Control difference
The control difference is in the control engineering , the difference e = w-y M between the predetermined instantaneous value or setpoint w (of the command ) and the measured value or actual value y M of the control variable .
If, for example, the temperature in a greenhouse is to be 20 ° C, but an actual temperature of 18 ° C is measured, the control difference is +2 K (Kelvin) .
The control deviation, on the other hand, is the difference x W = y M −w between actual value y M and setpoint w, i.e. the negative control difference: x W = −e.
The task of a control is to reduce the amount of the control difference, ideally to bring it to zero.
In NC technology , the deviation between the position setpoint and the actual position value is referred to as a following error .