AutoQuiz is edited by Joel Don, ISA's community manager.
Today's automation industry quiz question comes from the ISA Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST) program. Certified Control System Technicians calibrate, document, troubleshoot, and repair/replace instrumentation for systems that measure and control level, temperature, pressure, flow, and other process variables. Click this link for information about the CCST program. This question is from the Level I study guide, Domain 2, Loop checking. Level I (Level I represents a professional who has a five-year total of education, training, and/or experience.)
In most process control systems, the final control element is a:
a) transmitter
b) sensor
c) controller
d) valve
e) none of the above
A final control element is a device that directly controls the value of the manipulated variable of a control loop. Often the final control element is a control valve (ANSI/ISA-5.1-1984, revised 1992). It can also be the component of a control system, such as a control valve, that directly regulates the flow of energy or material to or from the process (ANSI/ISA-77.44.01-2000). Other examples of final control elements are solenoids and servomotors.
The best answer is D, valve.