An Interactive PID Learning Module for Educational Purposes

Abstract

The PID controller is the most common controller and it is taught in most introductory automatic control courses. To develop an intuitive understanding of the basic concepts of the PID controller and PID parameter tuning, interactive and freely available tools are important. A PID module for educational purposes has been implemented in JGrafchart, a freely available development environment for the graphical programming language Grafchart. JGrafchart includes interactive graphical elements such as live plots and it is possibile to create animated graphics, for example of a simulated process. JGrafchart's variables, for example controller parameters and modes, can be changed interactively while executing. The PID module will be included in future releases of JGrafchart with sample applications which can be used for example to demonstrate a PID controller live in lectures or to let students interactively change controller parameters and modes to develop an intuitive understanding of the PID controller and PID parameter tuning. The sample applications are designed for users without any knowledge about JGrafchart and can be used to control both simulated and physical processes.