Control System Definition, Types, Applications, and FAQs

A control system is a system that is used to control the behavior of a device or

process. It is made up of three main components: a sensor, a controller, and an
actuator. The sensor detects a physical quantity such as temperature, pressure, or
position and converts it into an electrical signal. The controller processes this signal
and generates an output signal that is used to control the actuator. The actuator is
a device that translates the output signal from the controller into a physical action,
such as opening or closing a valve, turning a motor on or off, or adjusting the speed
of a motor.

Closed Loop
Control System
Control systems are used in a wide range of applications, including manufacturing,
transportation, and energy production. They are an essential part of many modern
devices and systems and are used to maintain stable and predictable behavior.

Control System Types

There are several different types of control systems, including:

1. Open-loop control systems: These systems do not use feedback, which means
that the output is not influenced by the actual performance of the system.
Instead, the input to the system is predetermined based on a set of
predetermined rules or instructions. This can make open-loop control systems
less precise and less responsive to changes in the system or the environment.
2. Closed-loop control systems: These systems use feedback to compare the
desired output of the system to the actual output, and adjust the input to the
system based on the difference between these two signals (called the error). The
goal of a closed-loop control system is to reduce or eliminate the error by
adjusting the input to the system in a way that drives the output towards the
desired value. This can make closed-loop control systems more precise and more
responsive to changes in the system or the environment.
3. Continuous control systems: These systems operate over a continuous range
of time and/or output values. They may use analog or digital signals to represent
the input and output of the system. Continuous control systems are often used in
applications where a continuous output is required (such as in a temperature
control system).
4. Discrete control systems: These systems operate at discrete points in time,
and the input and output are typically represented by digital signals. Discrete
control systems are often used in applications where the output is only required
at specific points in time (such as in a machine control system).
5. Linear control systems: These systems can be represented by linear
differential equations, which means that the system dynamics are proportional to
the input and can be described using linear mathematical operations. Linear
control systems have certain properties (such as superposition) that make them
relatively easy to analyze and control.

1
6. Nonlinear control systems: These systems cannot be represented by linear
differential equations, and may exhibit complex behaviors such as bifurcations
and chaos. Nonlinear control systems can be more challenging to analyze and
control than linear systems and may require specialized techniques or
algorithms.
7. Time-invariant control systems: These systems have the same input-output
relationship at all times, which means that the system dynamics do not change
over time. Time-invariant systems are often used in applications where the
system parameters are not expected to vary significantly over time.
8. Time-varying control systems: These systems have a time-varying input-
output relationship, which may be caused by changes in the system dynamics or
external factors. Time-varying systems can be more challenging to analyze and
control than time-invariant systems, as the system dynamics may change over
time.
9. Single-input single-output (SISO) control systems: These systems have a
single input and a single output, which means that there is only one degree of
freedom in the system. SISO systems are relatively simple to analyze and control
and are often used in basic control systems.
10.Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) control systems: These systems
have multiple inputs and multiple outputs, and may be more complex to analyze
and control than SISO systems. MIMO systems can be used to control systems
with multiple degrees of freedom or to achieve more advanced control
objectives.

Control System Applications

Control systems are used in a wide variety of applications to automatically monitor
and control various processes and systems. Some examples of control system
applications include:

1. Manufacturing and production processes: Control systems are used to

automate and optimize production processes in factories, mills, and other
manufacturing facilities.
2. Building and home automation: Control systems are used to automate and
control various systems in buildings, such as lighting, heating and air
conditioning, and security.
3. Transportation systems: Control systems are used to automate and control
various aspects of transportation systems, such as traffic control systems,
railway signaling systems, and aircraft autopilot systems.
4. Power generation and distribution: Control systems are used to monitor and
control power generation and distribution systems, such as power plants and
electric grids.
5. Medical equipment: Control systems are used to automate and control various
types of medical equipment, such as dialysis machines, ventilators, and X-ray
machines.
6. Agricultural and farming applications: Control systems are used to automate
and optimize various farming and agricultural processes, such as irrigation,
fertilization, and crop harvesting.
7. Military and defense systems: Control systems are used to automate and
control various military and defense systems, such as missile defense systems,
drones, and radar systems.
8. Robotics: Control systems are used to design and control the movement and
behavior of robots.

