regelkunde

Regelkunde is the science and engineering discipline concerned with understanding and shaping the behavior of dynamic systems through regulation and control. It aims to ensure that a system follows a desired trajectory or maintains prescribed variables in the presence of disturbances. In German-language contexts, Regelkunde is closely related to terms such as Regelungstechnik or Regelungskunde, and it is used to denote both the theoretical foundations and the practical methods of regulation.

Core concepts include feedback, setpoint tracking, disturbance rejection, stability, and performance. Modeling and analysis rely on mathematical representations of systems, commonly in differential or difference equations, state-space form, and transfer functions. Design methods range from classical approaches, such as proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control, to modern techniques in robust, adaptive, and optimal control. System identification and simulation are used to derive models from data and to predict behavior under different controllers. Verification and validation of performance against specifications are integral parts of the Regelkunde workflow.

Applications are diverse and include industrial process control, robotics and automation, automotive systems, aerospace, energy and buildings automation, and any domain where automated regulation of physical or economic processes is required.

Relation to related fields: Regelkunde overlaps with Regelungstechnik, control theory, systems theory, and automation engineering. It draws on mathematics, electrical and mechanical engineering, computer science, and applied statistics.

Education and research typically occur within electrical, mechanical, or mechatronic engineering programs, where students study modeling, analysis, controller design, and implementation, often complemented by software tools and hardware experiments.