Control Systems – Controllers

Last Updated : 20 Oct, 2023

In this article we will learn about Control Systems – Controllers, The Control
systems are an integral part of the various engineering and automation
processes. They are responsible for the regulating the behavior of the dynamic
systems to achieve desired outcomes. The Controllers are essential
components of control systems playing a critical role in maintaining stability
and efficiency.

What is Controller?

The controller is a critical component used to regulate the behavior of

dynamic system or process. The Controllers are essential for maintaining
desired performance and accuracy in various engineering and automation
applications. They achieve this by adjusting the input or control signals
applied to system based on the feedback or desired setpoints.
The block diagram of controller is a visual representation that illustrates the
components and their interactions within control system. It helps in
understanding how the controller processes input signals and generates
output signals to control a system.

Input Signal: This represents the signal or reference input that the
controller aims to regulate or control. It can be a setpoint or reference
signal depending on the specific application.
Summing Junction : The input signal is compared to actual system output
or process variable resulting in calculation of an error signal.
Controller: The controller block represents the core control algorithm or
mechanism responsible for the processing the error signal.
Control Output: This is the output signal generated by controller in
response to the error signal. The control output is used to manipulate the
system or process being controlled.
System or Process: The control output is applied to system or process that
needs to be controlled.
Feedback (Process Variable): Feedback signal often referred to as the
process variable is obtained from system or process.

Types of Controllers
The types of controllers are as follows:

Proportional Controller (P-Controller)

Derivative Controller (D-Controller)
Integral Controller (I-Controller)

Proportional Controller (P-Controller)

The proportional controller adjusts the control output in direct proportion to
error signal in which is the difference between desired setpoint and the actual
process variable.

The Proportional Controller produces an output that is proportional to error

signal
 The control output (u(t)) is calculated as u(t) = KP * e(t)

where,

KP is the proportional constant.

The Proportional Controller aims to reduce the error and bring the system
closer to setpoint.
It is effective in reducing steady-state error but may lead to oscillations
and overshoot in response.

Advantages

Simple and easy to implement.

Provides fast response to errors.
Reduces steady-state error.

Disadvantages

Cannot eliminate steady-state error entirely.

May lead to oscillations or instability in system if not tuned correctly.

The P-controller’s block diagram features a direct connection from input to

the controller in which then directly influences the output. The P-controller
multiplies the error signal is difference between the desired setpoint and the
actual process variable by constant proportional gain (Kp). The resulting
control signal is added to system input to correct the error.

The P-controller reduces the steady-state error but introduces the oscillations
and overshoot. It cannot eliminate all error.

Derivative Controller (D-Controller)

The derivative controller reacts to rate of change of the error signal. It
anticipates future error trends and provides control action to the counteract
them.

The Derivative Controller produces an output that is derivative of the error

signal with the respect to time.

The control output is calculated as u(t) = KD * (de(t)/dt)

where,

KD is the derivative constant.

The Derivative Controller helps in the damping oscillations and improving

system stability.
It is anticipates future errors based on the rate of change of error.
Advantages

Provides rapid response to the changing errors.

To Reduces overshoot and oscillations.

Disadvantages

Amplifies noise and measurement errors.

Can be sensitive to the parameter variations.

The D-controller’s block diagram features a differentiation block between

input and the controller. The D-controller calculates the rate of change of
error signal (derivative) and multiplies it by a constant derivative gain (Kd).
This derivative term is added to control signal and helping to reduce
overshoot and dampen oscillations.
The D-controller improves system stability and transient response reducing
overshoot and oscillations.

Integral Controller (I-Controller)

The integral controller responds to cumulative sum of past errors. It
continuously adjusts the control output to eliminate any steady-state error.

The Integral Controller produces an output that is the integral of the error
signal with respect to time.

The control output is calculated as u(t) = KI * ∫e(t)dt

where,

KI is the integral constant.

The Integral Controller helps in the eliminating steady-state error by

continuously integrating past errors.
It ensures that the system reaches and maintains setpoint over time.

Advantages

Eliminates steady-state error completely.

Increases system accuracy.