2
Embedded Control System
An embedded control system is a control system that is integrated into a larger
product or system. Embedded control systems are used to automate and control
the operation of the product or system in which they are embedded.

Examples of products and systems that may use embedded control systems
include:

1. Automobiles: Embedded control systems are used to control various systems in

automobiles, such as the engine, transmission, brakes, and suspension.
2. Medical devices: Embedded control systems are used to control various types
of medical equipment, such as ventilators, dialysis machines, and X-ray
machines.
3. Industrial equipment: Embedded control systems are used to automate and
control various types of industrial equipment, such as lathes, mills, and robots.
4. Appliances: Embedded control systems are used to automate and control
various types of appliances, such as washing machines, refrigerators, and
microwave ovens.
5. Consumer electronics: Embedded control systems are used to control various
aspects of consumer electronics, such as smartphones, tablets, and televisions.
Embedded control systems are typically designed to be compact, efficient, and
reliable, as they are integrated into products and systems that are expected to
operate for extended periods of time without requiring maintenance or repair.

FAQs
Here are some important questions that are often asked about control systems:

Q1. How can feedback be used to improve the performance of a control system?

Feedback control can be used to improve the performance of a control system by

comparing the desired output of the system to the actual output, and adjusting the
input to the system based on the difference between these two signals (called the
error). This can help to reduce errors, improve stability, and achieve other desired
performance characteristics.

Q2. How can the stability of a control system be analyzed and guaranteed?

The stability of a control system can be analyzed using techniques such as root-
locus analysis or frequency response analysis. These methods allow the designer to
understand how the system will respond to different inputs and disturbances, and to
identify any potential instability or performance issues. Stability can also be
guaranteed by designing the control system to meet certain stability criteria (such
as the Routh-Hurwitz criterion) or by using robust control techniques.

Q3. What are the trade-offs between different control design methods (e.g., PID vs. LQR)?

Different control design methods can have different trade-offs in terms of

performance, complexity, and implementation. For example, PID control is a simple
and widely-used method that can achieve good performance in many cases, but it
may not be optimal in all situations. On the other hand, more advanced methods
such as linear quadratic regulator (LQR) control can provide better performance but
may be more complex to implement and require more detailed system knowledge.

3
Q4. How can control systems be designed to be robust to uncertainties or variations in
the system parameters?

Robust control techniques can be used to design control systems that are resistant
to uncertainties or variations in the system parameters. This can be achieved by
designing the control system to be stable for a range of possible parameter values,
or by using control algorithms that are designed to be robust to certain types of
uncertainties.

Q5. How can control systems be designed to handle nonlinearities or other complex
behaviors?

Nonlinear control techniques can be used to design control systems that can handle
nonlinearities or other complex behaviors. These techniques may involve using
specialized control algorithms, linearizing the system around a particular operating
point, or using feedback to cancel out the effects of nonlinearities.

Q6. How can control systems be implemented and tested in practice?

Control systems can be implemented and tested using a variety of tools and
methods, including simulation tools, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and prototyping
platforms. Testing is an important step in the control design process, as it allows the
designer to verify that the control system is behaving as expected and to identify
and fix any issues.

Q7. How can control systems be optimized for a particular performance criterion (e.g.,
minimizing error or maximizing efficiency)?

Control systems can be optimized for a particular performance criterion (such as

minimizing error or maximizing efficiency) by using optimization techniques such as
gradient descent or evolutionary algorithms. These methods can help to find the
control inputs that result in the best performance for a given system.

