Within our control system, all digital values are stored as data types like a Byte, Integer, Word, or Double Word if they are whole number integers, and a float or REAL if the number has a decimal point, like the value 5.387, which is not an integer.
A digital signal (often called ‘discrete’) is quite simply 0 or 1, like a light that is on or off with no in-between.
The analog signal can exist at any level between those min and max values. Image used courtesy of CanvaĪn analog signal usually comes in the form of 0-10 VDC or 4-20 mA, but other common ranges include 0-5 or -10-+10 VDC, or 0-20 mA. Analog signals and digital signals are both common in industry but are handled by entirely different circuitry. Digital and analog are presented as opposing options in control systems, for good reason.įigure 1.
Digital control systems (such as PLCs) and microcontrollers operate at a fundamental level with 1’s and 0’s, but in the real world, we have positive and negative, and both very large and very small numbers.
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