The process of measuring and controlling various quantities in industries by utilizing various industrial instruments is called as industrial instrumentation. For controlling any quantity, primarily that particular quantity has to be measured. The common quantities used in industries and which are considered for measurement include fluid pressure, fluid flow rate, temperature of a device, volume of fluid, motion or position or physical dimensions or acceleration of the machine, electrical current, electrical voltage and electrical resistance.

Thus, after measuring the desired quantity, the measured values are transmitted for indication or computation or controlling purpose either with manual operation or automatic operation. In an automatic- controlling operation the quantity can be controlled using the control signal sent by the computer to the controlling devices.

In general, controlling devices are electric motor, control valve and electric heater. These instrumentation and control devices are connected to the measuring devices by using some physical system referred to as “process”.

Most of the industries are automated for ease of operation for this purpose;  the microcontroller and microprocessors are required for programmable switching. For example, in many industries, the industrial power schedule is automated using embedded systems.