Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University
College of Engineering - Department of Mechanical Engineering
Lecture notes
Course title: Feedback Control
Course code: MEEN 4392
Credit hours: 3
Dr. Zeeshan A Rana
Lecture 1 - Introduction to Control Systems
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Course Content
No List of Lecture Files
1 Introduction to control systems
2 Mathematical modelling of control systems
3 Block diagram representation
4 State variable models
5 Feedback control system
6 The stability of linear feedback systems
7 The Root Locus Method
8 Frequency response methods
9 The design of feedback control systems
Course Textbook
Modern Control Systems, 13th Edition, by Richard C. Dorf and Robert H. Bishop
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Introduction to Control Systems
A control system manages or regulates the behaviour of other devices or systems using control loops.
A control system consists of interconnected components to achieve the desired response, for example,
maintaining a certain variable: speed, temperatures, pressures, water levels..etc. In this Lecture,
- we discuss open- and closed-loop feedback control systems.
- we examine examples of control systems that are used in different applications in our life.
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Open-loop Control Systems
Input–output relationship represents the cause-and-effect relationship of the process, which in turn
represents a processing of the input signal to provide a desired output signal. An open-loop control
system uses a controller and an actuator to obtain the desired response and control the process directly
without using feedback. The control action is totally independent of the system output. So that the
accuracy of the system depends on the experience of the user.
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The presence of disturbances, an open-loop system will not perform the desired task.
However, a perfect calibration is required to get good accuracy and the system
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Different Examples of Control Systems, Open-loop
Any control systems that operates on a time basis are open-loop.
Using a washing machine, the quality of wash is not measured; all steps
like washing, rinse and drying are done according to a preset timing.
Traffic signals don’t
measure if there are no
pedestrians need to walk
across. The light is turned
to green according to a
preset timing. The output temperature is not measured
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Closed-loop Control Systems
In contrast to an open-loop control system, a closed-loop control system utilizes an additional measure
of the actual output to compare the actual output with the desired output response. The measure of the
output is called the feedback signal. A feedback control system is a control system that tends to maintain
a prescribed relationship of one system variable to another by comparing functions of these variables
and using the difference as a means of control. With an accurate sensor, the measured output is a good
approximation of the actual output of the system.
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The difference between the output of the process under control and the reference input is amplified
and used to control the process so that the difference is continually reduced. In general, the difference
between the desired output and the actual output is equal to the error, which is then adjusted by the
controller. The output of the controller causes the actuator to modulate the process in order to reduce
the error. External disturbances and measurement noise are inevitable in real-world applications and
must be addressed in practical control system designs.
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n Disturbance
r e y
Controller Actuator Process
Controlled
Expected
value
- Error variable
Sensor
The sensor compares the input expected value (set point) r to the
actual (measured value) y and produces an error e.
Error e= set point r – Actual y
The controller works
to minimize the error
signal.
Zero error indicates
Actual = Set point.
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Different Examples of Control Systems, Closed-loop
In the level regulator system, the float detects the water level and
controls the valve that covers the water inlet in the boiler.
The first automatic feedback controller used in an
industrial process is generally agreed to be James
Watt’s flyball governor, developed in 1769 for
controlling the speed of a steam engine. The all-
mechanical device measured the speed of the output
shaft and utilized the movement of the flyball to
control the steam valve and therefore the amount of
steam entering the engine.
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The autonomous vehicle
must be able to sense the
changing environment,
perform trajectory
planning, prescribe the
control inputs that
include steering and
turning, accelerating and
braking, and many other
functions typically
handled by the driver, and
actually implement the
control strategy. Steering
is one of the critical
functions of autonomous
vehicles.
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To formulate the control problem
Objective: To control direction and speed of the car
Outputs: Actual direction and speed of car
Control inputs: Driver steering and pressing on gas pedestal, depending on road
markings and speed signs
Disturbances: Road surface and grade, wind, obstacles
Possible subsystems: The car alone, power steering system, breaking system
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A humanoid robot developed at MIT that is capable of sensitive manipulation. The Obrero robot
is responsive to the properties of the object it holds and does not rely on vision as the main
sensor. The hand has position and force control of the fingers employing very sensitive tactile
sensors and series elastic actuators in its joints.
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The modern automobile requires many advanced
control systems to operate. The control systems must
regulate the performance of the engine, including
fuel–air mixtures, valve timing, transmissions, wheel
traction control, antilock brakes, and electronically
controlled suspensions, among many other functions.
On the hybrid fuel vehicle, there are additional
control functions that must be satisfied. Especially
necessary is the control of power between the internal
combustion engine and the electric motor,
determining power storage needs and implementing
the battery charging, and preparing the vehicle for
low-emission start-ups. The overall effectiveness of
the hybrid fuel vehicle depends on the combination
of power units that are selected (e.g., battery versus
fuel cell for power storage).
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The human body is a highly advanced feedback control system.
Body temperature and blood pressure are kept constant by means of
physiological feedback. Watch this video
[Link]
Feedback makes the human body relatively insensitive to external
disturbance. Thus we can survive in a changing environment.
(Image: © [Link])
Feedback control done by human body
(Image: ©[Link])
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Basic Components of Control Systems Disturbance
n
r e y
Controller Actuator Process
Controlled
Expected
value
- Error variable
Sensor
1. Process: a physical object to be controlled such as a mechanical device, a
Process heating furnace, a chemical reactor or a spacecraft.
Controlled 2. Controlled variable: the variable controlled by Automatic Control System ,
variable generally refers to the system output.
Expected [Link] value : the desired value of controlled variable based on requirement,
value often it is used as the reference input
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Controller
4. Controller: an agent that can calculate the required control signal.
5. Actuator: a mechanical device that takes energy, usually created by air, electricity,
Actuator or liquid, and converts that into some kind of motion.
6. Sensor : a device that measures a physical quantity and converts it into a signal
Sensor which can be read by an observer or by an instrument.
7. Disturbance: the unexpected factors disturbing the normal functional relationship
Disturbance
between the controlling and controlled parameter variations.
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Some Comments on Open-loop Control Systems
Simple construction than a closed-loop system.
Less expensive
Good
Ease of maintenance.
More stable.
Frequent recalibration is necessary.
Bad
Sensitive to disturbances, so less accurate.
When should we apply open-loop control?
• When the relationship between the input and output is exactly known.
• When there are neither internal nor external disturbances.
• When measuring the output precisely is very hard or economically infeasible.
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Some Comments on Closed-loop Control Systems
reduce disturbance effects
make the system insensitive to variations Good
create a well-defined relationship between output and
reference
cause instability if not designed/used properly Bad
couple noise from sensors into the dynamics of a system
increase the overall complexity and cost of a system
Please watch this video (open vs closed loop systems)
[Link]
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Basic Requirements of Control Systems
Stability: refers to the ability of a system to recover equilibrium
A stable system is one, which does not sustain/increase oscillations or output over time. It is supposed
to reach the set point at some point of time. An unstable system has infinite/saturated output at infinite
time. An open loop system may or may not be stable, depending on whether its output saturates or
dampens.
Quickness: refers to the duration of the transient process before the control system reaches its
equilibrium
Accuracy: refers to the size of steady-state error when the transient process ends
(Steady-state error=desired output – actual output)
For a control system, the above three performance indices (stability, quickness, and accuracy) are
sometimes contradictory.
In the design of a practical control system, we always need to make compromises.
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Basic Requirements of Control Systems: Stability, Quickness and Accuracy
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