CME 405 Quiz 1 Questions with Correct Answers Latest Update 2025/2026
What are 2 aims in any industrial plant? - Answers Produce standard and high-quality products
and sell rhem at prices, which make profit
Automation - Answers set of technologies that results in the operation of machines and
systems without significant human intervention and achieves performance superior to manual
operation
Control - Answers A set of technologies that achieves desired patterns of variations of
operational parameters, and sequence for machines and systems by providing the necessary
input signals
What is an early example of an automatic control system? - Answers James Watts flyball
governor. It consists of an error sensor connected by a negative feedback Loop to a control
device which drives the error to zero, thus maintaining a desired operating point.
What are the operational objectives in a process? - Answers Safety, production
specifications/quality, environmental regulations, operational constraints, economics, greater
throughput for a given installed capacity which leads to greater yield, waste minimization.
Fixed automation - Answers Used for fixed and repetitive operations to achieve high production
yield. Once it is set up, it is relatively hard to change or vary the product design. Therefore, it
cannot provide product variety, but increases the efficiency with higher production rate and
reduces unit cost. Example: distillation processes, paint, shops, conveyors
Programmable automation - Answers A specific class of changes in the product are possible,
and also assembling or processing operations can be changed with the modification of the
control program in the automated equipment. This automation is best suited for batch
production process where product volume is medium to high. But in this, it is hard to change
and reconfigure the system for an entirely new product or sequence of operations. Example:
computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines, papermills, steel, rolling mills, industrial
robots.
Flexible automation - Answers This automation system provides the automatic control
equipment that offers a great flexibility for making changes in the product design. These
changes can be performed quickly through the commands given in the form of codes by the
human operators. This automation allows the manufacturers to produce multiple products with
different ranges as a combine process rather than separate processes. Examples:automatic,
guided vehicles, automobiles, and multipurpose CNC machines.
Batch process - Answers The manufacturing process where the final product required is
produced stage by stage at different workstations (ex: pharmaceutical industries, food and
beverages, paint industries, cement industries) identical products are produced by means of
assembly lines. The raw materials are same from first product to next
,Continuous process - Answers The manufacture process in which all stages, from the
introduction to the raw materials to the processing of the final product, happen continuously (ex:
refineries, chemical plans, blast furnaces for metals). The raw material is either bulky or fluid in
large quantity. Usually 24/7 besides shutting down for maintenance
Comparing the batch and continuous - Answers Continuous - high cost of factory equipment,
high rate of production, rare shut down times, few people needed, relatively easy ease of
automation. Batch - low cost of factory equipment, low rate of production, often shut down
times, many people needed (to close and open everything), relatively difficult ease of
automation
Examples of control objectives - Answers Safety, profit optimization, environmental protection,
equipment protection/extended life of equipment, smooth plant operation and production rate,
product quality, monitoring and diagnosis, decreased production labor
control system - Answers to maintain desired conditions in a physical system by adjusting
selected variables in the system
set point - Answers a specific value or range is used as a desired value for the controlled
variable
what does a control system comprise of? - Answers primary elements (or sensors/transmitters),
controllers, final control elements (usually control valves), processes
Control Variables - Answers Variables that quantify the performance or quality of the final
product, act as the set point, also called output process variables
Manipulated Variables - Answers Input variables that are adjusted dynamically to keep the
controlled variables at their set points
Disturbance Variables - Answers Variables that can cause the controlled variables to deviate
from their respective set points, also called load variables
Setpoint Change - Answers implementing a change in the operating conditions
Disturbance Change - Answers the process's transient behavior when a disturbance enters, also
called regulatory control or load change
Feedback Control - Answers Uses direct measurement of the controlled variables to adjust the
values of the manipulated variables
Feedforward Control - Answers Uses direct measurement of the disturbance to adjust the
values of the manipulated variables
Cascade Control - Answers Different combinations of feedforward and feedback controls
What are the 2 main reasons for control - Answers 1. maintain the measured variables at its
, desired value when a disturbance occurs
2. respond to changes in the setpoint
What are the 2 ways control is done? - Answers manually and automatically
Where are controls implemented? - Answers Control items like sensors and final control
elements can be found in the process and in the displays
What does a control engineer do? - Answers 1. Process Design
2. Measurements
3. Operation of final control elements
4. Control structure
5. Control calculations
What is a responsive control system? - Answers A system where the controlled variable
responds quickly to adjustments in the manipulated variable
What are the important decisions to make when it comes to sensors? - Answers 1. selection of
the sensors
2. location of the sensors
Final Control Elements - Answers provide the necessary changes in manipulated variables which
are determined by control calculations
Studies on process control systems should be documented and: - Answers 1. be
understandable
2. follow standards
What standard was developed to avoid misunderstandings in process control studies? -
Answers ISA Symbols
What does the first letter in an instrumentation symbol indicate? - Answers The type of variable
measured
What do the subsequent letters in an instrumentation symbol indicate? - Answers They give
information about the function being performed
In a thermocouple, the cold junction is ____ and the hot junction is ____ - Answers positive,
negative
What is level measurement? - Answers the determination of the location of the interface
What are 2 aims in any industrial plant? - Answers Produce standard and high-quality products
and sell rhem at prices, which make profit
Automation - Answers set of technologies that results in the operation of machines and
systems without significant human intervention and achieves performance superior to manual
operation
Control - Answers A set of technologies that achieves desired patterns of variations of
operational parameters, and sequence for machines and systems by providing the necessary
input signals
What is an early example of an automatic control system? - Answers James Watts flyball
governor. It consists of an error sensor connected by a negative feedback Loop to a control
device which drives the error to zero, thus maintaining a desired operating point.
