Control engineering
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2008-07-08T08:13:58Z
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/* Background */
[[Image:Space_Shuttle_Columbia_launching.jpg|thumb|Control systems play a critical role in [[space flight]]]]
'''Control engineering''' is the [[engineering]] discipline that focuses on mathematical [[mathematical model|modelling]] of [[system]]s of a diverse nature, analyzing their dynamic behavior, and using [[control theory]] to create a controller that will cause the systems to behave in a desired manner.
== Background ==
Modern control engineering is closely related to [[electrical, electronic and computer engineering]], as electronic circuits can often be easily described using control theory techniques. At many universities, control engineering courses are primarily taught by [[electrical and computer engineering]] faculty members. Previous to modern electronics, process control devices were devised by mechanical engineers using mechanical feedback along with pneumatic and hydraulic control devices, some of which are still in use today.
The field of control within [[chemical engineering]] is often known as [[process control]]. It deals primarily with the control of variables in a chemical process in a plant. It is taught as part of the undergraduate curriculum of any chemical engineering program, and employs many of the same principles in control engineering.
Other engineering disciplines also overlap with control engineering, as it can be applied to any system for which a suitable model can be derived.
Control engineering has diversified applications that include science, finance management, and even human behaviour. Students of control engineering may start with a linear control system course which requires elementary mathematics and Laplace transforms (called classical control theory). In linear control, the student does frequency and time domain analysis. [[Digital control]] and [[nonlinear control]] courses require [[z transform|Z Transformations]] and algebra respectively, and could be said to complete a basic control education. From here onwards there are several sub branches.
== Control systems ==
Control engineering is the engineering [[discipline]] that focuses on the [[mathematical model|modelling]] of a diverse range of [[dynamic systems]] (e.g. [[mechanics|mechanical]] [[System|systems]]) and the design of [[controller (control theory)|controller]]s that will cause these systems to behave in the desired manner. Although such controllers need not be electrical many are and hence control engineering is often viewed as a subfield of electrical engineering. However, the falling price of microprocessors is making the actual implementation of a control system essentially trivial{{Fact|date=May 2008}}. As a result, focus is shifting back to the mechanical engineering discipline, as intimate knowledge of the physical system being controlled is often desired.
[[Electrical circuit]]s, [[digital signal processor]]s and [[microcontroller]]s can all be used to implement [[Control system]]s. Control engineering has a wide range of applications from the flight and propulsion systems of [[Airliner|commercial airliners]] to the [[cruise control]] present in many modern [[automobile]]s.
Control engineers often utilize [[feedback]] when designing [[control system]]s. For example, in an [[automobile]] with [[cruise control]] the vehicle's [[speed]] is continuously monitored and fed back to the system which adjusts the [[Internal combustion engine|motor's]] [[torque]] accordingly. Where there is regular feedback, [[control theory]] can be used to determine how the system responds to such feedback. In practically all such systems [[BIBO stability|stability]] is important and [[control theory]] can help ensure stability is achieved.
Although feedback is an important aspect of control engineering, control engineers may also work on the control of systems without feedback. This is known as [[open loop control]]. A classic example of [[open loop control]] is a [[washing machine]] that runs through a pre-determined cycle without the use of [[sensor]]s.
==See also==
{{wikibooks|Control Systems}}
* [[Adaptive control]]
* [[Building Automation]]
* [[Coefficient diagram method]]
* [[Control reconfiguration]]
* [[Control theory]]
* [[Feedback]]
* [[H infinity]]
* [[Intelligent control]]
* [[Laplace transform]]
* [[Model predictive control]]
* [[Nonlinear control]]
* [[Optimal control]]
* [[Intelligent control]]
* [[PID controller]]
* [[Process control]]
* [[Quantitative feedback theory]]
* [[Robotic unicycle]]
* [[Robust control]]
* [[Servomechanism]]
* [[State space (controls)|State space]]
* [[VisSim]]
* [[Control Engineering (magazine)]]
==Literature==
*{{cite book | author= Christopher Kilian | title= Modern Control Technology | publisher= Thompson Delmar Learning | year= 2005 | id=ISBN 1-4018-5806-6 }}
==External links==
*[http://www-control.eng.cam.ac.uk/extras/Virtual_Library/Control_VL.html Control Labs Worldwide]
* [http://controls.engin.umich.edu/wiki The Michigan Chemical Engineering Process Dynamics and Controls Open Textbook]
{{DSP}}
[[Category:Electrical engineering]]
[[Category:Control engineering| ]]
[[Category:Systems engineering]]
[[ca:Enginyeria de control]]
[[de:Regelungstechnik]]
[[es:Ingeniería de control]]
[[fr:Automatique]]
[[id:Teknik kendali]]
[[ja:制御工学]]
[[pl:Automatyka]]
[[pt:Engenharia de controlo]]
[[sv:Reglerteknik]]