1. A rotating electrical machine that amplifies a small electrical input signal to produce a large output signal, used in control systems.
Usage: technical; electronics; largely historical; superseded by modern electronic amplifiers

Examples

• The amplidyne was widely used in industrial control systems during the mid-20th century.
• Engineers relied on amplidynes to amplify weak signals in servo mechanisms before solid-state electronics became dominant.
• The amplidyne's ability to handle high power outputs made it valuable in heavy machinery applications.
• Modern control systems have largely replaced amplidynes with transistor-based amplifiers.