This article was printed in CONTROL's June 2009 edition.
Every month, Control’s editors take a specific product area, collect all the latest, significant tools we can find, and present them here to make your job easier. If you know of any tools and resources we didn’t include, send them to [email protected], and we’ll add them to the website.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Partlow
800/866-6659
Website gives installation and troubleshooting guidelines on loop controllers. Topics covered include things to avoid while panel-mounting your controller, controller installation considerations to reduce electrical noise, and connecting and wiring. Also register for a free copy of this company’s controller handbook, which explains the basic principles of temperature control and tips on how to select the right controller.
PID CONTROLLER TUNING RULES
Amazon
Handbook of PI and PID Controller Tuning Rules by Aidan O’Dwyer presents tuning rules for PI and PID controllers for processes with time delay. It categorizes the tuning rules, gives application information about each rule, and discusses controller architecture and process modeling issues, as well as the performance and robustness of loops compensated with PI or PID controllers.
10 TRENDS IN TEMPERATURE CONTROL
Omron Electronics LLC Industrial Automation
847/843-7900
This website discusses 10 trends in temperature control, including multi-loop control. There also is a discussion of software and communications networking for temperature control.
WHAT IS PID?
ExperTune
262/369-7711
Tutorial defines PID control. Subtitles include proportional band, integral, derivative, control loop tuning and fine tuning rules.
PID TUNING COURSE
Feedforward Publications
Online PID Tuning Course simplifies PID control loop tuning and provides many PID tuning tips. Download PID tuning methods, a printable PID tuning logbook and a PID tuning quick cheat sheet. There is a free copy of “The Idiots Guide to PID Algorithms” plus a PID tuning simulator and PID tuning calculator and an automated process linearizer for MS Excel.
PID THEORY
National Instruments
888/280-7645
Tutorial explains PID theory using LabVIEW PID toolsets that feature an array of virtual instruments (VIs) for designing PID-based control systems. Control output range limiting, integrator anti-windup and bumpless controller output for PID gain changes are some features of the PID VI. The PID Advanced VI includes all the features of the PID VI plus non-linear integral action.
CONTROLLER GUIDE
Watlow
800/492-8569
Controller quick reference guides provide an overview of inputs, outputs, agency approvals and power supplies to help users select the best product for their application. Guides include single-loop controllers, multi-loop controllers and power controllers.
TRAINING WORKSHOPS
Control Station
877/566-7776
Practical Process Control workshops teach how to improve process performance and plant profitability. Options include two-day workshops and one-day “follow-up” sessions. A free PID tuning demo on PID tuning and simulation software is available.
CONTROLLER BASICS
Process Control solutions
919/882-8766
“PID Algorithm and Tuning Methods” discusses controller tuning methods and criteria, the digital PID control algorithm, how it works, the various implementation methods and options, and how these affect the operation and tuning of the controller.
