Manipulated variable
The manipulated variable is the output (the position) of the control and in the control technology used actuator by means of which a targeted intervention in the control or control system is carried out. Your current value is the control value.
In a control system , the input variable of the actuator is called a reference variable ; in a closed-loop control system, it is called a control variable (the reference variable is part of the input variable into the controller ).
An example of the manipulated variable is the opening state of a valve . Its reference variable is, for example, the position of the handwheel with which the valve is operated. A valve with an actuator is used for control. With a pneumatic drive, its input variable is the pressure on the membrane, which is controlled by a pneumatic regulator .