Pros and Cons of Higher Order Models

Modeling is a time-tested approach for decoding a process’ dynamic behavior. By understanding how a process responds to change it’s possible to apply an appropriate and timely counter measure. Two common applications of modeling are 1) PID controller tuning, and 2) process simulation.

Read More

The Power of the FOPDT Model

If you’re a parent, then chances are you’ve encountered this dilemma: It’s the day after your son or daughter’s birthday and you’re now faced with the job of assembling gifts provided by friends and family. You can either ‘wing it’ with the hope of constructing each toy quickly or you can hunker down and follow the manufacturer’s step-by-step instructions. While ignoring the instructions and following your intuition seems like the faster option, most experienced parents know that those instructions represent a speedier solution which ultimately results in a happier child.

Read More

How to Model a PID Loop

As stated in a previous post, tuning PID controllers is a multi-step process. After you gather your data from your step test, the next step in the process is fitting a model to your Process Data. Fitting a model involves the analysis of bump test data and the calculation of tuning parameters that are specific to both your controller and your control objective. This post highlights some industry best practices for fitting a model to your test data.

Read More

How Do I Tune a PID Controller?

Techniques for modelling a process’ dynamics and calculating tuning parameters are widely available.  These approaches enable practitioners to tune controllers consistently and with reasonable results.  At Control Station we know a little about this topic as we’ve been sharing these techniques for decades and innovating software-based solutions that deliver even better results.

Read More