BEng (Hons) Control and Automation

Automation and Robotics

CRN: 50295
2022/23 Academic Year

Dr Saber Mahboubi
Email: [email protected]
 Lecture Content:

Introduction to Control in
Automation
 Industrial Automation

• The technology by which a process or procedure is

accomplished without human assistance.
• A technique that can be used to reduce costs and/or to improve
quality.
• A process which increases manufacturing speed, while reducing
cost.

Which….

• Can lead to products having consistent quality, perhaps even

consistently good quality
• Is normally implemented using a program of instructions combined
with a control system that executes the instructions.
 Quick History
Automation has gone through a number of stages

Manual Control
 Industrial Automation

Automation is a technology concerned with application of mechanical,

electronic and computer-based system to operate and control
system. This technology includes;
• Automatic assembly machines
• Automation machine tools to
process parts
• Industrial robots
• Automatic materials handling
and storage system
• Automatic inspection
system and quality
control
• Feedback control and computer process control
• Computer systems for planning, data collection and
decision making to support manufacturing activities
 Basic Elements of an Automated System
The Actuator

The actuator does the work

• Controlled by the controller.

• The actuator in a automated process may in fact be
several actuators, each of which provides an output
that drives another in the series of actuator.
• Some actuators can only be on and off. Other actuators
respond proportionally with the signal they receive from a
controller
• Actuators are ultimately controlled by an electrical signal
although this controls other force providing media such as.
• Electromotive
• Pneumatic
• Hydraulic
 Basic Elements of an Automated System
The Controller

Tells the actuator to do the work

• A controlled system either may be a digital system or an

analogue system

• Digital and analogue controllers are available ‘off the shelf’ so

that systems can be constructed inexpensively and with little
specialized knowledge required.

• Modern automated control is almost exclusively PLC based

 Basic Elements of an Automated System
The Sensors

provides feedback to the controller so that it knows the actuator is

doing the work

• Obviously, controlled automation requires devices to sense

system output.
• Sensors also can be used so that a controller can detect and
respond to changing conditions in its working environment
• Switches and transducers are another name for sensors.
• Switches can detect when a measured condition exceeds
a pre-set level. Example: closes when a work-piece is
close enough to work on.
• Transducers can describe a measured condition.
Example: output increased as level in tank raises.
Types of Automation
Hard Automation
Controllers were built for specific purposes and could not be altered
easily.
• Early analogue process controllers had to be rewired to be
reprogrammed.

• These controllers do what they are designed and built to do, quickly
and precisely perhaps, but with little adaptability for change
(beyond minor adjustments).

• Modification of hard automation is time-consuming and expensive,

since modifications can only be performed while the equipment sits
idle.
Types of Automation
Soft Automation
Modern digital controllers are reprogrammable.

• It is usually possible to reprogram them and test the changes while

they work.

• Even if hardware changes are required to a soft automation system,

the lost time during changeover is less than for hard automation
Manufacturing System Classification
Fixed Automation
• A system which the sequence of processing (or assembly)
operations is fixed by the equipment configurations

• Each operations in the sequence is usually simple

• High initial investment for custom- engineered equipment

• High production rates

• Relatively inflexible in accommodating product variety

• Examples: machining transfer lines and automated assembly

machines
Manufacturing System Classification
Programmable Automation
The production equipment is designed with the capability to change the
sequence of operations to accommodate different product configurations

• The operation sequence is controlled by a program, which is a set of

instruction coded so that they can be read and interpreted by the
system.
• New programs can be prepared and entered into the equipment to
produce new products.
• The physical setup of the machine must be changed for each new
products.
• This changeover procedures takes time.
• High investment in general purpose equipment.
• Lower production rates than fixed automation.
• Flexibility to deal with variations and changes in product configuration
• Most suitable for batch production
Manufacturing System Classification
Flexible Automation
An extension of programmable automation.

• Capable of producing a variety of parts/products with virtually no time

lost for changeovers from one part style to the next

• High investment for custom- engineered system

• Continuous production of variable mixtures of products

• Medium production rates

• Flexibility to deal with product design variations.

Manufacturing System Classification
Relationship between manufacturing systems
 Large Control System Hierarchy
Manufacturing plants can have an extensive hierachical control system
SCADA
Supervisory Control
And Data Acquisition

Supervisory

Group control

Unit control

Field

Sensors A V T
& actuators

Primary plant technology

 Large Control System Hierarchy
Buses and processors in industrial plants form this hierarchy
instrument bus
(mimic board)
open network, WAN
Operator panel
disk Mimic board
Process pictures

Process Data Base workstation bus

Logging station station

plant network (500m .. 3 km) – includes control network

processor pool P P P C P P C P
PLC nodes
node bus
(multi-processors)
I/O MEM I/O MEM BC
fieldbus (30m..2 km)

directly coupled
control backplane bus
input/ stations
output
sensor bus sensor bus (0,5.. 30 m)

transducers

M plant (Werk, usine)

valve thermo-couple position motor
 Large Control System Hierarchy
ABB Industrial IT (redundant system)
Plant Network / Intranet Workplaces Enterprise
(clients) Optimization
(clients) 3rd party
application
Firewall Mobile
server
Operator

Plant Network (Ethernet)

connectivity aspect application engineering
server server server workplace

Control Network (Ethernet)

Programmable
Serial or Logic Controller
fieldbus AC 800C touch-screen
Redundant
AC 800M
Field Bus Field Bus
3rd party
controllers,
servers etc sensor network
 Fundamentals of Control Systems
Definitions

System – An interconnection of elements and devices for a desired purpose.

