A software tool for the design and simulation of PID with event based sampling

In this work we present a free software tool for the design and simulation of PID controllers with event based sampling. The tool allows to easily obtain the PID that minimizes the disturbance IAE while maintains the control action jumps under a desired bound, for a given robustness. The application calculates the phase and gain margins with respect the existence of limit cycles for SSOD sampling and RQ sampling, taking into account the describing function approximation. Therefore, the application can be used to design a PID that guarantees the absence of oscillations due to limit cycles with certain margins. A time response simulation window allows to simulate the response of the event based controlled system to setpoint and disturbance changes, choosing between SSOD and RQ with hysteresis. Performance data are automatically calculated and shown. The application is useful to analyze the implications of using PI and PID controllers with different event based sampling strategies, especially the existence of limit cycles and the compromise between control action jumps and performance.