1.

System Concept and Information [10L] [15M]

• Definition and Characteristics of System
• Elements of Systems
• Types of system – Conceptual & Physical, Natural & artificial, Open & Closed,
Deterministic &
Probabilistic.
• Feedback and feed forward control system

Chapter 1

System Concept and Information

Q.) What is System? Characteristics, Elements, Types and System Approach.

System

i. The word system is derived from the Greek word “systema”, which means a
organized relationship among the following unit or component.

ii. A system is an orderly grouping of interdependent components linked together

according to a plan to achieve a specific objective.

The study of system has some basic implications:

1. A system must be designed to achieve a predetermined objective.

2. Interrelationship and interdependence must be exit among the components.
3. The objectives of the organization as a whole have a higher priority than the
objectives of its subsystems.

Characteristics Of System :

The following are the key elements of a System :

1. Organization
2. Interdependent
3. Integration
4. Central Objective

1. Organization : i. Organization implies structure and order.

ii. It is the arrangement of components that helps to achieve objectives.
iii. Hierarchical relationship starting with the president on top and leading down ward
to the blue collar worker represent the organization structure.

2. Interdependence : i. Independence means that parts of the organization or

computer system depend on one another.
ii. They are coordinated and linked together according to a plan.
iii. One subsystem depends on the input of another subsystem for proper
functioning; that is, the output of one subsystem is the required input for another
subsystem.
3. Integration : i. Integration refers to the holism of system.
ii. Synthesis follows analysis to achieve the central objective of the organization.
iii. Integration is concerned with how a system is tied together.
iv. It is more than sharing a physical part or a location.
v. It means that parts of the system work together within the system even though
each part performs a unique function.

4. Central Objective : i. Objective may be real or stated.

ii. Objective is determined by higher management and user must be aware about
the central objective well in advance.

Elements of a System :

The following are the key elements of a System :

1. Outputs and inputs

2. Processor
3. Control
4. feedback
5. Environment
6. Boundaries And Interface.

 Outputs and inputs : i. The major objective of the system is to produce an

outputs that has value to its user.
ii. Inputs are the elements that enter the system for processing the inputs, the
outcome of processing.
iii. Output is the result of processing. A system feeds on inputs to produce output
in the much same way that a business brings a human, financial, and material
resources to produce goods and service.

 Processor(s) : i. The processor is the element of a system that involves the

actual transformation of input into output.

ii. It is the operational component of a system. processor may modify the

input totally or partially, depending on a specification of the output.

iii. This means that as the output specifications change, so does the
processing.

 Control : i. The control element guides the system, It is the decision-making

subsystem that controls the pattern of activities governing input, processing
and input.

 Feedback : i. Control in a dynamic system is achieved by feedback.

ii. Feedback measures output against a standard in some form of cybernetic

procedure that includes communication and control.
 iii. The output information is fed back to the input and/or to management for
deliberation.

iv. After the output is compared against performance standards, changes can
result in the input or processing and consequently, the output.

v. Feedback may be positive or negative, routine or informational.

 Environment : i. The environment is the “suprasystem” within which an

organization operates.

ii. It determines how a system should work. A system cannot exist in isolation.
The system is covered by the environment with a boundary in between the
two.

 Boundaries and interface : i. A system should be defined by its boundaries-

the limit that identify its components, process, and interrelationships when it
interfaces with another system. Each system has boundaries that determine
its sphere of influence and control.

Types of Systems :

 Physical or Abstract : i. Physical system is tangible entities dat may be static

or dynamic in nature.

ii. Abstract system is conceptual or non-physical. The abstract is

conceptualization of physical situations.

 Sub System and Super System : i. Each system is part of a large system.

ii.The business firm is viewed as the system or total system when focus is on
production, distribution of goal and sources of profit and income.

iii. The total system consists of all the objects, attributes and relationship
necessary to accomplish an objective given a number of constraints.

iv. Sub systems are the smaller systems within a system.

v. Super system denotes extremely large and complex system.

 Permanent and Temporary System : i. A permanent system is a system

enduring for a time span dat is long relative to the operation of human.

ii.Temporary system is one having a short time span.

 Natural and Man Made System : i. System which is made by man is called
man made system.
 ii. Systems which are in the environment made by nature are called natural
system.

 Deterministic and Probabilistic : i. A Deterministic system is one in which

the occurrence of all events is perfectly predictable.

ii. If we get the description of the system state at a particular time, the next
state can be easily predicted.

iii. Probabilistic system is one in which the occurrence of events cannot be

perfectly predicted.

Man-made Information System: i.It is generally believed that

the information reduces uncertainty about a state or event.
ii. An information system is the basis for interaction between the user and the
analyst.
iii. It determines the nature of relationship among decision makers.
iv. An information system may be defined as a set of devices, procedures
and operating system designed around user-base criteria to produce
information and communicating it to the user for planning control and
performance.

The Systems Approach :

i. The system approach is top took upon management as a system or as “an

organised whole” made up of sub- systems integrated into a unity or orderly totality.

ii. Systems approach is based on the generalization that everything is inter-related

and interdependent.

