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A compact controller is a generic name given to a small autonomous controller which can control one or several
Compact controllers are either fixed or modular and can therefore be extended. The inputs for the actual value are often universal and can be configured for different types of
control loop
A control loop is the fundamental building block of control systems in general and industrial control systems in particular. It consists of the process sensor, the controller function, and the final control element (FCE) which controls the proce ...
s. They are also known as panel mounted, discrete, dedicated, or universal process controllers. The controllers can be easily configured and to control most types of control loop. Simple versions have a numerical display of the process values. Compact controllers in high-end equipment are available with touchscreen
A touchscreen (or touch screen) is a type of electronic visual display, display that can detect touch input from a user. It consists of both an input device (a touch panel) and an output device (a visual display). The touch panel is typically l ...
and graphical representation of the control loop or the system.
In addition to the actual control loop, compact controllers can also take over control tasks and thus control the process sequence or parts thereof independently. Compact controllers can be found in almost all industries. For example, the program controller function is often used in the food industry
The food industry is a complex, global network of diverse businesses that supplies most of the food consumed by the world's population. The food industry today has become highly diversified, with manufacturing ranging from small, traditional, ...
, or in hardening to define specific temperature profiles.
Construction
Compact controllers are either fixed or modular and can therefore be extended. The inputs for the actual value are often universal and can be configured for different types of sensor
A sensor is often defined as a device that receives and responds to a signal or stimulus. The stimulus is the quantity, property, or condition that is sensed and converted into electrical signal.
In the broadest definition, a sensor is a devi ...
s and signal
A signal is both the process and the result of transmission of data over some media accomplished by embedding some variation. Signals are important in multiple subject fields including signal processing, information theory and biology.
In ...
s. Digital inputs are also available for the detection of switching operations. Various binary switching elements are available as outputs, such as relay
A relay
Electromechanical relay schematic showing a control coil, four pairs of normally open and one pair of normally closed contacts
An automotive-style miniature relay with the dust cover taken off
A relay is an electrically operated switc ...
, semiconductor relay, logic and MosFET
upright=1.3, Two power MOSFETs in amperes">A in the ''on'' state, dissipating up to about 100 watt">W and controlling a load of over 2000 W. A matchstick is pictured for scale.
In electronics, the metal–oxide–semiconductor field- ...
outputs, and are used either for controlling binary actuators or for control signals. The analog outputs can be configured as voltage
Voltage, also known as (electrical) potential difference, electric pressure, or electric tension, is the difference in electric potential between two points. In a Electrostatics, static electric field, it corresponds to the Work (electrical), ...
or current
Currents, Current or The Current may refer to:
Science and technology
* Current (fluid), the flow of a liquid or a gas
** Air current, a flow of air
** Ocean current, a current in the ocean
*** Rip current, a kind of water current
** Current (hydr ...
output, e.g. 4 ... 20 mA / 0 ... 10 V and are used for the continuous control of analog actuator
An actuator is a machine element, component of a machine that produces force, torque, or Displacement (geometry), displacement, when an electrical, Pneumatics, pneumatic or Hydraulic fluid, hydraulic input is supplied to it in a system (called an ...
s such as, for example, control valves
A control valve is a valve used to control fluid flow by varying the size of the flow passage as directed by a signal from a controller. This enables the direct control of flow rate and the consequential control of process quantities such as press ...
, thyristor power controllers or frequency converters.
The operation, parameterization and configuration can be carried out via the device front, in addition, configuration programs are supplied in which the settings for the user can be clearly arranged. The connection between PC and controller can be established via USB
Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard, developed by USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), for digital data transmission and power delivery between many types of electronics. It specifies the architecture, in particular the physical ...
, TCP / IP or serial interfaces.
References
{{reflist Control devices