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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 industrial control systems. It consists of all the physical components and control functions necessary to automatically adjust the value of a measured process variable (PV) to equal the value of ...
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 the assembly of both an input ('touch panel') and output ('display') device. The touch panel is normally layered on the top of an electronic visual display of an information processing system. The display is ofte ...
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 a device that produces an output signal for the purpose of sensing a physical phenomenon.
In the broadest definition, a sensor is a device, module, machine, or subsystem that detects events or changes in its environment and sends ...
s and signals. 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 switch ...
, semiconductor relay, logic and MosFET
The metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET, MOS-FET, or MOS FET) is a type of field-effect transistor (FET), most commonly fabricated by the controlled oxidation of silicon. It has an insulated gate, the voltage of which d ...
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 electric pressure, electric tension, or (electric) potential difference, is the difference in electric potential between two points. In a static electric field, it corresponds to the work needed per unit of charge to ...
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 (stre ...
output, e.g. 4 ... 20 mA / 0 ... 10 V and are used for the continuous control of analog actuator
An actuator is a component of a machine that is responsible for moving and controlling a mechanism or system, for example by opening a valve. In simple terms, it is a "mover".
An actuator requires a control device (controlled by control signal) a ...
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 pressu ...
, 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, TCP / IP or serial interfaces.
References
{{reflist Control devices