based on several output variables of the process.
✓ Except for this feature, regulatory control is to the overall process
what feedback control is to an individual control loop in the
process,
22
23
✓ The trouble with regulatory control (and also with a simple feedback
control loop) is that compensating action is taken only after a
disturbance has affected the process output. An error must be present
for any control action to be taken.

✓ The presence of an error means that the output of the process is

different from the desired value.

24
 Feedforward Control
• The strategy in feedforward control is to anticipate the effect of
disturbances that will upset the process by sensing them and compensating
for them before they affect the process

25
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG3TiAd4q18&pp=ygUTZmVlZGZvcndhcmQgY29udHJvbA%3D%3D
✓ (As shown in Figure in the previous slide), The feedforward control
elements sense the presence of a disturbance and take corrective
action by adjusting a process parameter that compensates for any
effect the disturbance will have on the process.

✓ Challenges in Real-World Implementation: In practice, complete compensation is

challenging to achieve due to several factors:
▪ Delays: There can be delays in detecting disturbances, in transmitting corrective
actions, and in the process itself to those actions.
▪ Imperfections: Feedback measurements may not be 100% accurate, actuators
(devices that change process variables) may not respond perfectly, and control
algorithms might not be flawless.
▪ Complexity: The real-world processes are often complex and subject to various
variables that can affect the outcome.

✓ Regulatory and feedforward control are more closely associated with the
process industries than with discrete product manufacturing. 26
Steady-State Optimization
Steady-state optimization is an approach to optimize industrial processes and systems
under constant operating conditions, as opposed to transient states or dynamic
conditions. In a steady-state, the system has reached a balanced and unchanging
state where key process variables and parameters remain relatively constant over
time.

Key characteristics of steady-state optimization include:

✓ Constant Operating Conditions: Steady-state optimization focuses on improving
processes under conditions where process variables, such as temperature,
pressure, flow rates, and concentrations, remain stable and unchanging.

✓ Known Performance Metrics: There is a clear and well-defined performance metric

used for optimization. This metric can be related to various aspects of the process,
such as maximizing production rates, minimizing energy consumption, improving
product quality, or reducing costs.

27
 Steady-State Optimization
✓ Mathematical Models: Steady-state optimization typically relies on mathematical
models that describe the relationship between process variables and the chosen
performance metric. These models help in understanding how changes in variables
affect the system's overall performance.

✓ Adjusting Process Parameters: The optimization process involves adjusting certain

process parameters or variables to achieve the best possible performance according to
the defined metric. These adjustments are determined through mathematical
calculations or algorithms.

✓ Open-Loop or Closed-Loop Control: Steady-state optimization may be implemented

using open-loop control, where adjustments are made without real-time feedback, or
closed-loop control, which incorporates feedback from sensors to continuously maintain
the steady state.

Steady-state optimization is commonly used in various industries, including chemical

processing, manufacturing, energy production, and more, to improve efficiency, reduce
waste, and enhance product quality. It allows companies to identify the optimal settings
and operating conditions that lead to the best performance of their processes under stable
conditions. 28
29
Adaptive Control
• Steady-state optimal control operates as an open-loop system.
• It works successfully when there are no disturbances that invalidate the
known relationship between process parameters and process
performance.
• When such disturbances are present in the application, a self-
correcting form of optimal control can be used, called adaptive
control.
• Adaptive control combines feedback control and optimal control by
measuring the relevant process variables during operation (as in
feedback control) and using a control algorithm that attempts to
optimize some index of performance (as in optimal control).

30
✓ Adaptive control is distinguished from feedback control and steady-state
optimal control by its unique capability to cope with a time-varying
environment. It is not unusual for a system to operate in an environment
that changes over time and for the changes to have a potential effect on
system performance.
✓ An adaptive control system is designed to compensate for its changing
environment by monitoring its own performance and altering some aspect
of its control mechanism to achieve optimal or near optimal performance.
✓ In a production process, the “time-varying environment” consists of the
variations in processing variables, raw materials, tooling, atmospheric
conditions, and the like, any of which may affect performance

31
32
Identification
✓ In this function, the current value of the index of performance of the
system is determined, based on measurements collected from the
process.
✓ Because the environment changes over time, system performance
also changes. Accordingly, the identification function must be
accomplished more or less continuously over time during system
operation.

33
Decision
✓ Once system performance is determined, the next function
decides what changes should be made to improve performance.
✓ The decision function is implemented by means of the
adaptive system’s programmed algorithm.
✓ Depending on this algorithm, the decision may be to change one
or more input parameters, alter some of the internal parameters
of the controller, or make other changes

34
Modification
✓ The third function is to implement the decision.
✓ Whereas decision is a logic function, modification is concerned
with physical changes in the system.
✓ It involves hardware rather than software.
✓ In modification, the system parameters or process inputs are
altered using available actuators to drive the system toward a
more optimal state

35
✓ Adaptive control is most applicable at levels 2
and 3 in the automation hierarchy.

✓ One notable example is adaptive control

machining, in which changes in process
variables such as cutting force, power, and
vibration are used to effect control over
process parameters such as cutting speed
and feed rate.
In this context, the system utilizes real-time data on changes in
process variables, such as cutting force, power consumption,
and vibration levels, to exert control over critical process
parameters, including cutting speed and feed rate. By adjusting
these key parameters based on the observed changes in the
process variables, the system can optimize the machining
process for improved efficiency, precision, and quality.

36