Abstract
Engineered systems are those entities that are designed and constructed by human beings. They include a vast array of mechanical, electromechanical, electronic, and hydraulic devices, such as steam engines, automobiles, stereo-amplifiers, computers, and wind turbines. They also include much larger entities, for example, ships, airplanes, chemical manufacturing plants, and oil refineries, and even larger ones, such as telecommunication networks and power grids. An engineered system may include human beings, when they are closely associated with its working, for example, an automobile with its driver, an airplane with its pilots, or a chemical plant with its operating personnel. The early applications of systems science have mostly been in the domain of Engineered Systems, where James Watt was a forerunner. He developed feedback mechanism for controlling the speed of steam engines. This chapter provides an overview of engineered systems as an introduction to a broader systems thinking. The next chapter will discuss how the same concepts can be applied to nonengineered systems.
The chapter starts with a brief history of engineered systems that came into being at the beginning of the industrial revolution. Early mechanical systems included water wheels and windmills, which were followed by the development of stationary steam engines for pumping out water from the coal mines in England. Then there are discussions on loop diagrams that depict the information flows in the systems. The chapter delves into the various parts of a loop, which include sensors, actuators, and controllers. Finally, there are discussions on the importance of feedback and how delays can negatively affect the behavior of a system.