What's process control
Process control is a statistics and engineering discipline. Process control deals with architectures, mechanisms, and algorithms for controlling the output of a specific process.
A commonly used control device called a programmable logic controller (PLC), is used to read a set of digital and analog inputs, apply a set of logic statements, and generate a set of analog and digital outputs. For example, the room temperature would be an input to the programmable logic controller (PLC). The logical statements would compare the setpoint to the input temperature and determine whether more or less heating was necessary to keep the temperature constant. A programmable logic controller (PLC) output would then either open or close the hot water valve, an incremental amount, depending on whether more or less hot water was needed. Larger more complex systems can be controlled by a Distributed Control System (DCS) or SCADA system.
In practice, process control systems can be characterized as the following forms:
1. Discrete
2. Batch
3. Continuous
In practice, applications that have elements of discrete, batch and continuous process control, are often called hybrid applications.
Nowadays, in this era of digital buses, process control applications are common.