Disadvantages

Slower response to sudden changes in setpoint.

lead to instability if excessively tuned.
The I-controller’s block diagram features an integration block between input
and the controller. The I-controller integrates the error signal over time
multiplying it by constant integral gain (Ki). This accumulated error correction
is added to control signal and gradually eliminating steady-state errors.

The I-controller eliminates steady-state error but can lead to the slower
responses and overshoot if not tuned properly.

Cases in Types of Controllers

Some cases of controllers are :

P-Controller Use Case

Consider a temperature control system in furnace. A P-controller can maintain
the desired temperature by adjusting the heating element’s power output.
However, it may result in temperature oscillations around the setpoint.

I-Controller Use Case

In a cruise control system for the car an I-controller ensures that the vehicle’s
speed remains constant despite changing the external conditions. It
eliminates steady-state speed errors.

D-Controller Use Case

In a quadcopter’s stabilization system, a D-controller responds to angular rate

errors. It helps maintain a steady and controlled flight by the counteracting
sudden changes in the orientation.

Combinations of Controllers
Some of the combinations of controllers are :

Proportional-Derivative (PD) Controller

The PD Controller combines the proportional and derivative controllers.

The control output is u(t) = KP * e(t) + KD * (de(t)/dt).

It improves system stability without the significantly affecting steady-state

error.

Proportional-Integral (PI) Controller

The PI Controller combines the proportional and integral controllers.

The control output is u(t) = KP * e(t) + KI * ∫e(t)dt.

It reduces steady-state error while maintaining system stability.

Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) Controller

The PID Controller combines the proportional, integral and derivative

controllers.

The control output is u(t) = KP * e(t) + KI * ∫e(t)dt + KD * (de(t)/dt).

It provides a balance between reducing steady-state error and damping

oscillations.

Applications of Controllers
The Controllers are widely used in various fields:

Industrial Automation: The Controlling processes in manufacturing and

industrial machinery.
Aerospace: The Managing flight systems, autopilots and navigation.
Automotive: To Implementing cruise control or anti-lock braking systems
and engine control units.
Robotics: The Regulating robot movements and autonomous navigation.
Home Automation: The Controlling heating, ventilation and smart devices.

Primary Terminologies of Controllers

Control System: A system that manages and maintains the behavior of the
another system or process.
Controller: A device or software that regulates the output of the system
based on feedback or desired setpoints.
Plant: The system or process being controlled by controller.
Setpoint: The desired or target value that the controlled variable should
achieve.
 Controlled Variable: The parameter or variable in plant that needs to be
controlled.
Feedback: The process of the continuously monitoring the system’s output
and adjusting the control action to maintain the desired performance.
Open-Loop Control: A control system where the control action is not
influenced by the feedback.
Closed-Loop Control: A control system that uses feedback to adjust the
control action is ensuring the controlled variable stays close to setpoint.

Step-by-Step Process of Controllers

The step by step process of controller are:

Define Control Objectives

Clearly outline the objectives of control system. What is the system

intended to achieve or regulate
To Specify performance criteria such as setpoint values, accuracy and
response time.

System Modeling

Develop a mathematical model of system you intend to control.

To Create a representation that describes the relationship between the
inputs and outputs. This could be a transfer function and state-space
representation or a block diagram.

Choose Controller Type

Select the appropriate type of controller based on system’s characteristics

and control objectives.
The Common controller types include Proportional-Integral-Derivative
(PID), Proportional-Integral (PI) and Proportional-Derivative (PD)
controllers.
Controller Tuning

Adjust the controller’s parameters to achieve the desired system response.

The Tuning may involve manual adjustment, trial and error or automated
methods, depending on complexity of the system.

Feedback Loop Design

Implement a feedback loop that continuously monitors the system’s output

and compares it to the desired setpoint.
The error signal generated from this comparison is used as input to the
controller.

Controller Implementation

Once the controller type and tuning parameters are finalized implement
the controller.
Implementation can be done in the hardware or software.

System Simulation and Testing

Simulate the control system in controlled environment before deploying it

in the real-world applications.
Test the system’s performance under various scenarios to ensure it meets
control objectives.

Iterative Tuning

After initial testing iterate on controller tuning if necessary.