Q8. How can control systems be integrated with other systems (e.g., communication

networks, software systems)?

Control systems can be integrated with other systems (such as communication

networks or software systems) by using interfaces and protocols that allow the
systems to exchange data and control signals. This can allow the control system to
access information from other systems, or to influence the behavior of other
systems.

Q9. How can control systems be used to achieve a particular goal (e.g., following a
desired trajectory, or maintaining a desired output)?

Control systems can be used to achieve a particular goal by designing the control
algorithm and system architecture to produce the desired output or behavior. This
may involve defining a performance criterion or a set of constraints and then
designing the control system to meet these requirements.

4
What is a Control System?
A control system is defined as a system of devices that manages, commands,
directs, or regulates the behavior of other devices or systems to achieve a desired
result. A control system achieves this through control loops, which are a process
designed to maintain a process variable at a desired set point.

In other words, the definition of a control system can be simplified as a system,

which controls other systems. As human civilization is being modernized day by day
the demand for automation has increased alongside it. Automation requires control
over systems of interacting devices.
In recent years, control systems have played a central role in the development and
advancement of modern technology and civilization. Practically every aspect of our
day-to-day life is affected more or less by some type of control system.

Examples of control systems in your day-to-day life include an air conditioner, a

refrigerator, an air conditioner, a bathroom toilet tank, an automatic iron, and many
processes within a car – such as cruise control.

In industrial settings, we find control systems in the quality control of products,

weapons system, transportation systems, power systems, space technology,
robotics, and much more.The principles of control theory are applicable to both
engineering and non-engineering field.

Features of a Control System

The main feature of a control system is that there should be a clear
mathematical relationship between the input and output of the system.
When the relation between input and output of the system can be represented by a
linear proportionality, the system is called a linear control system.

Again when the relationship between input and output cannot be represented by
single linear proportionality, rather the input and output are related by some non-
linear relation, the system is referred to as a non-linear control system.

Requirements of a Good Control System

Accuracy: Accuracy is the measurement tolerance of the instrument and defines
the limits of the errors made when the instrument is used in normal operating
conditions.
Accuracy can be improved by using feedback elements. To increase the accuracy of
any control system error detector should be present in the control system.

Sensitivity: The parameters of a control system are always changing with the
change in surrounding conditions, internal disturbance, or any other parameters.
This change can be expressed in terms of sensitivity. Any control system should be
insensitive to such parameters but sensitive to input signals only.

Noise: An undesired input signal is known as noise. A good control system should
be able to reduce the noise effect for better performance.

Stability: It is an important characteristic of the control system. For the bounded

input signal, the output must be bounded and if the input is zero then the output
must be zero then such a control system is said to be a stable system.

Bandwidth: An operating frequency range decides the bandwidth of the control

system. Bandwidth should be as large as possible for the frequency response of a
good control system.

Speed: It is the time taken by the control system to achieve its stable output. A
good control system possesses high speed. The transient period for such a system
is very small.

Oscillation: A small number of oscillations or constant oscillations of output tends

to indicate the system to be stable.

5
Types of Control Systems

There are various types of control systems, but all of them are created to control
outputs. The system used for controlling the position, velocity, acceleration,
temperature, pressure, voltage, and current, etc. are examples of control systems.

Let us take an example of the simple temperature controller of the room, to clear
the concept. Suppose there is a simple heating element, which is heated up as long
as the electric power supply is switched on.

As long as the power supply switch of the heater is on the temperature of the room
rises and after achieving the desired temperature of the room, the power supply is
switched off.

Again due to ambient temperature, the room temperature falls, and then manually
the heater element is switched on to achieve the desired room temperature again.
In this way, one can manually control the room temperature at the desired level.
This is an example of a manual control system.

This system can further be improved by using a timer switching arrangement of the
power supply where the supply to the heating element is switched on and off in a
predetermined interval to achieve the desired temperature level of the room.

