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Ziegler-Nichols Method for Tuning PID Controllers

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Done by:

Hashem Mohammed Alsafi

AC.202070378

Group 3.

System(general)

Supervised by:

E. Mahran Al Alabsi
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Abstract

The Ziegler-Nichols method is a widely used technique for tuning PID controllers. The method is based

on the observation that the ultimate gain and period of a closed-loop system can be used to determine

the parameters of a PID controller. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the Ziegler-Nichols

method, including its history, theoretical basis, and practical implementation. The paper also discusses

the advantages and limitations of the method, as well as some of its modifications and extensions.

Finally, the paper presents a comparison of the Ziegler-Nichols method with other tuning methods

for PID controllers.

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Introduction:

Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers are widely used in industrial control systems to

regulate process variables such as temperature, pressure, and flow rate. The performance of a PID

controller depends on the values of its three tuning parameters: proportional gain, integral time, and

derivative time. The selection of these parameters is critical for achieving stable and responsive control

of the process variable.

The Ziegler-Nichols method is one of the oldest and most widely used techniques for tuning PID

controllers. The method was first proposed by John G. Ziegler and Nathaniel B. Nichols in the 1940s. The

method is based on the observation that the ultimate gain and period of a closed-loop system can be

used to determine the parameters of a PID controller.

Theory:

The Ziegler-Nichols method involves two steps: first, the ultimate gain and period of the closed-

loop system are determined through a process of gradually increasing the controller gain until the

system becomes unstable and oscillates with a constant amplitude; second, the PID controller

parameters are calculated using one of three different methods: the Ziegler-Nichols open-loop method,

the Ziegler-Nichols closed-loop method, or the Ziegler-Nichols frequency response method. The Ziegler-

Nichols open-loop method involves selecting the PID parameters based on the ultimate gain and period

of the system, as well as a set of empirical factors that depend on the type of system being controlled.

The Ziegler-Nichols closed-loop method involves applying a proportional controller with a gain of one-

half the ultimate gain and a period equal to one-fourth of the ultimate period, and then adjusting the

integral and derivative terms based on the system response. The Ziegler-Nichols frequency response

method involves analyzing the frequency response of the system and selecting the PID parameters

based on the dominant frequency and damping ratio.

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Ziegler–Nichols method

The Ziegler-Nichols method allows to adjust or "tune" a PID controller empirically, without

needing to know the equations of the plant or the controlled system. These tuning rules proposed by

Ziegler and Nichols were published in 1942 and since then they have been one of the most widely used

and widely used tuning methods.

The values proposed by this method try to achieve in the feedback system a step response with

a maximum overshoot of 25%, which is a value Robust with good speed and stability characteristics for

most systems.

The Ziegler-Nichols PID regulator tuning method allows defining the constants or proportional,

integral and derivative gains (Kp, Ki and Kd) from the response of the system in open loop or from the

response of the system in closed loop. Each of the two trials best fits one type of system.

Tuning by step response

This tuning method is well suited to systems that are open-loop stable and have a time delay

from when they receive the control signal to when they start to act.

In order to determine the step response of the controlled plant or system, the PID controller

must be removed and replaced with a step signal applied to the actuator.
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The following figure shows the modification that must be made to the closed-loop control

system to convert it into an open-loop system that responds to a step signal, removing the PID

controller:

In the following image you can see the step input to the actuator or signal c(t) represented in

red. In blue the output of the system measured by the sensor or signal h(t) is represented. The input

step c(t) must be between 10% and 20% of the nominal input value. As can be seen, the system

response presents a delay, also called dead time, represented by T1.

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To calculate the parameters, we begin by drawing a straight line tangent to the output signal of

the system (blue curve). This tangent is drawn on the image with a dashed line.

The time T1 corresponds to the dead time. This is the time it takes for the system to start

responding. This interval is measured from when the step signal rises, to the point of intersection of the

tangent line with the initial value of the system, which in this case is the value 25ºC.

The T2 time is the rise time. Time 2 will start where the tangent line intersects the start output

value (25º at 2 seconds) and will end where the tangent line intersects the output end value (225º at 14

seconds).
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Step response. Time 2 begins after T1 and ends when the tangent line reaches the maximum

output value, in this case 225ºC.

In addition to these two characteristic times, the variation of the step signal dX and the variation

of the system response dY must also be calculated.

The dX variation corresponds to the step of the control signal. In the example that appears in

the images, the variation of the step signal corresponds to dX = 5 volts of control signal c(t).

The dY variation of the system due to the step signal that we have introduced corresponds in

the example to dY = 200ºC measured by the sensor h(t) in a certain amount of volts.

From these values, the system constant Ko can be calculated:

Ko = (dX * T2) / (dY * T1)

And from the constant Ko it is possible to calculate the parameters of the PID controller with

only proportional (P), proportional and integral (PI), proportional and derivative (PD) or proportional

integral and derivative (PID) action:

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Control Kp Ki Kd

P Ko

PI 0.9*Ko 0.27*Ko/T1

P.S. 1.6*Ko 0.60*Ko*T1

PID 1.2*Ko 0.60*Ko/T1 0.60*Ko*T1

The constant Kp corresponds to the proportional gain, Ki is the integral gain and Kd is the

derivative gain.

Example of PID tuning with step response

In the example that appears in the previous images, the simulation of an oven made with a

spreadsheet has been used. A simulator of a heating system with two boilers is also available.

