Basics of Control Engineering

CODE: EE 8111
Learning Context

Control Engineering System

 Basic concept of automation and control system

 Classification of control system;

 Manual
Semi automated control system
Full automated control system
 Elements of automatic control system

Basic characteristics of control system and its

connections

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Meaning, types , characteristics, application of:

Transducers
Sensors
Actuators
Synchros
Controllers

Prepared by Vicent V. M., MSc, PhD Cand. 3

Introduction
 Every activity in our daily life is influenced by some sort
of control system.
 Control system is now an integral parts of modern
industrialization, industrial process and home appliances.
 Control systems and its components play a vital role in
our daily life
 A control system consists of interconnected components
designed to achieve a certain desired output.
 Modern control engineering practice includes the use of
control design strategies for improving manufacturing
processes, the efficiency of energy use, advanced
automobile control, etc

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Cont..
Terminologies
 Control system: is an interconnection of components forming a
system configuration that will provide a desired system response. OR
A control system is an arrangement of physical components
connected or related in such a manner as to command, regulate, direct
or govern itself or another system.

 System: is an interconnection of elements and devices for a desired

purpose or, Is a combination of components that act together and
perform a certain objective
 Process: the device, plant, or a system under control. The input and
output relationship represents the cause and effect relationship of the
process
 Disturbance: is a signal that tends to adversely/harmfully affect the
value of the output of a system. If a disturbance is generated within
the system, it called internal while an external disturbance is
generated outside the system and will be the part of the input.
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 Feedback control: refers to an operation that in the presence of
disturbances, tends to reduce the difference between the output
of the system and some reference input and does so on the basis
of the difference
 Feedback control system: is a system that maintains a prescribed
relationship between the output and the reference input by
comparing them and using the difference as a measure to control

A good example of a feedback control system is a room

temperature control system.
e.g, by measuring the actual room temp. and comparing it with
the reference temp. (desired one), the thermometer turns the
heating or cooling equipment ON or OFF in such a way to ensure
that the room temp. remains at a comfortable level regardless of
outside conditions.

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 Different types of systems
All our tools and machines need appropriate control to
work, otherwise it will be difficult to finish their designated
tasks accurately. Therefore, we need control systems to
guide, instruct and regulate our tools and machines.
Common control systems include:
Mechanical system
Electronic system
Computer control system
Pneumatic (hydraulic) system
Electrical system
A system usually contains three main parts: input, process
and output.

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Mechanical system
A mechanical system is a device made up of various
mechanical parts. Its input is provided by an effort. Once
the effort and is applied, it can set off a motion to move a
load. The force applied to the load is the output of the
mechanical system. Examples of mechanical systems
include levers, gears and shafts.

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Cont..
Electronic system
An electronic system is a system that employs electronic
signals to control devices, such as radios, calculators,
video game machines, mobile phones, portable computers,
etc . The input of an electronic system is provided by
electronic signals. After they are processed, they can
generate output signals, which control the operation of
various devices, such as amplifiers
Electronic systems can carry out many different tasks,
such as generating sound, transmitting information,
displaying video, measuring, memorizing, calculating, etc.
Common examples of electronic devices include semi-
conducting diode, transistors, capacitors that they are
usually welded onto electronic circuit boards

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Cont..

Computer control system

A computer control system uses a computer to control its
output devices according to different input signals. Its
function is similar to that of an electronic system. Yet a
computer control system can use high speed calculation to
process large volume of input signals within a very short
time, and then generates appropriate outputs with the
help of preset programs. Examples of computer control
systems include computer numerical control press brakes,
computer controlled home appliances, computer
controlled underground railway systems, etc

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Cont..
Pneumatic system
A pneumatic system is a system that uses compressed air
to transport and control energy. Air is first pressurized to
give energy in the cylinder. Then signals are input into the
system through the use of switches. Next, air is transferred
through sealed pipes to the pneumatic parts for
processing.
Finally, the force produced by the pneumatic parts is
utilized to finish the designated task. The use of
pneumatic systems is very extensive, for example, in
controlling the movement of train doors, the operation of
automatic production lines and mechanical clamps, etc

Hydraulic system (uses compressed liquid)

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Different types of control systems

 Open loop and closed loop control systems

 Manual and automatic control systems

 Special applications of the control systems

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A. Open loop and closed loop control systems
Two main types of control system
 Closed-loop (feedback) control system – a system in which the
output variable is compared with an input parameter, and any
difference between the two is used to drive the output into
agreement with the input

Feedback control systems are often referred to a closed-loop

control system. They utilize feedback to compare the actual
output to the desired response.
In a closed-loop control system, the actuating error signal which
is the difference the input signal and the feedback signal (which
may be the output signal itself, or the function of the output
signal and its derivatives and/or integral), is fed to the
controller so as to reduce the error and bring the output of the
system to a desired value
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Note: the term closed-loop control always implies the use

of feedback control action in order to reduce the system
error
Examples are: refrigerator, iron, …..

