Control Systems Overview

Control Systems Overview

• Control systems integrate components to manage parameters like velocity, torque, and pressure for desired outputs.
• Composed of subsystems and processes designed to achieve specific outputs based on given inputs.

Examples of Control Systems

• Radar systems and satellite systems for navigation and tracking.
• Moon exploration rovers and mobile robots for autonomous tasks.
• Everyday devices such as elevators, regulated power supplies, and traditional media players (DVDs, CDs, VHS).
• Common technology like smartphones controls various functions, albeit with limited intelligence.

Biological Control Systems

• Human pancreas regulates blood sugar levels.
• Adrenaline release during stress increases heart rate for oxygen delivery.
• The body tracks moving objects visually, and hands adjust positioning with precision.

Types of Responses in Control Systems

• Transient Response: Pertains to temporary changes (e.g., elevator speed affecting passenger comfort).
• Steady-State Response: Ensures systems perform reliably without compromising safety or convenience.

Reasons for Building Control Systems

• Power amplification for enhanced capability.
• Remote control for ease of operation.
• Convenience in input handling.
• Compensation for unexpected disturbances or changes.

Historical Development of Control Systems

• Early feedback systems originated with the Greeks around 300 BC, such as Ktesibios' water clock.
• Cornelis Drebbel invented the first modern feedback temperature regulator in the early 17th century.
• James Watt's Flyball Governor (1769) marked the first automatic feedback controller in industry.
• I. Polzunov's water-level float regulator (1765) is another foundational feedback system.

Wartime Advances and Control Engineering

• World War II spurred development in automated systems like airplane pilots and gun control systems.
• The field expanded post-war with increased mathematical methods, establishing control engineering as a distinct discipline.
• The growth of frequency domain techniques utilized Laplace Transform for system analysis.

Modern Control System Applications

• Digital computers now play a crucial role in control systems, utilized in robotics, spacecraft, and industrial automation.
• Frequent use in guidance systems for missiles, airplanes, and ships.

Types of Control Systems

• Open-Loop System:

  • Does not measure output; relies on predefined input commands (e.g., toasters).
  • Requires human intervention for proper operation.

• Closed-Loop System:

  • Measures output and uses feedback to align with reference input.
  • Effectively corrects disturbances and enhances both accuracy and stability.

Advantages of Closed-Loop Systems

• Greater accuracy in maintaining desired conditions.
• Reduced sensitivity to external noise and environmental changes.
• Enhanced performance in transient response and minimized steady-state errors.