5 Best Free PID Simulator Software For Windows

This article contains a list of Best Free PID Simulator Software For Windows. PID are three terms, where P is proportional, I is integral, and D is derivative. These listed freeware are used in the field of industrial control system to simulate various applications and techniques using a PID controller. A PID controller basically determines error value and apply correction to the control functions. You can know more about PID controllers by going to aforementioned link.

These software take values of PID, set-point, feedback mode, drift angle, iterations, simulation speed, etc. as input parameters. Some parameters vary for different PID simulators based on the scenario used. For example, one of these can be used for different applications like multi-loop PID compressor control, liquid-liquid extraction holdup control, Digester Kappa observer using Smith Predictor, etc. Based on the specified parameters, these software plot graphs with representation of control output. In one of these, you can save the output graph or print it too.

Most of these are portable PID simulators. Hence, you don’t need to go through an eventful installation process to access their functionalities. Just run the application file and use these software on the go.

My Favorite Free PID Simulator Software:

RTC-simulator is my favorite PID simulator as it lets you use PID controller for multiple scenarios such as multi-loop PID control of a dosing tank, flow control based on measured step responses, and more.

You may also like some best free PLC Software, Laplace Transform Calculator, and Gas Simulation Software for Windows.

RTC-simulator

RTC-simulator, where RTC stands for Real Time Control, is a free simulator for distinct applications and techniques like Dynamic Matrix Control, Smith prediction, Kalman filtering, Advanced Level Control, etc. You can use PID controller tuning with a few of these applications, which are:

1. Multi-loop PID control of a dosing tank.
2. Multi-loop PID compressor control.
3. Tank level controllers based on measured step responses.
4. Liquid-liquid extraction holdup control.
5. Flow control based on measured step responses.
6. Digester Kappa observer using Smith Predictor.

I have used “Multi-loop PID control of a dosing tank” application for testing purpose. Let’s see how to simulate PID controller with this case.

• Launch RTC-simulator and go to Application > PID option. It will open up an application window for “Dosing Tank”. You will see various options, parameters, tank diagram, and graph sections in this window. A Laplace equation is also given on the interface. The graphical representation takes place in real time with control functions.
• You can manually customize parameters like AC tuning and LC tuning (controller gain, controller’s derivative time constant, controller’s integrator time constant), SP (Set Point), PV (Process Variables), feedback mode (model, entry, or plant), etc.
  
• For the graphical representation, you can customize axis length, acceleration, log interval, and step interval.
• It provides step simulation option too which lets you analyze the graph for each point of time.

RTC-simulator is a nice and portable PID simulator.

Robot Simulator

Robot Simulator is a free software to visualize and simulate concepts of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. To do so, it comes with various modules like Localization (Histogram Filter, Kalman Filter, Particles Filter), Path Planning (DFS, BFS, Dynamic Programming), etc. It also provides a PID Controller for PID simulation, which is accessible from Controller menu. This PID controller is used to simulate a scenario where a robotic car is traveling along x-axis. The full detail of the scenario is given on the screen (click on above screenshot).

Robot Simulator as PID SImulation Software:

As you open PID Controller window, you will see the Controller Settings. Using these settings, you can configure parameters for PID simulator including values of P (proportional), I (Integral), D (differential), Drift angle, Iterations, and Speed. After setting up these parameters, click on Apply Setting and visualize the PID graph. You can choose the functions to include in the output graphical representation, such as Reference, P-controller, PD controller, PI controller, PID controller, etc. Different color schemes for distinct values are used to represent the graph. Hence, it is easy to analyze the PID graph.

On right-clicking the graph, you can customize its properties like title of the graph, plot settings (label, tick labels, range values, etc.), font, outline stroke, outline paint, background color, orientation, etc. You can zoom in/out the graph, copy PID graph to the clipboard, save it as a PNG image, and also print it.

Robot Simulator is another good PID simulation software which comes in a portable package.

PID Simulator

PID Simulator is a free software for PID tuning for temperature control. It plots a real-time temperature graph for adjustable parameters. You can change the values for parameters like heat loss per second, joules added per second, setpoint, constant values (Kp, Ki, Kd), etc. You can also set PID simulation speed and interval. The graph with temperature value is displayed on the screen.

It is a simple and portable PID simulation software.

PID simulator

PID simulator is yet another PID simulation software for Windows. It is almost similar to above mentioned software. You just need to input the three constant values (proportion, integration, derivation), relative heat capacity and heat loss, dump heat, power granularity, target temperature, interval, simulation delay, etc. The fluctuating power value with controller output and error is displayed on the graph.

It is also a portable application.

PID example

PID example is another free PID simulator for Windows. It is basically an example of PID control in the case where processes change due to inertia. Here, you can view real-time PID simulation graph. The values of three constants (Integral, Derivative, Error) are determined and displayed in real time on the interface. You can also change these values plus adjust Setpoint and Interval (ms) values to simulate and plot the PID graph. The graph plots the values of PV (Process Value) and MV (output) which you can analyze. If you want, you can add noise to the signal.