Control systems are necessary when operating automated machines in our technologically advancing world. Each control system has a design made for specific devices. However, when building one, an engineer must know what the basic elements of control systems are.

What Defines a Control System

A control system is a group of technological parts used to manipulate, manage, or control a machine or machine’s features. Control systems are in the vast majority of devices we use every day. Different items such as blenders, oscillating fans, or even a penlight use some form of a control system.

The parts that make a control system work can vary, but all of them do have essential elements that they share across the diverse array of devices.

General Defining Parts

While the science of creating and developing these core components has complicated structures that may only seem comprehensible to someone involved in control systems engineering services, their actual purpose is simple to understand. If you open up and dissect any piece of technology in your home, you will see that specific parts make that device work, from the wiring and plugs.

Controlled Process

With every action, there is a thought that puts the process into motion. All movement in a machine, whether the electric current or a gear moving, must have a plan of action and an intent. What a control system wishes to do will also determine what needs to be adjusted to fit this intent.

The control of a process monitors the state of production in the system to ensure that everything is consistent. Or, as stated above, if the production level needs to increase or decrease, the controlled process can adjust as needed.

Input

Every system involving the energy of flowing resources needs input to determine the output and allow entry into the system. The input is always the starting position for every system.

Every command, action, or adjustment goes into this point first. If you want a red light to blink in your system, it begins with the input; the request for the response.

Sensors

When a control system has a sudden shift in production due to physical parameters changing, a sensor is an object that detects the shift. A system can have multiple sensors to see slight changes in its mechanisms or have a variety of sensors to detect different possible changes. From this change observation, the sensor can send an alert to signal to other components or the person operating the control system that something has changed significantly.

Sensors are essential to understanding what is going on inside the system. For example, if water temperature is too high, we will need notification so it doesn’t become a problem down the line.

Output

The output of a control system is both different and connected to the input. As stated before, the input determines the output, and putting in particular values will create the same or different values from that input depending on the other variables that led up to that value. However, the input only allows for a request, whereas the output is the actual response and action.

An example of this would be turning a switch to the on position to power up a machine. The request to turn it on was input into the control system, and the output will turn it on. When you make a call to the machine to do something, the output meets with a response to the action it does.

Controller of the System

Whether it be a switch, lever, or button, every technological device has a controller component to manipulate the system’s actions. The system controller can be as simple as an on/off switch or have multiple settings to change the machine’s output where it’s connected. Since handling control systems manually isn’t an option, you will need to use a controller to operate it and give it a directive.

Types

Control systems come in different forms with different purposes. The basic elements of control systems are still present, but their use is unique.

Open- and Closed-Loop

An open-loop system occurs in devices where the input doesn’t communicate with the output to create a result. The input makes a request that becomes active, and the output has no effect on the production.

A closed-loop system involves the input depending on the output. As explained in the “Output” section, the output can be different from the input, and in this system, the input is a dependent variable.

On-Off

This type of control system leans heavily o the use of sensors. When there is a change, the system activates and causes an opposite form.

An example would be a motion sensor connected to the lights in a room. The lights remain on as long as there is some activity within a set time. But after some time has passed and no movement is detected, the lights shut off to conserve energy.

The system remains on or inactive until a change is detected or has reached its threshold, which then causes a very sudden reaction to activate or deactivate a device.

Feedback Control

A feedback control system is also dependent on the sensors. By combining sensors and actuators, this system seeks to continuously remain at a specific variable by adjusting too low or high outputs.

The furnace in your home is a typical example, and it must constantly maintain the heat set on the meter. Natural elements such as the cold and heat in the air frequently change the temperature, which is why the furnace is on for long periods to regulate the house’s temperature.

Logic Control

A logic control system focuses on the varying parts of a system. By manipulating the different operations to cause specific reactions to occur, the processes of that system will change and create a new output. A mixture of sensors will utilize the reaction function of different parts of a machine to do this.

Control systems are essential for technology and will continue to advance until they become the primary form of every kind of machinery. But like anything in the world, the basic elements are just as crucial as any evolutionary traits. With the knowledge of the inner workings of the basic parts of control systems, using them will be easier as technology moves forward.

