Control system development at Karlsruher Institut für Technologie

three coupled systems

• Technical
• communication
• human

Automation used for creating product

• Many sensors
• Engineering and software cost determine total cost
• Complex automation functions
• 100% automation, closed loop operation
• PLC, PC are used
• Single unit production
• Technical process in an industrial plan (Chemical, Production, Power Plant)

Automation is (part of) the product

• Technical process in a device
• Few sensors and actuators
• Engineering and software cost devices by pieces
• Dedicated automation functions
• Microcontrollers and PLCs used
• Large number of pieces (mass product)
• Moderate to high degree of automation (open loop)

totality of actions effecting each other in a system in which matter, energy or information is converted, transported or stored (Initial State ➔ Process ➔ Final state)

Measures causing the desired flow of a process according to defined objectives based on data obtained from the process or environment

All devices used for controlling including instructions and regulations. Is affected by disturbance variables causing deviation from desired behavior and not known. Using feedback influence of disturbance can be reduced.

Compensation of disturbance has priority. Control variable has to remain at a constant value.

Tracking of the reference value has priority. Control variable has to follow time varying setpoint variable.

The reference is unknown in advance and generated online by a superordinate layer.

Time response setpoint variable is planned in advance offline.

Separate arrangement of structures affecting each other

Functional unit to process signals with system input variables as a cause being related to system output variables as their effect with time.