Recommendation for Cheap PID trainer

I have Real PLC but I dont have a real system to have PID Control- any recommendation how can I build such a system- there are some PID trainer but they are very expensive 800 USD

I need this to learn PID

You can make your own with an incandescent lamp and a temperature probe.

qwemx said:

I have Real PLC but I dont have a real system to have PID Control- any recommendation how can I build such a system- there are some PID trainer but they are very expensive 800 USD

I need this to learn PID

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I dont think 800 is very expensive for what you get

It took two years to come up with the one we manufacture http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=114694

I did go with 0-10v but its easy to put in a converter if you need/want to use 4-20

We have made lots of improvements from the prototype and a few different variables so there are a lot of lessons that can be learned https://www.plccable.com/miniature-machine-plc-training-pid-proportional-integral-derivative/

Tim is using them in the PLC classes he is going to teach and his video shows the final product https://youtu.be/8Yv-aBEZFrc

If you are going to build your own... search for Ron Beaufort's hot rod that maybe something you can build?

Have you thought about using some of the online/offline simulations:
http://grauonline.de/alexwww/ardumower/pid/pid.html


http://www.engineers-excel.com/Apps/PID_Simulator/Description.htm


There isn't one PID to learn, each process is different and will require a different solution.

I've been working with Mark's PID Trainer for several months and there is a lot you can do with it. Yes you can build something cheaper, but it as adjustments in the right spots to help you truly understand PID control and tuning it for processes with a high amount of variability.
https://www.plccable.com/miniature-machine-plc-training-pid-proportional-integral-derivative/

I'm building out a lesson series for it. It is still in the early stages but you can see a preview here.
https://www.theautomationstore.com/pid-proportional-integral-derivative-lessons/

I have two setups from eBay: a MicroLogix 1100 and an S7-1200. I spent about $125 on the former, I think, because the software is free, and under $500 for the latter because the software is not. I have seen the ML1100s go as low as $75, but those may not be functional. I also have stuff I have been given, for which I am very grateful.


I have a box of buttons and such to hook up to the PLCs to do something interesting eventually, which will take many hours, plywood, screws, wire, trips to the hardware store etc. At any reasonable valuation for my labor, that would be an even bigger piece of the cost of my bench setup, but I am doing this for myself so the labor is valued at zero.



Bottom line: unless you are a dilettante like me, $800 is cheap.

I would simply use an Excel spread sheet.
BryanG is correct about a different solution for every application.
There are non-integrating and integrating systems. There are systems with one or two poles or more. If there are two poles, they can be real or complex. Some systems require compensating for dead time.


The OP didn't state what kind of systems he is trying to control.


This an example of using data from Ron Beaufort's "hitrod" trainers and treating it like a SOPDT system. I show the derivation of the PID parameters and the calculation of the gains. I used Mathcad for this.


Today I would use Python for the calculations and wxMaxima for deriving the tuning equations.