There is another improved way of controlling the temperature of the room. Here one
sensor measures the difference between the actual temperature and desired
temperature.

If there are any differences between them, the heating element functions to reduce
the difference and when the difference becomes lower than a predetermined level,
the heating elements stop functioning.

Both forms of the system are automatic control system. In the former one, the
input of the system is entirely independent of the output of the system. The
temperature of the room (output) increases as long as the power supply switch is
kept on.

That means the heating element produces heat as long as the power supply is kept
on and the final room temperature does not have any control over the input power
supply of the system. This system is referred to as an open-loop control system.

But in the latter case, the heating elements of the system function, depending upon
the difference between, actual temperature and desired temperature. This
difference is called the error of the system.

This error signal is fed back to the system to control the input. As the input to the
output path and the error feedback path create a closed-loop, this type of control
system is referred to as a closed-loop control system.
Hence, there are two main types of control systems. They are as follow
1. Open-loop control systems
2. Closed-loop control systems

Open Loop Control System

A control system in which the control action is totally independent of the output of
the system then it is called an open-loop control system. A manual control
system is also an open-loop control system.
The figure below shows a control system block diagram of an open-loop control
system in which process output is totally independent of the controller action.

Practical Examples of Open Loop Control Systems

Examples of open-loop control systems in daily life include:

6
 1. Electric Hand Drier – Hot air (output) comes out as long as you keep your
hand under the machine, irrespective of how much your hand is dried.
2. Automatic Washing Machine – This machine runs according to the pre-set
time irrespective of washing is completed or not.
3. Bread Toaster – This machine runs as per adjusted time irrespective of
toasting is completed or not.
4. Automatic Tea/Coffee Maker – These machines also function for pre-adjusted
time only.
5. Timer Based Clothes Drier – This machine dries wet clothes for pre-adjusted
time, it does not matter how much the clothes are dried.

6. Light Switch – Lamps glow whenever the light switch is on irrespective of light
is required or not.
7. Volume on Stereo System – Volume is adjusted manually irrespective of
output volume level.

Advantages of Open Loop Control Systems

Advantages of open-loop control systems include:

1. Simple in construction and design.

2. Economical.
3. Easy to maintain.
4. Generally stable.
5. Convenient to use as output is difficult to measure.
Disadvantages of Open Loop Control System
Disadvantages of open-loop control systems include:

1. They are inaccurate.

2. They are unreliable.
3. Any change in output cannot be corrected automatically.

Closed Loop Control System

Control systems in which the output has an effect on the input quantity in such a
manner that the input quantity will adjust itself based on the output generated is
called a closed-loop control system.

An open-loop control system can be converted into a closed loop control system
by providing feedback. This feedback automatically makes suitable changes in the
output due to external disturbance.
In this way, a closed loop control system is called an automatic control system. The
figure below shows the block diagram of the closed loop control system in which
feedback is taken from the output and fed into the input.

Practical Examples of Closed Loop Control System

Examples of open-loop control systems in daily life include:

7
 1. Automatic Electric Iron – Heating elements are controlled by the output
temperature of the iron.
2. Servo Voltage Stabilizer – Voltage controller operates depending upon the
output voltage of the system.
3. Water Level Controller – Input water is controlled by the water level of the
reservoir.
4. Missile Launched and Auto Tracked by Radar – The direction of the missile is
controlled by comparing the target and position of the missile.
5. An Air Conditioner – An air conditioner functions depending upon the
temperature of the room.
6. Cooling System in Car – It operates depending upon the temperature which it
controls.

Advantages of Closed Loop Control System

Advantages of closed-loop control systems include:

1. Closed loop control systems are more accurate even in the presence of non-
linearity.
2. Highly accurate as any error arising is corrected due to the presence of a
feedback signal.
3. The bandwidth range is large.
4. Facilitates automation.
5. The sensitivity of the system may be made small to make the system more
stable.
6. This system is less affected by noise.