Control System – An interconnection of components forming a system

configuration that will provide a desired response.

Process – The device, plant, or system under control. The input and
output relationship represents the cause-and-effect relationship of the
process.

Input Process Output

 Fundamentals of Control Systems
Definitions

Controlled Variable– It is the quantity or condition that is measured and

Controlled. Normally controlled variable is the output of the control
system.

Manipulated Variable– It is the quantity of the condition that is varied

by the controller so as to affect the value of controlled variable.

Control – Control means measuring the value of the controlled

variable of the system and applying the manipulated variable to the
system to correct or limit the deviation of the measured value from a
desired value.
 Fundamentals of Control Systems
Definitions

Manipulated Variable

Input
or Output
Set point Controller Process Or
or Controlled Variable
reference

Disturbances– A disturbance is a signal that tends to adversely affect

the value of the system. It is an unwanted input of the system.

• If a disturbance is generated within the system, it is called

internal disturbance. While an external disturbance is generated
outside the system.
 Fundamentals of Control Systems

• If a human operator is available to monitor and control a

manufacturing process, open loop control may be acceptable

• If a manufacturing process is automated, then it requires closed loop

control , also known as feedback control .
 Fundamentals of Control Systems
Open-Loop Control Systems utilize a controller or control actuator to
obtain the desired response.
• Output has no effect on the control action.
• In other words output is neither measured nor fed back.

Input Output
Controller Process

• Since in open loop control systems reference input is not compared

with measured output, for each reference input there is fixed operating
condition. Therefore, the accuracy of the system depends on
calibration.

• The performance of open loop system is severely affected by the

presence of disturbances, or variation in operating/ environmental
conditions.
 Fundamentals of Control Systems
Closed-Loop Control Systems utilizes feedback to compare the actual
output to the desired output response.

Input Output
Comparator Controller Process

Measurement
Fundamentals of Control Systems
Temperature control using a room heater

Cruise control in a car

Fundamentals of Control Systems
Position control in a human limb

Level control in a dam

Feedback Systems

A generalised feedback system

Feedback Systems

Adding Values to the Feedback System

Feedback Systems

Thus

This the transfer function of the arrangement

Terminology:
• A is also known as the open-loop gain
• G is the overall or closed-loop gain
 Feedback Systems
Effects of the product AB
– If AB is negative
• If AB is negative and less than 1, (1 + AB) < 1
• In this situation G > A and we have positive feedback
– If AB is positive
• If AB is positive then (1 + AB) > 1
• In this situation G < A and we have negative feedback
• If AB is positive and AB >>1

- gain is independent of the gain of the forward path A

 Feedback Systems
Negative feedback can be applied in many ways
– Xi and Xo could be temperatures, pressures, etc.
– But mainly occurs as voltages and currents

Important in overcoming variability

– all active devices suffer from variability

• their gain and other characteristics vary with temperature and
between devices

– using negative feedback we can produce an arrangement where

the gain is independent of the gain of the forward path
• this gives us a way of overcoming problems of variability
 Types of Control System
Linear Vs Nonlinear Control System

• A Control System in which output varies linearly with the input is called a
linear control system.

u(t) Process y(t)

y(t )  2u(t )  1 y(t )  3u(t )  5

y=3*u(t)+5
y=-2*u(t)+1
5 35

30
0
25
-5
20
y(t)
y(t)

-10
15
-15
10

-20 5
0 2 4 6 8 10
0 2 4 6 8 10
u(t)
u(t)
 Types of Control System
Linear Vs Nonlinear Control System

• When the input and output has nonlinear relationship the system is said
to be nonlinear.

Adhesion Characteristics of Road

0.4
Adhesion Coefficient

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08
Creep
 Types of Control System
Time invariant vs Time variant

• When the characteristics of the system do not depend upon time itself
then the system is said to time invariant control system.

y(t )  2u(t )  1

• Time varying control system is a system in which one or more

parameters vary with time.

y(t )  2u(t )  3t
 Types of Control System
Continuous Data Vs Discrete Data System

• In continuous data control system all system variables are function of a

continuous time t.
x(t)

• A discrete time control system involves one or more variables that are known
only at discrete time intervals.

X[n]

n
 Types of Control System
Deterministic vs Stochastic Control System

• A control System is deterministic if the response to input is predictable

and repeatable
x(t) y(t)

t t

• If not, the control system is a stochastic control system

z(t)

35 t
Types of Control System
Classification of Control Systems

LT
I C
on
tro
lS
ys
te
ms
(Li
ne
ar
tim
ei
nv
ari
an
tc
on
tro
l sy
ste
ms
)
 Transfer Functions
Calculation of control transfer functions
Transfer functions may require the solution of first, second or even
higher differential equations

d 2 y (t ) dy (t )
y(t) a  b  cy (t )  x(t ) x(t)
dt 2 dt

To make this problem easier to solve we use Laplace Transforms

inverse
Laplace solution Laplace
transform in transform
s domain
Transfer Functions
Laplace Transform Domain
Transfer functions may require the solution of first, second or even
higher differential equations

Time domain linear time

differential domain
equation solution

Laplace transform
inverse Laplace
transform
Laplace algebra Laplace
transformed
solution
equation
Laplace domain or
complex frequency domain
FOR TOMORROW
Have a look at the two YouTube videos
Laplace Transforms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGPtPkTft8g

Transfer Functions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJleGwXorUk

Links available on blackboard