The Fine-tune controller parameters such as proportional gain and
derivative gain based on the simulation and real-world results.

Real-World Deployment
 Deploy the control system in the actual environment where it will regulate
the desired process or system.
The Continuously monitor its performance during this phase.

Feedback and Optimization

To Gather data and feedback from control system’s operation in the field.
The Optimize controller parameters and system settings based on the real-
world data.

Maintenance and Upkeep

The Regularly maintain and service the control system to ensure it

operates reliably.
The Adapt the control system to the changing conditions if necessary to
maintain control objectives.

Documentation

The Maintain comprehensive documentation of control system design

including controller parameters and tuning procedures.

Examples of Controller
Cruise Control in Vehicles:
 The cruise control is a classic example of a closed-loop control system. The
driver sets a desired speed and controller adjusts the throttle or engine power
based on feedback from the speed sensors to maintain the set speed.

Speed Sensor: Measures the actual vehicle speed.

Reference Speed: Represents the desired speed set by driver.
Error Calculation: Computes the speed error.

Conclusion
The controllers are indispensable components of control systems that play a
pivotal role in regulating and maintaining desired behaviors in the various
engineering and industrial processes. Each type of controller, whether
proportional, integral or derivative offers distinct advantages and
disadvantages is making them suitable for the specific applications. The signal
of system or process represents its current state or performance.

FAQs on Controllers

1. What is the difference between open-loop and closed-loop control

systems?

The control action is independent of feedback and while in a closed-

loop system feedback is used to adjust the control action.
Trending Now DSA Web Tech Foundational Courses Data Science Practice Probl
160 Days of DSA

2. What is a PID controller, and how does it work?

A PID controller calculates the control output based on proportional and

derivative terms. The eliminate steady-state error and control system
response.

3. Can you provide an example of a feedforward control system?

 The controller takes action based on predictions and does not rely on
feedback. An example is an anti-lock braking system in vehicles which
anticipates wheel lockup and adjusts brake pressure.

4. What are some common challenges in controller tuning?

The Controller tuning challenges include achieving stability without

oscillations and reducing overshoot.

Learn in a distraction-free environment with refined, high-quality content and

35+ expert-led tech courses to help you crack any interview. From
programming languages and DSA to web development and data science,
GeeksforGeeks Premium has you covered!

Choose GeeksforGeeks Premium today and also get access to Unlimited

Article Summarization, 100% Ad free environment, A.I. Bot support in all
coding problems, and much more. Go Premium!

V vikas… 3

Previous Article Next Article

Lead Compensator in control system Proportional Controller in Control System

Similar Reads

What is a Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC)

PLC stands for Programmable Logic Controller which was invented in
automobile manufacturing to provide a flexible, rugged, and easily…
 11 min read

Control Systems - Root Locus

The root locus is a procedure utilized in charge framework examination and
plan. It centers around figuring out how the roots (or posts) of the trademark…
15 min read

Control Systems - Stability

Control systems are used to control the behavior of any dynamic system. It
provides accurate information about the dynamic system so that it can work…
10 min read

Continuous Time and Discrete Time Control Systems

In Electronic Engineering, Continuous-time and Discrete-time control systems
are essential ideas that are vital to the design and optimization of a wide rang…
7 min read

SISO and MIMO Control Systems

In Electronic Engineering, there are Two Key approaches in the field of control
engineering are SISO (Single Input Single Output) and MIMO (Multiple Input…
8 min read

Classification of Control Systems

In electronics, control systems are grouped into different types, and each has its
unique features and uses. They are Important in electronics engineering for…
15+ min read

Control Systems - Polar Plots

Unlike the Bode plot in which both magnitude and phase angle are plotted
separately in logarithmic graph paper. In Polar plot both magnitude and phas…
9 min read

Components of Control Systems

 With the advancement of technology, Human dependency on control system
have increased over years and are being used everywhere, playing significant…
8 min read

Advantages and Disadvantages of Control Systems

Control systems play a significant role in our daily lives, impacting various
applications that often go unnoticed by us. They are used to control the…
8 min read

Types of Control Systems

Every activity in our daily lives is affected by some form of control system. The
concept of a control system also plays an important role in the working of spa…
7 min read

Article Tags :

