INTRODUCTION TO MECHATRONICS

The term Mechatronics is used for this integration of microprocessor control systems,
electrical systems and mechanical systems. A Mechatronics system is not just a integration
of electrical and mechanical systems and is more than just a control system; it is a complete
integration of all of them.
In the design of cars, robots, machine tools, washing machines, cameras, and very many
other machines, such an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to engineering design is
increasingly being adopted.
Mechatronics brings together areas of technology involving sensors and measurement
systems, drive and actuation systems, analysis of the behaviour of systems, control
systems, and micro processor systems.

Open loop systems

A Control System which doesn’t have any feedback connected to it is called as Open Loop
System. These types of systems don’t depend upon its output i.e., in open loop systems,
output is not used as a control variable for the system and it has no effect on the input.
Open loop systems are one way signal flow systems. As these systems doesn’t contain any
feedback i.e., the output is not fed back to the input, these are also known as Non-Feedback
Systems.
The following image shows a simple block diagram of an Open Loop System.

Fig. Block diagram of open loop system

In an open loop system, the output can be adjusted / varied by varying the input but the
output has no effect on the input.
Open Loop System Applications
We use open loop control systems in many applications of our day-to-day lives. Some of the
popular systems, which are designed based on the concept of open loop control systems,
are mentioned below:
 Washing Machine
 Electric Bulb
 Electric Hand Drier
 Time based Bread Toaster
 Automatic Water Faucet
  TV Remote Control
 Electric Clothes Drier
 Shades or Blinds on a window
 Stepper Motor or Servo Motor
 Inkjet Printers
 Door Lock System
 Traffic Control System
Real Time Examples of Open Loop System
Some real time examples of open loop system are explained below.

Electrical Clothes Drier

We operate the clothes drier depending upon the amount of clothes to make dry. We set a
timer in the system to do this operation, let’s say 20 mins. As it is an automatic open loop
system, the machine stops working automatically after 20 mins, irrespective of the nature
of the clothes, whether they are dry or damp.
The clothes drier is an open loop system, because it doesn’t consider the condition of
clothes before it stops working. The user can adjust the operating duration of the system by
setting the timer controls as per his / her requirement. Observe the below block diagram
for the open loop control system, electric drier.

Here, the electric drier system has three blocks, timer, heating elements and clothes.
Primarily, the user sets the time for drying the clothes in the timer. And the timer control
works in combination with the heating element, to produce heat and dry the clothes.
As there is no feedback about clothes, humidity, the system stops working after the preset
time and it doesn’t consider the state of clothes. Even if the clothes are dry, the system will
switch off after the allotted time.
As the system has no feedback, this is also known as “non-feedback system”, in which the
output of the system depends only on the input signal and no control action of the input
signal based on the output is provided.

Traffic Control System

Most automated Traffic Control Systems are time-based open loop control systems i.e., each
signal is allotted with a specific time slot during which it operates irrespective of the
amount of traffic.
Washing Machine
Another example of an Open Loop Control System which we use in our daily lives is a
Washing Machine. The operations of soaking, washing, rinsing and drying are time based
and do not depend on the cleanliness of the clothes or if the clothes are dry or not.
Electric Bulb
We all know that when electric current passes through an electric bulb, it produces light.
When the mains supply is available, by switching ON the bulb, we can make it to work. And
this process does not depend up on the temperature of bulb or any other parameters.
Electric Hand Drier
The hand drier works on electric power supply and when we keep our hands in front of it,
it will automatically dry our hands by blowing hot air, irrespective of how much our hand is
dried.

Advantages of Open Loop Control System

The main advantages of the open loop control system are listed below:
 Open Loop Control Systems are very simple and easy to design.
 These are considerably cheaper than other types of control systems.
 Maintenance of an open loop control system is very simple.
 Generally, open loop systems are stable up to some extent.
 These types of systems are easy to construct and are convenient to use.

