Process Control

Used when the systems purpose is to maintain certain properties of a process output near a desired reference despite disturbances.

Components

• Controller
  • Computes action based on set point and observed state
• Process (Plant)
  • The physical or software process being controlled
• Connectors are sensors or feedback or actuators

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Cab adapt to changing conditions and keep the system in an acceptable state
• Supports self-correcting behaviour Cons:
• Requires monitoring, calibration, and control logic
• Delayed or noisy feedback can cause oscillation
• Incorrect control logic can be severe

Variants

I have studied a ton of control theory in undergrad.

• MTE360
• MTE484

Some notable example include:

• The Kubernetes controller and ArgoCD gitOps