The control of complex mechanical systems often falls between the cracks of engineering

curricula, but the topic occupies an extremely important place in the world of

industrial control. Most courses and professional reference material cover the details

of embedded control of very small systems using microcontrollers, as well as details of

electronics and control theory. In contrast, this book addresses issues associated with

the design of control software for mechanical systems consisting of significant numbers

of sensors and actuators — systems whose activities must be coordinated. These systems

often include a computer-based operator interface and internal as well as external

network connections.