Mechatronics Control Devices

Mechatronic control devices are found everywhere; they are built into kitchen appliances, aircraft, cameras, computers, power stations, even in toilet cisterns. They may be built from micro-circuits, mechanical levers, hydraulic or magnetic devices. Though they come in diverse forms, the aim is the same—to regulate or control the behaviour of the machine or process they are part of. They often behave in strange ways, particularly when they go wrong. People often find them hard to understand. Fortunately, we can learn to understand their behaviour with a common set of fundamental principles. We can find examples of control devices in everyday life and learn to observe them to gain a better appreciation of these principles. Most reference material on control is highly technical and specialized, and often far removed from practical application. Control is a concept which extends beyond the boundaries of any one technical discipline. This article explains the fundamentals of control so that the reader can apply them, or learn more from detailed technical references. Examples of control devices are drawn from everyday life, with a few uncommon examples to extend the imagination. The reader will also be able to appreciate the practical limitations of control devices and what happens when they go wrong. Apart from working models, computers provide a useful way to explore control system behaviour. The article shows some simple ways to do this using software. Mechatronics Control Devices (August 2004) page