Control System Components

The purpose of this book is to acquaint the student with the engineering principles and fundamental characteristics of a number of components used in the implementation of many types of control systems. The operation of each component is discussed and explained in detail in order to illustrate the function and action of each component in the composite system. Examples are used wherever possible to illustrate the principles discussed. Diagrammatic illustrations are used profusely throughout the book to make the descriptive text interesting and self-explanatory. Although a large number of books dealing with the theory of control engineering are available, most of them do not deal with the varied range of components used in modern control systems. This book is an attempt to fill this need. It comprehensively covers many typical components of primary interest to the control-system engineer. A number of different types of electrical, electromechanical, electronic, hydraulic and pneumatic control devices, which form integral parts of open-loop and closed-loop control systems, have been presented to enable the students to understand all the types of control systems or equipment that they may encounter in different fields of industry. This book is especially designed to cater to the need of a one-semester course in Control System Components, particularly for the undergraduate students of Instrumentation and Control Engineering. It will also be a highly useful text for the students of Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering during their study of the theory of Control Engineering. This book will teach them about the components required to build practical control systems.