Control Systems Electronics Engineering Geeks Premier League Geeks Premier League 2023

Corporate & Communications Address:-

A-143, 9th Floor, Sovereign Corporate
Tower, Sector- 136, Noida, Uttar
Pradesh (201305) | Registered
Address:- K 061, Tower K, Gulshan
Vivante Apartment, Sector 137, Noida,
Gautam Buddh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh,
201305

Company Explore
 About Us Job-A-Thon Hiring Challenge
Legal Hack-A-Thon
Careers GfG Weekly Contest
In Media Offline Classes (Delhi/NCR)
Contact Us DSA in JAVA/C++
Advertise with us Master System Design
GFG Corporate Solution Master CP
Placement Training Program GeeksforGeeks Videos
Geeks Community

Languages DSA
Python Data Structures
Java Algorithms
C++ DSA for Beginners
PHP Basic DSA Problems
GoLang DSA Roadmap
SQL DSA Interview Questions
R Language Competitive Programming
Android Tutorial

Data Science & ML Web Technologies

Data Science With Python HTML
Data Science For Beginner CSS
Machine Learning JavaScript
ML Maths TypeScript
Data Visualisation ReactJS
Pandas NextJS
NumPy NodeJs
NLP Bootstrap
Deep Learning Tailwind CSS

Python Tutorial Computer Science

Python Programming Examples GATE CS Notes
Django Tutorial Operating Systems
Python Projects Computer Network
Python Tkinter Database Management System
Web Scraping Software Engineering
OpenCV Tutorial Digital Logic Design
Python Interview Question Engineering Maths

DevOps System Design

Git High Level Design
AWS Low Level Design
Docker UML Diagrams
Kubernetes Interview Guide
Azure Design Patterns
 GCP OOAD
DevOps Roadmap System Design Bootcamp
Interview Questions

School Subjects Commerce

Mathematics Accountancy
Physics Business Studies
Chemistry Economics
Biology Management
Social Science HR Management
English Grammar Finance
Income Tax

Databases Preparation Corner

SQL Company-Wise Recruitment Process
MYSQL Resume Templates
PostgreSQL Aptitude Preparation
PL/SQL Puzzles
MongoDB Company-Wise Preparation
Companies
Colleges

Competitive Exams More Tutorials

JEE Advanced Software Development
UGC NET Software Testing
UPSC Product Management
SSC CGL Project Management
SBI PO Linux
SBI Clerk Excel
IBPS PO All Cheat Sheets
IBPS Clerk Recent Articles

Free Online Tools Write & Earn

Typing Test Write an Article
Image Editor Improve an Article
Code Formatters Pick Topics to Write
Code Converters Share your Experiences
Currency Converter Internships
Random Number Generator
Random Password Generator

DSA/Placements Development/Testing
DSA - Self Paced Course JavaScript Full Course
DSA in JavaScript - Self Paced Course React JS Course
DSA in Python - Self Paced React Native Course
C Programming Course Online - Learn C with Data Structures Django Web Development Course
 Complete Interview Preparation Complete Bootstrap Course
Master Competitive Programming Full Stack Development - [LIVE]
Core CS Subject for Interview Preparation JAVA Backend Development - [LIVE]
Mastering System Design: LLD to HLD Complete Software Testing Course [LIVE]
Tech Interview 101 - From DSA to System Design [LIVE] Android Mastery with Kotlin [LIVE]
DSA to Development [HYBRID]
Placement Preparation Crash Course [LIVE]

Machine Learning/Data Science Programming Languages

Complete Machine Learning & Data Science Program - [LIVE] C Programming with Data Structures
Data Analytics Training using Excel, SQL, Python & PowerBI - C++ Programming Course
[LIVE] Java Programming Course
Data Science Training Program - [LIVE] Python Full Course
Mastering Generative AI and ChatGPT

Clouds/Devops GATE
DevOps Engineering GATE CS & IT Test Series - 2025
AWS Solutions Architect Certification GATE DA Test Series 2025
Salesforce Certified Administrator Course GATE CS & IT Course - 2025
GATE DA Course 2025

@GeeksforGeeks, Sanchhaya Education Private Limited, All rights reserved