ME2620

Control Engineering
 Module 1
Introduction to Control Engineering
 Introduction

CONTROL SYSTEM
System – a group, set or collection of components working together to perform a
specific task or function.

Control – to make something perform as desired.

Control System – a group, set or collection of components working together to

make something perform as desired.
Introduction
Introduction
 Introduction

OPEN-LOOP CONTROL SYSTEM

Control
Input Signal Process/ Output
Controller Plant/
Desired System Actual
Response Response

Advantages Disadvantages
1. Simplicity of design and 1. Accuracy highly depends on
implementation calibration
2. Economical 2. Sensitive to effects of disturbances
3. Generally stable
 Introduction

CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL SYSTEM

Error Control
Input Signal Signal Process/ Output
Controller Plant/
System

Primary
Feedback
Signal

Sensor
 Introduction

CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL SYSTEM

Advantages Disadvantages
1. Great accuracy even in the 1. Complexity of design and
presence of non-linearities implementation
2. Can compensate for the effects of 2. Costly
disturbances 3. Tendency to be unstable
 Introduction

LINEARITY
Homogeneity

𝑟 𝑡 𝑐 𝑡
LINEAR
𝑎𝑟 𝑡 𝑎𝑐 𝑡

Additivity 𝑎𝑟1 𝑡 +𝑏𝑟2 𝑡 𝑎𝑐1 𝑡 +𝑏𝑐2 𝑡

LINEAR
𝑟1 𝑡 𝑐1 𝑡
𝑟2 𝑡 𝑐2 𝑡
LINEAR
𝑟1 𝑡 + 𝑟2 𝑡 𝑐1 𝑡 + 𝑐2 𝑡
 Introduction

LINEARITY
A differential equation is said to be linear if it has the following characteristics:
1) The dependent variable and its derivatives must be of first degree.
2) There must be no product of the dependent variable and its derivatives.
3) The dependent variable must not be arguments of transcendental
functions.
An nth order ordinary linear differential equation can be written in the form
𝑎𝑛 𝑡 𝑐 𝑛 𝑡 + 𝑎𝑛−1 𝑡 𝑐 𝑛−1 𝑡 + ⋯ + 𝑎1 𝑡 𝑐 ′ 𝑡 + 𝑎0 𝑡 𝑐 𝑡 = 𝑟 𝑡
 Introduction

STATIC OR DYNAMIC
Static – dependent only on the present input

Dynamic – dependent also on the past and/or future inputs

 Introduction

CAUSAL OR NON-CAUSAL
Causal – dependent on present and past values of input

Non-causal – dependent also on the future values of input

 Introduction

TIME INVARIANT OR TIME VARYING

Time Invariant – the output of the system is independent of the time at which the
input is applied

Time Varying – the output of the system varies depending on the time at which
the input is applied
 Introduction

CONTINUOUS-TIME OR DISCRETE-TIME
Continuous-Time – values are specified for all points in time

Discrete-Time – values are specified only at discrete points in time

 Introduction

DESIGN PROCESS

Determine a physical
Transform the
system and Draw a functional
physical system into a
specifications from block diagram.
schematic.
the requirements.

If multiple blocks, Use the schematic to

Analyze, design and
reduce the block obtain a block
test to see that
diagram to a single diagram, signal flow
requirements and
block or closed-loop diagram, or state-
specifications are met.
system. space representation.