{"id":1522,"date":"2021-07-20T14:41:38","date_gmt":"2021-07-20T14:41:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.axcontrol.com\/blog\/?p=1522"},"modified":"2021-11-29T20:25:31","modified_gmt":"2021-11-29T20:25:31","slug":"what-is-bang-bang-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.axcontrol.com\/blog\/2021\/what-is-bang-bang-control\/20\/07\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Bang-bang Control?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Old
Thermostats like this old Honeywell model offered bang-bang control. Copyright M Kenney 2021 <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mechanical systems offer many different control options. One of these is the oddly-named bang-bang control. This short blog post answers some common questions about this control theory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is bang-bang control theory? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bang-bang control is a kind of feedback controller, meaning it has a type of cause-and-effect closed loop. Bang bang controllers switch quickly between two different states, for example, completely on or completely off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bang-bang
The symbol for bang-bang control. Sourced from Wikipedia, by Mik81 Public Domain<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Examples of bang bang control<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You’ve probably used bang bang control systems all your life without realizing it. This kind of control offers an “on” state and an “off” state with no variable between these. Thermostats–at least older versions–typically use bang bang control. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

When the temperature rises above the setpoint, bang! the system clicks on and cooling begins. Cool air continues at full-out distribution until the thermostat’s temperature reading dips below the setpoint. Then bang! again, cooling stops. This is how the system developed its name. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s what bang bang control looks like in ladder logic PLC programming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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