What is a technical system?

We explain what a technical system is and what function it has. In addition, how it is composed and some examples. Technical system of units.

1. What is a technical system?

A technical system is understood as a complex mechanism of actions intentionally oriented to the transformation, control or transport of some type of concrete objects , using physical entities and human agents, to achieve a determined and considered valuable result.

The technical systems are part of the daily life of humanity and fulfill various economic, logistic, political and even social tasks . For this, the interrelation or interconnection between the various elements that make up the system is vital. If there is good communication between them, there is a greater chance that the final task will be successful.

Technical systems differ from artifacts in their degree of autonomy and automation, since the former require human agents to operate.

2. Components of a technical system

Every technical system has the following types of components, often used as categories for process analysis:

• Material components . This category includes the essential raw material to start the process , the energy applied in its transformation and the technical equipment ( technology ) that allow it to work on it.
• Components agents . The people involved in the process, which gives it a load of culture , values , skills and knowledge , and play a vital role in their interaction with the system, such as operators, supervisors, regulators, controllers, etc.
• System structure . This refers to the specific way in which the other components of a system are arranged and interconnected. Based on this, it is possible to identify two types of process: management and transformation. The former exercise control over the process, while the latter are those who carry out the work properly.
• Results . The results are the objects and actions obtained at the end of the process, whether desired (successful process) or not. It is possible that two technical systems that have similar components and structures yield different results.

3. Role of a technical system

Technical systems can have any type of function, based on three categories:

• Transformation . A raw material is taken and subjected to physical, chemical or other change processes, and a different product is obtained.
• Transportation . A material (raw or processed) is received and positioned in other places according to a specific distribution or marketing plan.
• Control . Another process is taken into account as an initial input and is controlled or managed from its beginning to its end, resulting in its success, or its increase in effectiveness or performance.

4. Examples of technical system

A nuclear power plant :

• Material components : The technological equipment for nuclear reaction treatment; enriched uranium as raw material; the territorial location on which to build the plant; lab coats and other daily work materials; radiation detectors for personnel and environments ; the water to boil; turbines to generate electricity with water vapor.
• Agent components : The different levels of human operators: technicians, cleaning staff, scientists, administrators, managers, operators, etc.
• Structure : It includes a series of transformation processes of enriched uranium into radioactive elements, through a controlled atomic reaction that generates a lot of energy. This energy is transmitted to the water that boils and mobilizes the turbines. Waste should then be collected, mobilized and disposed of properly.
• Results : Energy and radioactive plutonium (toxic waste) in lead barrels.

A book distributor :

• Material components : The books and publications that must be distributed in the different commercial offices of the city , as well as the indispensable transport vehicles to cover the distances quickly, the deposit where to receive all the material of the printing press and the boxes to load it.
• Agent components : Warehouse operators, carriers, administrators and supervisory managers.
• Structure : The material is received by massive packages and divided into smaller sets for each of the specific sales centers. Then they are sent and the entire operation is recorded in receipt formats.
• Results : The books available in each bookstore.

5. Unit Technical System

A technical unit system consists of a methodology to measure magnitudes of some kind , consisting of fundamental units and a proportion and convertibility ratio between them.

There are several systems of this type, although the most accepted is the so-called International System of Weights and Measures (SI) , or metric-decimal system. In this, kilograms are used to measure mass , meter or centimeter to measure length, second as a unit of time, kilogram-force or kilopond as unit of force and calorie as unit of heat. This is based on the gravitational attraction of the earth, which is why it is sometimes called the gravitational system or the terrestrial system of units.