Word of the Day: bang-bang control

Word of the Day Daily updates on the latest technology terms |January 5, 2018

bang-bang control Bang-bang control is a type of control system that mechanically or electronically turns something on or off when a desired target (setpoint) has been reached. Bang-bang controllers, which are also known as two-step controllers, on-off controllers or hysteresis controllers, are used in many types of home and industrial control systems (ICS). An old-fashioned house thermostat, for example, uses bang-bang control. When the temperature drops to a pre-determined low set point, the thermostat switches the heating system on. When the temperature reaches a pre-determined high set point, the thermostat switches the heating system off. Depending upon the set points, this can result in a fairly wide range of acceptable temperatures and cause the heating system to have a fairly long response time. This is why bang-bang controllers are sometimes referred to as hysteresis controllers -- the word hysteresis describes a lag in response to change. In product development, bang-bang control systems can be contrasted with proportional control systems. A smart thermostat in a hotel room, for example, might determine when there is an error between the setpoint and the current value of the process variable (the room's temperature) and respond to the slight deviation by opening or closing dampers. Proportional controls are more exact and have faster response times than bang-bang, all or nothing controls. Light switches and dimmer switches also illustrate the difference between bang-bang and proportional controls. A light switch, which can be either on or off, uses bang-bang control. A dimmer switch, in contrast, reduces or increases power to the lighting load in order to achieve a lower or higher light output and uses proportional control. Quote of the Day "Even the way we control lights is changing as the simple on/off switch gives way to flexible control options through smartphones, touch panels and even voice control." - Daniel Cooley   Trending Terms control loop control system industrial control system SCADA distributed control system programmable logic controller   Learning Center Growing pains of the internet of things While slow to take off, enterprise and industrial IoT systems will break down barriers to innovation and communication that previously existed. Ten tips for migrating to SCADA systems plus IoT Uncover 10 critical steps enterprises must consider to successfully and securely update SCADA systems for IoT. Industrial control systems a growing target for cyber attack Attackers with increasing capabilities have strong financial motivation to go after critical infrastructure and manufacturing firms, says security industry expert. What is the impact of the Siemens SCADA vulnerability? Siemens SCADA vulnerabilities were discovered in their software products, allowing for local privilege escalation. Find out how to prevent the attacks. Real-time vs. near-real-time analytics -- how to choose Everyone wants data, but are near-real-time analytics sufficient. Or does it have to be truly 'real-time?' Expert Tom Nolle walks through the cloud choices. Writing for Business _______ are common in factory automation, building automation and material handling systems. a. PLC's b. PLCs Answer   Stay In Touch For feedback about any of our definitions or to suggest a new definition, please contact me at: mrouse@techtarget.com   Visit the Word of the Day Archives and catch up on what you've missed!   FOLLOW US About This E-Newsletter This e-newsletter is published by the TechTarget network. To unsubscribe from Whatis.com, click here. Please note, this will not affect any other subscriptions you have signed up for. TechTarget, Whatis, 275 Grove Street, Newton, MA 02466. Contact: webmaster@techtarget.com Copyright 2016 TechTarget. All rights reserved.