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Multi Input Multi Output (MIMO) System

Desired
Controller Output
Output Process
Response Variables

Measurement

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 Open-loop control system – operates without the feedback
loop. Are the systems in which the output has no effect on
the control action. They utilize a controller or control
actuator to obtain the desired response. In an open-loop
control system the output is neither measured nor feedback
for comparison with the input. Thus, to each reference input,
there corresponds to a fixed operating conditions, as a result,
the accuracy of the system depends on calibration. In the
presence of disturbances, the system will not perform the
desired task of rectifying

Examples are:
 Washing machine, soaking, … the machine doesn’t measure
the output signal ie, the cleanness of the clothes.

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Note: any control system that operates on time basis is

open-loop. For instance, traffic control by means of
signal operates on a time basis is another example of an
open-loop control

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General Control System
 Forward Path: The forward path in the feedback loop is the

path after the summer, that travels through the plant and
towards the system output.
 The reverse path is the path after the pick-off node, that loops

back to the beginning of the system. This is also known as the

"feedback path".
Disturbance

Controlled Manipulated
Error Signal Variable

Set-point +
or + +
+ Controller Actuator + Process
Reference - Actual
input Output

Sensor
Feedback Signal

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Closed-loop Vs open-loop control systems
An advantage of the closed-loop control system is the fact
that the use of feedback makes the system response
relatively insensitive to the external disturbances and
internal variation is system parameter
Generally, closed-loop control system have advantages
only when unpredictable disturbances and/or
unpredictable variations in the system components are
present

Disadvantage: complicated in design, expensive,

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The major advantages of an open-loop are:
i. Simple in construction and easy in maintenance
ii. Less expensive
iii. Actions performed by the control system are simple
iv. Actuating function is very reliable
v. There is no stability problem
vi. Convenient when the output is hard to measure or measuring the
output is precisely not feasible economically, eg in washer system
If these conditions do not apply, then a closed-loop control system should
be used

The major disadvantages are:

vii. Disturbances and changes in calibration cause errors, and the
output may be different from the desired one
viii. To maintain the required quality in the output, the recalibration is
necessary from time to time
ix. Risk that the actuator will not have the intended effect

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B. Manual and automatic control systems
Manual
Semi automated control system
Full automated control system
 Control is a process of causing a system variable such as
temperature to conform to some desired value or
trajectory, called reference value or trajectory.
 For example, driving a car implies controlling the vehicle
to follow the desired path to arrive safely at a planned
destination.
i. If you are driving the car yourself, you are
performing manual control of the car.
ii. If you use design a machine, or use a computer to do
it, then you have built an automatic control system.
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 Automation: is the technology by which a process or
procedure is accomplished without human assistance.
Basic elements of an automated system
i. Power - to accomplish the process and
operate the automated system
ii. Program of instructions – to direct the
process

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Power Source
 Widely available at moderate cost
 Can be readily converted to alternative forms, e.g.,
mechanical, thermal, light, etc.
 Low level power can be used for signal transmission, data
processing, and communication
A. Power for the process
 To drive the process itself
 To load and unload the work unit
 Transport between operations
B. Power for automation
 Controller unit
 Power to actuate the control signals
 Data acquisition and information processing
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Program of Instructions
Set of commands that specify the sequence of steps in the
work cycle and the details of each step
 During each step, there are one or more activities
involving changes in one or more process parameters
Examples:
 Temperature setting of a furnace
 Motor on or off

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 C. Special applications of the control
systems
There are many household and industrial application
examples of the control systems, such as washing
machine, air conditioner, security alarm system and
automatic ticket selling machine, etc.

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Question

a) Outline different types of manually, semi-automatic

and full automatic operated systems you may know.
Explain how does one of them (from each category,
works)
b) Give the advantages and disadvantages of each
category
c) Differentiate electronic system from mechanical and
computer systems. State how control mechanisms do
take place in either system

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