Temperature control simulator: Thermal Control. Version 0.11

To calculate system parameters, a step response is forced by setting the control signal to 0 volts

with a 5 volt step. The system responds by changing from 25 degrees Celsius (0.25V) to 225 degrees

Celsius (2.25V). The times are those that appear in the previous graphs, with which the values of the

response curve of the system are the following:

dX = 5 - 0 = 5 volts

dY = 2.25 - 0.25 = 2 volts

T1 = 2.2 - 1 = 1.2 seconds

T2 = 13.8 - 2.2 = 11.6 seconds

From these values, the parameters of the PID regulator can be calculated:

Ko = (dX * T2) / (dY * T1) = (5 * 11.6) / (2 * 1.2) = 24.2

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Control Kp Ki Kd

P 24.2

PI 21.8 5.44

PI 38.7 17.4

PID 29.0 12.1 17.4

After entering the values Kp, Ki and Kd in the PID, the following response is obtained:

The PID parameters can now be manually adjusted to achieve a slightly more stable response.

The derivative gain has been increased and the integral reduced to reduce oscillations:

Kp = 28

Ki = 10

Kd = 21
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As a result, the system now stabilizes in 12 seconds:

In all cases, the integral response has been limited so that it is worth zero if the error is greater

than 40ºC. This mode of operation of the integral gain is called anti-windup and serves to avoid

excessive overshoot in the response. This overshoot occurs because the integral control increases while

the actuator is saturated, so that it accumulates a value that is too high and not adjusted to the real

response of the system.

Closed-loop critical gain tuning

This method does not require removing the PID controller from the closed loop. In this case it is

only necessary to minimize the derivative action and the integral action of the PID regulator. The closed-

loop test consists of gradually increasing the proportional gain until the system oscillates in a sustained

manner in the event of any disturbance. This oscillation must be linear, without saturations. At this

moment it is necessary to measure the proportional gain, called critical gain or Kc, and the oscillation

period Tc in seconds.
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Once these two values have been measured, the parameters of the PID controller with only

proportional (P), proportional and integral (PI), proportional and derivative (PD) or proportional integral

and derivative (PID) action can be calculated:

Control Kp Ki Kd

P 0.50*Kc

PI 0.45*Kc 0.54*Kc/Tc

P.S. 0.80*Kc 0.075*Kc*Tc

PID 0.59*Kc 1.18*Kc/Tc 0.075*Kc*Tc

The constant Kp corresponds to the proportional gain, Ki is the integral gain and Kd is the

derivative gain.

Example of PID tuning with the critical gain

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We are going to perform a tuning of the previously simulated thermal system:

Temperature control simulator: Thermal Control. Version 0.11

The first operation will be to cancel the derivative and integral gains:

Kd = 0

Ki = 0

Next, a working temperature is set at the reference and the proportional gain is increased until a

sustained oscillatory response is achieved.

With a proportional gain Kp = 0.40 the response is still damped:

By increasing the proportional gain up to Kp = 0.43, a response with sustained oscillations is

obtained:
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By increasing the gain up to Kp = 0.45, the oscillations grow in time, so the gain would be too

high.

In this case, therefore, the critical gain and the period are:

Kc = 0.43

Tc = 21/4 = 5.3 s

From these values the parameters of the PID controller are calculated:
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Control Kp Ki Kd

P 0.215

PI 0.195 0.044

PI 0.344 0.169

PID 0.254 0.096 0.169

As can be seen, the values are similar to the values obtained previously with the step response

method. The differences are due to the fact that this system is not linear and therefore has a distorted

oscillatory response when seeking the critical gain.

Entering the above values in the PID controller, the following response of the thermal system

with PID controller is obtained:

In this case, you can also finish tuning the PID regulator by hand to get a slightly more stable

response.
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Advantages and Limitations:

The Ziegler-Nichols method is a simple and straightforward technique for PID controller

tuning that can be performed without extensive knowledge of the system dynamics. The method is

particularly useful for systems with linear behavior and relatively simple dynamics. However, the

method may not always produce the best results for all systems. In some cases, the method may lead

to excessive overshoot, slow response, or instability. In addition, the method may not be suitable for

systems with nonlinearities or complex dynamics.

Modifications and Extensions:

To overcome these limitations, several modifications and extensions to the Ziegler-Nichols

method have been proposed over the years. For example, some researchers have suggested using a

modified version of the Ziegler-Nichols method that includes a damping ratio term to improve the

response of the closed-loop system. Others have proposed using a hybrid method that combines the

Ziegler-Nichols method with other tuning methods, such as the Cohen-Coon method or the IMC

method.

Comparison with Other Tuning Methods:

There are many other methods for tuning PID controllers that have been proposed in the

literature, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Some of these methods include the Astrom-

Hagglund method, the Chien-Hrones-Reswick method, the Cohen-Coon method, and the Internal Model

Control (IMC) method. A comparison of these methods with the Ziegler-Nichols method is beyond the

scope of this paper, but it is important to note that the choice of tuning method depends on the specific

application and the desired system performance.

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References

Ziegler–Nichols method - Wikipedia

Ziegler–Nichols method - Automatic control - Picuino

9.3: PID Tuning via Classical Methods - Engineering LibreTexts

PID controller tuning: Ziegler-Nichols methods - Electrical e-Library.com (electricalelibrary.com)

Wikipedia: PID controller

Wikipedia: Control system

Wikipedia: Servomotor
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