In electronics and electrical engineering, a ramp generator is a function generator that increases its output voltage up to a specific value, called a ramp.[1] Among multitude of other uses, it is used in electrical generators or electric motors to avoid jolts when changing a load.[2] Some ramp generators present also the possibility to change the start-up and return flow time.[2]
Originally, ramp generators were implemented as analog hardware devices. Today, this functionality is part of the software of a digital device.[2]