1.3. Information Systems Components

Information systems are defined by the components that make up the system, and the role those components play in an organization. Information systems can be viewed as having three core components: technology, people, and process that take the data and transform it into information.

As mentioned in the previous section, technology is often what people think of when they hear the term information systems, however it is just one component. The last two components, people and processes, separate the idea of information systems from more technical fields, such as computer science. In order to fully understand information systems, you will need to understand how all of these components work together to bring value to an organization.

Book Structure

This idea forms the structure of this book.

Technology which comprises hardware, software, and networks along with an understanding of technology enabled strategy is covered in the beginning of this book in Chapters 1 through 6.

The book then focuses on how information systems are developed (Chapter 7) and what impacts and issues of information systems should be considered that involve people (Chapters 8 & 9).

Lastly, the end of the book looks at business processes and the different types of information systems that are used in business (chapters 10-13).

Technology

Technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. From the invention of the wheel to the harnessing of electricity for artificial lighting, technology has become ubiquitous in daily life, to the degree that it is assumed to always be available for use regardless of location. Technology includes: hardware, software, and networks. Each of these will be addressed in an individual chapters in this book, but a simple introduction is provided below.

• Hardware:  is the tangible, physical portion of an information system – the part you can touch. Computers, keyboards, disk drives, and flash drives are all examples of information systems hardware. How these hardware components function and work together will be covered in

  Chapter 3

  .

• Software: is the set of instructions that tell the hardware what to do. Software is not tangible – it cannot be touched. Two main categories of software are: Operating Systems and Application software. Operating Systems software provides the interface between the hardware and the Application software. Examples of operating systems for a personal computer include Microsoft Windows and Ubuntu Linux. The mobile phone operating system market is dominated by Google Android and Apple iOS. Application software allows the user to perform tasks such as creating documents, recording data in a spreadsheet, or messaging a friend. Software will be explored more thoroughly in

  Chapter 4

  .

• Networking Communication: besides the technology components (hardware & software) which have long been considered the core technology of information systems, it has been suggested that one other component should be added: communication networks. An information system can exist without the ability to communicate – the first personal computers were stand-alone machines that did not access the Internet. However, in today’s hyper-connected world, it is an extremely rare computer that does not connect to another device or to a network. Technically, the networking communication component is made up of hardware and software, but it is such a core feature of today’s information systems that it has become its own category. Networking will be covered in Chapter 6.

People

When thinking about information systems, it is easy to focus on the technology components and forget to look beyond these tools to fully understand their integration into an organization. A focus on the people involved in information systems is the next step. From the front-line user support staff, to systems analysts, to developers, all the way up to the chief information officer (CIO), the people involved with information systems are an essential element. The roles people play in information systems is explored in this chapter, but the role people play is interwoven throughout the book as it is difficult to separate people from information systems.

Process

The last component of an information system is processes. A process is a series of steps undertaken to achieve a desired outcome or goal. Information systems are becoming more integrated with organizational processes, bringing greater productivity and better control to those processes. Simply automating activities using technology is not enough – businesses looking to utilize information systems must do more. The ultimate goal is to improve processes both internally and externally, enhancing interfaces with suppliers and customers. Technology buzzwords such as ‘business process re-engineering,’ ‘business process management,’ and ‘enterprise resource planning’ all have to do with the continued improvement of these business processes and procedures and the integration of technology with them. Businesses hoping to gain a competitive advantage over their competitors are highly focused on this component of information systems. The process element in information systems will be discussed in Chapter 11.

Data

Data is the ‘power’ to the information system engine.  Without it, the system simply would not be able to produce the information needed to reach the goal of improving decision making.  You can think of data as a collection of facts. For example, your address (street, city state, postal code), your phone number, and your social networking account are all pieces of data. Like software, data is also intangible, unable to be seen in its native state. Pieces of unrelated data are not very useful. But aggregated, indexed, and organized together into a database, data can become a powerful tool for businesses. Organizations collect all kinds of data and use it to make decisions which can then be analyzed as to their effectiveness. The analysis of data is then used to improve the organization’s performance. Chapter 5 will focus on data and databases, and how they are used in organizations.

“Chapter 1: What Is an Information System?” from Information Systems for Business and Beyond (2019) by David Bourgeois is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.