What are the operational objectives in a process? - Answers Safety, production
specifications/quality, environmental regulations, operational constraints, economics, greater
throughput for a given installed capacity which leads to greater yield, waste minimization.
Fixed automation - Answers Used for fixed and repetitive operations to achieve high production
yield. Once it is set up, it is relatively hard to change or vary the product design. Therefore, it
cannot provide product variety, but increases the efficiency with higher production rate and
reduces unit cost. Example: distillation processes, paint, shops, conveyors
Programmable automation - Answers A specific class of changes in the product are possible,
and also assembling or processing operations can be changed with the modification of the
control program in the automated equipment. This automation is best suited for batch
production process where product volume is medium to high. But in this, it is hard to change
and reconfigure the system for an entirely new product or sequence of operations. Example:
computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines, papermills, steel, rolling mills, industrial
robots.
Flexible automation - Answers This automation system provides the automatic control
equipment that offers a great flexibility for making changes in the product design. These
changes can be performed quickly through the commands given in the form of codes by the
human operators. This automation allows the manufacturers to produce multiple products with
different ranges as a combine process rather than separate processes. Examples:automatic,
guided vehicles, automobiles, and multipurpose CNC machines.
Batch process - Answers The manufacturing process where the final product required is
produced stage by stage at different workstations (ex: pharmaceutical industries, food and
beverages, paint industries, cement industries) identical products are produced by means of
assembly lines. The raw materials are same from first product to next
,Continuous process - Answers The manufacture process in which all stages, from the
introduction to the raw materials to the processing of the final product, happen continuously (ex:
refineries, chemical plans, blast furnaces for metals). The raw material is either bulky or fluid in
large quantity. Usually 24/7 besides shutting down for maintenance
Comparing the batch and continuous - Answers Continuous - high cost of factory equipment,
high rate of production, rare shut down times, few people needed, relatively easy ease of
automation. Batch - low cost of factory equipment, low rate of production, often shut down
times, many people needed (to close and open everything), relatively difficult ease of
automation
Examples of control objectives - Answers Safety, profit optimization, environmental protection,
equipment protection/extended life of equipment, smooth plant operation and production rate,
product quality, monitoring and diagnosis, decreased production labor
control system - Answers to maintain desired conditions in a physical system by adjusting
selected variables in the system
set point - Answers a specific value or range is used as a desired value for the controlled
variable
what does a control system comprise of? - Answers primary elements (or sensors/transmitters),
controllers, final control elements (usually control valves), processes
Control Variables - Answers Variables that quantify the performance or quality of the final
product, act as the set point, also called output process variables
Manipulated Variables - Answers Input variables that are adjusted dynamically to keep the
controlled variables at their set points
Disturbance Variables - Answers Variables that can cause the controlled variables to deviate
from their respective set points, also called load variables
Setpoint Change - Answers implementing a change in the operating conditions
Disturbance Change - Answers the process's transient behavior when a disturbance enters, also
called regulatory control or load change
Feedback Control - Answers Uses direct measurement of the controlled variables to adjust the
values of the manipulated variables
Feedforward Control - Answers Uses direct measurement of the disturbance to adjust the
values of the manipulated variables
Cascade Control - Answers Different combinations of feedforward and feedback controls
What are the 2 main reasons for control - Answers 1. maintain the measured variables at its
, desired value when a disturbance occurs
2. respond to changes in the setpoint
What are the 2 ways control is done? - Answers manually and automatically
Where are controls implemented? - Answers Control items like sensors and final control
elements can be found in the process and in the displays
What does a control engineer do? - Answers 1. Process Design
2. Measurements
3. Operation of final control elements
4. Control structure
5. Control calculations
What is a responsive control system? - Answers A system where the controlled variable
responds quickly to adjustments in the manipulated variable
What are the important decisions to make when it comes to sensors? - Answers 1. selection of
the sensors
2. location of the sensors
Final Control Elements - Answers provide the necessary changes in manipulated variables which
are determined by control calculations
Studies on process control systems should be documented and: - Answers 1. be
understandable
2. follow standards
What standard was developed to avoid misunderstandings in process control studies? -
Answers ISA Symbols
What does the first letter in an instrumentation symbol indicate? - Answers The type of variable
measured
What do the subsequent letters in an instrumentation symbol indicate? - Answers They give
information about the function being performed
In a thermocouple, the cold junction is ____ and the hot junction is ____ - Answers positive,
negative
What is level measurement? - Answers the determination of the location of the interface
