3.a) With a neat diagram, explain the working mechanism of an actuator.
Answer:
An actuator can be considered as a machine or system’s component that can affect the movement or control the said mechanism or the system.
Control systems affect changes to the environment or property they are controlling through actuators. The system activates the actuator through a control signal, which may be digital or analog. It elicits a response from the actuator, which is in the form of some form of mechanical motion. The control system of an actuator can be a mechanical or electronic system, a software-based system (e.g., an autonomous car control system), a human, or any other input.
Figure 2.5 shows the outline of a simple actuation system. A remote user sends commands to a processor. The processor instructs a motor controlled robotic arm to perform the commanded tasks accordingly. The processor is primarily responsible for converting the human commands into sequential machine-language command sequences, which enables the robot to move. The robotic arm finally moves the designated boxes, which was its assigned task.
