ABSTRACT
Common types of systems used in engineering include electromechanical, communications, fluidic, electrochemical, information, control and transport systems, and many more besides. This chapter offers a brief overview of the subject area, sufficient to form a basis for the study of engineering systems. It explains the system diagrams and system control analogue, digital, sequential and combination control systems. A transducer is a device that responds to an input signal in one form of energy and gives an output signal bearing a relationship to the input signal but in a different form of energy. Analogue control involves the use of signals and quantities that are continuously variable. Analogue control systems are based on the use of operational amplifiers. Digital control systems are based on logic devices, or microprocessor-based computer systems. In practice, a small amount of hysteresis is built into most on/off control systems.
