Feedback in contouring control systems

A CONTOURING control system is a position control system whose primary function is to position the cutter of a machine tool in accordance with the contours of a template. The General Electric Company´s contouring control system consists of both electrical and mechanical elements. The electrical elements are the electronic amplifiers, networks, amplidyne, and motor, and the mechanical elements are the gears, shafts, lead screws, and machine slides which compose the mechanical drives of the machine tool. In determining the performance of a contouring control system, each of these elements must be considered by itself and in relation to the other elements of the system.