Disadvantages of Open Loop control System

The disadvantages of open loop system are:
 The bandwidth of open loop control system is less.
 The non-feedback system doesn’t facilitate the process of automation.
 Open loop systems are inaccurate in nature and also unreliable.
 If their output is affected by some external disturbances, there is no way to correct
them automatically as these are non-feedback systems.

Closed loop systems

A control system with feedback loop is called “closed loop control system”. In other words,
the control system which uses its feedback signal to generate output is called ” closed loop
control system”. In these control systems, the input is controlled by the feedback signal
from input so that it can correct the errors occurred. Closed loop control systems are two
way signal flow systems.
Feedback means , some part of output is taken and connected it to the input of the system
to maintain the stability of the control system. By providing a feedback loop, we can
convert any open loop control system into closed loop system. The feedback loop provides
the automatic correction of the input signal based on the output requirement. The block
diagram of closed loop system is as shown below.

Fig. Block diagram of Closed loop system

Examples of closed-loop control system

Here we will discuss the detailed operation of an automatic electric iron and a temperature
control system.

Automatic Electric Iron

Consider an example of automatic electric iron which acts as a closed-loop system. The
figure below represents the block diagram with major components:
An automatic electric iron consists of a thermostat that acts as a controller of the system, a
resistive heating element is present that generates heat. The sole-plate of the iron
instrument acts as a process of the overall system.

The basic working performed by an automatic electric iron is such that when the
temperature of the sole-plate attains a predefined value then the heating action gets
stopped automatically. And when the temperature falls below a certain specified value then
again heating starts inside it.

So, it is clear that in this type of system the controlling depends on the output of the system.

Initially, in electric iron, the thermostat is provided with a certain specific value which acts
as a reference input for the system.

When the input is provided to the system, then the resistive heating element generates heat
inside the system. This leads to rising up the temperature of the iron sole. Through a
feedback element, this output temperature is compared with the reference input of the
thermostat.

If the achieved output shows lesser value than the reference input, then the difference
temperature actuates the thermostat and this switches on the heating element.

This resultantly causes an increase in the temperature of the iron sole.

Once the temperature exceeds the reference value then the heating element automatically
turns off. And after a certain point of time, the temperature starts to decrease.

However, the comparison still goes on and as the temperature falls below the specific value,
the heating element again begins to raise the temperature of the sole.

In this way the continuous process inside an electric iron takes place.

Temperature Control System

Let us now take another example of a temperature control system that functions as a
closed-loop system.

The main purpose possessed by a temperature control system is to maintain a constant

temperature of water. Generally, these systems are used to provide an invariable
temperature (hot) at the output.

The figure below represents the block diagram representation of a closed-loop system:
Basically in such type of systems water from an outlet come with a constant flow rate. Also,
internally generated steam from a valve is mixed with the water to have a predetermined
temperature of water.

A pressure thermometer is used inside the system that acts as feedback. So, when a
reference input is provided to the system then the valve present generates a control signal
that indicates the system to provide the required amount of steam.

When the steam mixes with the water coming from the outlet then the temperature of the
water is measured by the pressure thermometer and is compared with the reference input
given to the system.

If the desired temperature (reference input) shows equivalency with the generated
temperature, then the control signal is generated and the flow of steam is stopped.

But if some amount of variation exists between the two temperature values then the
controller generates the control signal regarding the level of temperature difference which
is further compensated during the process.

In this way, the continuous process inside the system takes place and a controlled level of
temperature is maintained.

Advantages of closed loop system

 The closed-loop system is more accurate than the open-loop system because of
controlling through the output signal.
 These types of systems are less affected by noise and other environmental
disturbances.
 It provides a high-frequency range of operation.
 These are more flexible as compared to the open-loop system.
Disadvantages of closed loop system
 The addition of the feedback elements leads to the generation of complex structures.
 Closed-loop systems are not economical.
 The problem of instability in output is a crucial factor of the closed-loop system as
the presence of feedback causes timely variation in the system’s output.