Disadvantages of Closed Loop Control System

Disadvantages of a closed-loop control systems include:

1. They are costlier.

2. They are complicated to design.
3. Required more maintenance.
4. Feedback leads to an oscillatory response.
5. Overall gain is reduced due to the presence of feedback.
6. Stability is the major problem and more care is needed to design a stable
closed loop system.

Open Loop vs Closed Loop Control Systems

The table below compares open loop and closed loop control systems.

Sr. Open Loop Control System Closed Loop Control System

No.
1 The feedback element is absent. The feedback element is always
present.
2 An error detector is not present. An error detector is always present.
3 It is a stable one. It may become unstable.
4 Easy to construct. Complicated construction.
5 It is economical. It is costly.
6 Having a small bandwidth. Having a large bandwidth.
7 It is inaccurate. It is accurate.
8 Less maintenance. More maintenance.
9 It is unreliable. It is reliable.
10 Examples: Hand drier, tea maker Examples: Servo voltage stabilizer,
perspiration

Feedback Loop in a Closed Loop Control System

Feedback is a common and powerful tool when designing a control system. The
feedback loop is the tool that takes the system output into consideration and
enables the system to adjust its performance to meet the desired result of the
system.

8
In any control system, the output is affected due to a change in environmental
conditions or any kind of disturbance. So one signal is taken from the output and is
fed back to the input.

This signal is compared with a reference input and the error signal is generated.
This error signal is applied to the controller and the output is corrected. Such a
system is called a feedback system. The figure below shows the block diagram of a
feedback system.

When the feedback signal is positive then the system called a positive feedback
system. For a positive feedback system, the error signal is the addition of a
reference input signal and a feedback signal.

When the feedback signal is negative then the system is called a negative feedback
system. For the negative feedback system, the error signal is given by the
difference between the reference input signal and the feedback signal.

Effect of Feedback in a Control System

The following labels apply to the figure below:
R = Input signal
E = Error signal
G = Forward path gain
H = Feedback
C = Output signal
B = Feedback signal

Feedback has the following effects on a control system:

1. The error between system input and system output is reduced.

2. System gain is reduced by a factor 1/(1±GH).
3. Improved insensitivity (i.e. less reactive to change).
4. Stability is improved.

Control Engineering: What is it? (And its

History)

9
What is Control Engineering

Control system engineering is the branch of engineering which deals with

the principles of control theory, to design a system which gives yields the
desired behavior in a controlled manner. Hence, although control
engineering is often taught within electrical engineering at university, it is
an interdisciplinary topic.

Control system engineers analyze, design, and optimize complex systems which
consist of highly integrated coordination of mechanical, electrical, chemical,
metallurgical, electronic or pneumatic elements. Thus control engineering deals
with a diverse range of dynamic systems which include human and technological
interfacing. These systems are broadly referred to as control systems.

Control system engineering focuses on the analysis and design of systems to

improve the speed of response, accuracy, and stability of the system.

The two methods of control system include classical methods and modern methods.
The mathematical model of the system is set up as the first step followed by
analysis, designing and testing. Necessary conditions for the stability are checked
and finally, optimization follows.

In the classical method, mathematical modeling is usually done in the time

domain, frequency domain or complex domain. The step response of a system is
mathematically modeled in time domain differential analysis to find its settling time,
% overshoot, etc. Laplace transforms are most commonly used in the frequency
domain to find the open loop gain, phase margin, bandwidth etc of the system. The
concept of the transfer function, Nyquist stability criteria, sampling of data, Nyquist
plot, poles and zeros, Bode plots, system delays all come under the umbrella of
classical control engineering stream.

Modern control engineering deals with Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO)
systems, State space approach, Eigenvalues, and vectors, etc. Instead of
transforming complex ordinary differential equations, modern approach converts
higher order equations to first order differential equations and solved by vector
method.

