ME107&MEC 244:

Automatic Control
Lecture 1
Introduction
Dr. Ghada Kareem
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Higher Technological Institute
Objective of the course:
• the student will be able to do the following either by hand or with the help of computation tools such as
Matlab:
• Define the basic terminologies used in controls systems
• Explain advantages and drawbacks of open-loop and closed loop control systems
• Obtain models of simple dynamic systems in ordinary differential equation, transfer function, state space, or
block diagram form
• Obtain overall transfer function of a system using either block diagram algebra, or signal flow graphs, or
Matlab tools.
• Compute and present in graphical form the output response of control systems to typical test input signals
• Transient Response, Stability, steady state error
• Explain the relationship between system output response and transfer function characteristics or pole/zero
locations
• Determine the stability of a closed-loop control systems using the Routh-Hurwitz criteria
• Analyze the closed loop stability and performance of control systems based on open-loop transfer functions
using the Root Locus technique
References:
• Modern Control Engineering (5th Edition) by Katsuhiko Ogata
• Automatic Control Systems, Golnaraghi and Kuo, ninth edition, Wiley,
2009
• Modern Control Systems (11th Edition) by Richard C. Dorf and Robert
H. Bishop
What is Control?
• Make some object (called system, or plant) behave as we desire.
Imagine “control” around you!
•Room temperature control
•Car/bicycle driving
•Voice volume control
• “Control” (move) the position of the pointer
•Cruise control or speed control
• Process control
 Examples of Control System Applications
• Washing machine

Step motors Idle-speed control

T0

T
TB
Robots

Heater
Cruise control
Home heating system
Introduction to Control System Design

Process to be controlled
Control System Terminology
• Input - Excitation applied to a control system from an external source.
• Output - The response obtained from a system
• Feedback - The output of a system that is returned to modify the
input.(tool used to modify the behavior of the system)
• Error - The difference between the reference input and the output
Control System Basics
• - General Control System Block Diagram
Control Methods
• ‘Manual’ control
• ‘Automatic’ control
Control System Configuration
Types of Control Systems

• 1-Open-Loop Simple control system which performs its function with-

out concerns for initial conditions or external inputs. Must be closely
monitored.
Open-loop Control System
• Toaster, microwave oven, shooting a basketball
• Automatic washing machine
Advantages of open loop system
• The open loop systems are simple and economical.
• They are easier to construct.
• The open loop systems are stable
Disadvantages of open loop system
• The open loop systems are inaccurate and unreliable.
• The changes in the output due to external disturbances are not
corrected automatically.
2- Closed loop (feedback)
• uses the output of the process to modify the process to produce the
desired result. Continually adjusts the process.
• Comparison Element
• Control Element
• Correction Element
• Process Element
• Measure Element
Closed loop system

Controller Process OUTPUT

INPUT

FEEDBACK
Advantages of closed loop system:

• Closed loop systems are accurate.

• They are more stable.
• They are less affected by noise.
Disadvantages of closed loop system:
• They are complex and expensive.
• The feedback in closed loop system may leave to oscillatory response.
• More care is needed to design a closed loop system.
• The overall gain of the system is reduced due to feedback.
Control system
• SISO (Single Input Single Output)
• Multivariable Control System
To learn basics of feedback control systems
• 1-Modeling as a transfer function and a block diagram
• Laplace transform (Mathematics!)
• Mechanical, electrical, electromechanical systems
• 2-Analysis
• •Step response, frequency response
• •Stability: Routh-Hurwitz criterion, (Nyquist criterion)
• 3-Design
• Root locus technique, frequency response technique, PID control, lead/lag
compensator
• 4- Implementation, (simulation with Matlab), practice in laboratories
MATLAB
Example:
• Figure below shows a schematic diagram of a liquid-level control
system. Here the automatic controller maintains the liquid level by
comparing the actual level with a desired level and correcting any
error by adjusting the opening of the pneumatic value. (a) Draw a
block diagram of the control system. Identify input, output, controller,
actuator, sensor and plant of your block diagram.
• (b) Draw a block diagram if it is manually operated by a human.
Identify input, output, controller, actuator, sensor and plant of your
block diagram.
Automatic liquid –level control system
solution
La place Transform
• the Laplace transform converts integral and differential equations into
algebraic equations