Regarding controllers and regulators
Thread Content
In the past they were called regulators, but now books refer to them as controllers. Is there any difference in engineering terms?
A controller is composed of regulators. For example, an frequency conversion controller may be made up of a P regulator, a D regulator, and two I regulators. Formula: Regulator + Regulator + Regulator + ...... = Controller
Regulator is a term commonly used in the use of conventional instruments in the past, referring specifically to control instruments capable of performing at least one PID calculation. The meaning of a controller is different from that of a regulator; its scope is much broader. Not only can PID control be implemented by a controller, but many other functions such as control and alarm systems can also be carried out using a controller. Therefore, in a sense, a controller is a small control system.
Another theory is that controllers generally refer to “hardware,” while regulators usually refer to “software.”