EinAusSteuerungen

EinAusSteuerungen is a term used in engineering to describe binary control systems or circuits that switch a device fully on or off in response to a control signal or a setpoint. Unlike proportional or continuous controllers, the output is discrete, resulting in a bang-bang or hysteresis-based control behavior.

In operation, EinAusSteuerungen employ switches, relays, or solid-state devices to actuate loads. Control logic may be implemented in simple hardware or in digital controllers and programmable logic controllers. Common features include a defined setpoint and a deadband to prevent rapid cycling. Components often include a control element (switch, relay, transistor), a sensor for the process variable, and the isolating or protective elements required for safe operation.

Applications span residential, commercial, and industrial settings. They are widely used for temperature regulation (thermostats with hysteresis), lighting control, pumping and ventilation systems, safety interlocks, and basic automation tasks where precise, continuous control is unnecessary. In automotive and machinery contexts, on-off control is used for engine start/stop signals and basic actuator control.

Advantages of EinAusSteuerungen include simplicity, robustness, low cost, and ease of implementation. They are well suited to systems with large or abrupt process changes where a binary decision is sufficient. Limitations include the lack of precision, potential wear from contact switching, energy inefficiency due to cycling, and the need for careful setpoint and deadband design to avoid unwanted oscillations.

Variants range from manual on/off switches to remote-controlled or programmable on/off controllers and PLC-based discrete control. They are often contrasted with proportional, integral, and derivative control approaches in automation literature.