'To the surprise of some undergraduates, processes do not carry labels marking their variables nor, alas, are they conveniently classified into linear, nonlinear, stochastic, etc., categories. The ability to come to terms with this situation is a prerequisite for anyone proposing to succeed in an industrial environment.' This quotation from Chapter 1 characterises the viewpoint of the book, which is concerned with the application of control theory to real problems in their industrial context.
The book is structured around the following beliefs:
This second edition includes new material and supporting references on:
The book should be accessible to a wide variety of engineers. Preferably they should have an elementary knowledge of automatic control theory.