Automatic control systems are most commonly used as it does not involve manual
control. The controlled variable is measured and compared with a specified value to
obtain the desired result. As a result of automated systems for control purposes, the
cost of energy or power, as well as the cost of the process, will be reduced
increasing its quality and productivity.

History of Control Systems

The application of Automatic control system is believed to be in use even from the
ancient civilizations. Several types of water clocks were designed and implemented
to measure the time accurately from the third century BC, by Greeks and Arabs. But
the first automatic system is considered as the Watts Fly ball Governor in 1788,
which started the industrial revolution. The mathematical modeling of Governor is
analyzed by Maxwell in 1868. In the 19 th century, Leonhard Euler, Pierre Simon
Laplace, and Joseph Fourier developed different methods for mathematical
modeling. The second system is considered as Al Butz’s Damper Flapper – a
thermostat in 1885. He started the company now named as Honeywell.
The beginning of the 20th century is known as the golden age of control engineering.
During this time classical control methods were developed at the Bell Laboratory by
Hendrik Wade Bode and Harry Nyquist. Automatic controllers for steering ships
were developed by Minorsky, Russian American Mathematician. He also introduced

10
the concept of Integral and Derivative Control in the 1920s. Meanwhile, the concept
of stability was put forward by Nyquist and followed by Evans. The transforms were
applied in control systems by Oliver Heaviside. Modern Control Methods were
developed after the 1950s by Rudolf Kalman, to overcome the limitation of classical
Methods. PLC’s were introduced in 1975.

Types of Control Engineering

Control engineering has its own categorization depending on the different
methodologies used. The main types of control engineering include:

 Classical Control Engineering

 Modern Control Engineering
 Robust Control Engineering
 Optimal Control Engineering
 Adaptive Control Engineering
 Nonlinear Control Engineering
 Game Theory

Classical Control Engineering

The systems are usually represented by using ordinary differential equations. In
classical control engineering, these equations are transformed and analyzed in a
transformed domain. Laplace transform, Fourier transform and z transform are
examples. This method is commonly used in Single Input Single Output systems
(SISO).

Modern Control Engineering

In modern control engineering, higher order differential equations are converted
to first order differential equations. These equations are solved very similar to
vector method. By doing so, many complications dealt in solving higher order
differential equations are solved.
These are applied in Multiple Input Multiple Output systems where analysis in the
frequency domain is not possible. Nonlinearities with multiple variables are solved
by modern methodology. State space vectors, Eigenvalues, and Eigen Vectors
belong to this category. State Variables describe the input, output and system
variables.

Robust Control Engineering

In robust control methodology, the changes in the performance of the system with
the change in parameters are measured for optimization. This aids in widening the
stability and performance, also in finding alternate solutions. Hence in robust
control, the environment, internal inaccuracies, noises, and disturbances are
considered to reduce the fault in the system.

Optimal Control Engineering

In optimal control engineering, the problem is formulated as a mathematical
model of the process, physical constraints and performance constraints, to minimize
the cost function. Thus optimal control engineering is the most feasible solution for
designing a system with minimum cost.

Adaptive Control Engineering

In adaptive control engineering, the controllers employed are adaptive
controllers in which parameters are made adaptive by some mechanism. The block
diagram given below shows an adaptive control system. In this kind of controllers,
an additional loop for parameter adjustment is present in addition to the normal
feedback of process.

Nonlinear Control Engineering

Nonlinear control engineering focuses on the nonlinearities which cannot be
represented by using linear ordinary differential equations (i.e. they are not linear
control systems). This system will exhibit multiple isolated equilibrium points, limit
cycles, bifurcations with finite escape time. The main limitation is that it requires

11
laborious mathematical analysis. In this analysis, the system is divided into the
linear part and the nonlinear part.

Game Theory
In game theory, each system will have to reduce its cost function against the
disturbances/noises. Hence it is a study of conflict and cooperation. The
disturbances will try to maximize the cost function. This theory is related to robust
and optimal control engineering.

12