What does the term "signal conditioning" refer to in control systems?

The term "signal conditioning" refers primarily to the manipulation of a signal to make it suitable for processing. In control systems, raw signals from sensors often contain noise and may not be in a form that can be efficiently used by controllers or data acquisition systems. Signal conditioning encompasses various techniques, such as amplification, filtering, multiplexing, and analogue-to-digital conversion, to refine these signals. This process ensures that the signals are clear, accurate, and compatible with the processing systems used in the control architecture.

This understanding underscores the importance of signal conditioning in achieving reliable and effective control system performance. By ensuring the signals are well-prepared for further analysis or action, signal conditioning directly contributes to the system's overall accuracy and responsiveness.