Features of Systems Approach :

(i) A system consists of interacting elements. It is set of interrelated and

interdependent parts arranged in a manner that produces a unified whole.

(ii) The various sub-systems should be studied in their inter-relationships rather, than
in isolation from each other.

(iii) An organisational system has a boundary that determines which parts are
internal and which are external.

(iv) A system does not exist in a vacuum. It receives information, material and

energy from other systems as inputs. These inputs undergo a transformation

process within a system and leave the system as output to other systems.
(v) An organisation is a dynamic system as it is responsive to its environment. It is
vulnerable to change in its environment.

Q) Difference between Feedback and Feed Forward Control Systems

A system of components that is used to provide the desired response by controlling

different parameters in the process is referred to as a control system. In a control
system, the final output or response of the system is controlled by varying the input,
and hence it named so.
Based on the control mechanism used, the control systems can be classified into
the two types namely, feedback control system and feed forward control
system.
The fundamental difference between the feedback control system and feed forward
control system is that in the case of feedback control system, the corrective action is
taken after the output gets affected by the disturbance, while in the case of feed
forward control system, the corrective action is taken before the disturbance of the
output.

Q) What is a Feedback Control System?

A type of control system in which the corrective action is taken after the occurrence
of disturbance in the output, it is called a feedback control system. The feedback
control system is a type of closed loop control system in which a feedback signal is
used to regulate the behavior of the system. The block diagram of a feedback
control system is shown in Figure 1.

Input Feedback
Controller

Disturbances

Output
Process

Manipulated Input

Figure 1 -Feedback Control System

In the case of a feedback control system, the system output

is monitored and compared with a reference value. If there is any difference
between the actual output and the desired output, then a control signal is generated
to regulate the system to produce the desired output.
In simple words, a feedback control system is one in which the output of the system
is sampled and fed back to the input side so that the system can produce the
desired output.
Feedback control systems are widely used industrial automation and process control
applications.

What is a Feed Forward Control System?

A feed forward control system is a type of control system in which the corrective
action is taken before the occurrence of disturbances in the output of the system.
In the case of a feed forward control system, the control mechanism anticipates the
variations in the input signal of the system and regulates the output of the system in
advance of these variations. For making adjustments in the output, the feed forward
control system does not relay on the feedback signal.
In other words, the control system which can predict variations in the input signals in
advance and can adjust the system output based on the these predictions is
referred to as a feed forward control system.
The block diagram of a typical feed forward control system is shown in Figure 2.

Disturbances

Input
Feed forward
Controller

Process Output

Manipulated Input

Figure2 -Feedforward Control System

This type of control system is mainly used where the relationship between the input
and output of the system is either known or predictable. One of the important
features of the feed forward control systems is that they respond quickly to variations in the
input signal. A heating system is a typical example of a feed forward control system.
Difference between Feedback Control System and Feed Forward Control
System
Parameter Feedback Control System
Definition A type of control system in
which the corrective action is
taken after the occurrence of
disturbance in the output of the
system is referred to as a
feedback control system.
Adjustment in In the feedback control system,
output the output is adjusted
according to the feedback
signal.
Nature of system Feedback control system is
reactive in nature, which
means it responds to variations
in the output after they have
occurred.
Response speed Feedback control systems are
relatively slower to respond to
variations in the input signal.
Corrective Feedback control systems take
actions the necessary corrective
actions after the occurrence of
disturbances in the output.
Adjustment of In the feedback control system,
control variables the control variables are
adjusted based on errors
occurred in the output.
Effectiveness Feedback control systems are
Feed Forward Control
System
A type of control system in
which the corrective action is
taken before the occurrence of
disturbance in the output of the
system is referred to as a feed
forward control system.
In the feed forward control
system, the output is adjusted
according to the predication of
variations in the input signal.
Feed forward control system is
proactive in nature. That
means it responds to changes
in the output before they have
occurred.
Feed forward control systems
are faster to respond to
changes in the input signal.
Feed forward control systems
take the necessary corrective
actions before the occurrence
of disturbances in the output.
In the feed forward control
system, the control variables
are adjusted based on
predication of variations in the
input signal.
Feed forward control systems
against more effective at dealing with are relatively less effective in
disturbances disturbances that affect the compensating the
system output. disturbances that affect the
system output.

Implementation Feedback control systems are Feed forward control systems

ease easier to implement. are relatively complex to
implement.

Type of system Feedback control system is a Feed forward control is a type

type of closed loop control of open loop control system as
system because it measures it does not measure changes
changes in the output. in the output.

System stability If the feedback loop of the Feed forward control system is
system is not properly often a stable system.
implemented, then it can cause
instability of the feedback
control system.

Regulating Feedback control systems can Feed forward control systems

system be employed for regulating can be employed for regulating
linear as well non-linear only the linear systems.
systems.

Suitability Feedback control systems are Feed forward control systems

better suited for controlling are better suited for controlling
systems that have systems that have predictable
unpredictable disturbances in disturbances in the output.
the output.

Applications Feedback control systems are Feed forward control systems

used in engineering and are mainly used in special
automation in different applications like in defense,
industries such as robotics, aerospace, etc
manufacturing, process
control, etc.