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EDWartens UK

Free course · Process control

PID Control for PLC Engineers

From on/off to a tuned loop: what P, I and D each do, how to tune by hand and by rule, anti-windup and filtering, and PID inside Allen-Bradley controllers.

See the modules

Free to learn. Verifiable certificate £19 when you pass the final exam (optional, VAT included).

Level
Intermediate
Modules
13
Video
13 hours
Price
Free

Outcome

What you will be able to do

Explain why manual and on/off control fall short, wire a loop, describe what proportional, integral and derivative each do, tune a loop by hand, by rule and automatically, prevent windup and filter noise, tell positional from velocity form, configure PIDE in Studio 5000, PID in RSLogix 500 and the Micro800 PID, and choose PID against other methods.

  • Explain why on/off control cannot hold a setpoint on a fast process
  • Wire a loop's transmitter and final element on Micro800 and MicroLogix
  • Predict what raising gain, shortening reset or adding rate does to a loop
  • Tune from a step test, by Ziegler-Nichols or lambda, and by autotune
  • Stop integral windup and filter noise without killing response
  • Convert parameters between gain/reset/rate forms and units
  • Configure PIDE, RSLogix 500 PID and the Micro800 PID
  • Choose PID, cascade, feedforward or something else for an application

Software

None for the theory modules. For the implementation modules, one of: Connected Components Workbench Standard Edition (free), RSLogix Micro Starter Lite (free) or Studio 5000 Logix Designer (paid)

Hardware

None required. A small heater or tank rig makes tuning real.

Syllabus

13 modules

Each module has video lessons, notes and a short quiz. The final exam closes the course.

  1. 1Why Control, and Why PID4 lessons
  2. 2The Loop Hardware and Wiring3 lessonsLab
  3. 3Proportional Control3 lessonsLab
  4. 4Integral Action and PI4 lessons
  5. 5Derivative Action, PD and Full PID4 lessons
  6. 6Tuning Parameters and the Two Equations3 lessons
  7. 7Tuning a Loop3 lessonsLab
  8. 8Anti-Windup, Noise Filtering and Key Concepts3 lessonsLab
  9. 9Modelling the Process1 lesson
  10. 10PID in Studio 5000: PIDE and Autotune3 lessons
  11. 11PID in RSLogix 500 and Micro8002 lessons
  12. 12PID versus Other Methods, and Applications2 lessons
  13. 13Final Assessment1 lesson

How it works

How this course works

  1. Watch the video lessonsOne module at a time, at your own pace.
  2. Take the module quizA short quiz at the end of each module shows what stuck.
  3. Keep your notesWrite in My notes beside each module and ask the trainer if you are stuck.
  4. Practise in the labOptionalTry a task from the module in the EDWartens Lab, in your browser.
  5. Sit the final examPass it once you have been through the modules.
  6. Certificate, if you want oneOptionalPaid, and only after you pass. Anyone can check it online.

EDWartens Lab

Practise this in the EDWartens Lab

Calibrate a 4 to 20 mA transmitter, tune a level or flow loop and read the trend in the Lab's process simulator.

Works alongside PID Control for PLC Engineers. The Lab is process control practice in your browser: no install, no hardware, free to use. Sign in as a learner and it opens with your account.

Open the free lab See the Lab
Process control: Tune a real process loop.

Levels to try with this course

Optional. Skip it whenever you like: it never blocks your progress or your certificate.

Why practise in a lab

Technical work is judged on what you can do: wiring, commissioning, finding a fault. Doing a task yourself teaches more than watching it a second time, and a lab lets you try it safely before you meet real equipment. It does not replace working on real hardware.

  • Practise safely, so a mistake costs nothing.
  • The lab checks your work like a site test, so you know when it is right.
  • Free, in your browser, with nothing to install.

Certificate

An optional certificate when you pass

Learning is free. Pass the final exam and you can have a certificate for £19, including VAT, with a number employers can check online. It records that you completed a free online course; it is not a regulated qualification or a CPD certificate.

  • Your name, the course, its study time and your final exam score
  • A unique certificate number and a QR code to its verification page
  • Issued by Wartens Ltd; add it to your LinkedIn profile in one click
  • Pay now or after you pass: it is issued the moment you pass the final

How the certificate works

Sample certificate for PID Control for PLC Engineers

Credits

Who made the lessons

The video lessons belong to their creators. EDWartens wrote the study plan, notes, quizzes and the final exam.

Questions

About this course

Do I need a PLC to follow this?
No. The theory modules need nothing; the implementation modules show Studio 5000, RSLogix 500 and CCW and can be followed with the free CCW or RSLogix Micro Starter Lite (Studio 5000 is paid). A simulated first-order loop in a spreadsheet is enough to practise tuning.
Is this only for Allen-Bradley?
The implementation modules use Allen-Bradley because the source series does. The theory, tuning and troubleshooting apply to every PID block, and the parameter-conversion module shows how to move numbers between vendors.
How much maths?
Arithmetic and one transfer function you can ignore if you like. The course is about behaviour: what each term does and how to see it in a trend.
What certificate do I get, and is it a vendor qualification?
An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a verification code anyone can check. It is not a Rockwell or any other vendor credential and is never described as one.
Is the course really free?
Yes. Every module, practice task and assessment. You create an account so your progress is saved and the assessments can be marked. The certificate is the only paid item, and only if you want it.
Who made the video lessons?
The creators named in the Credits block at the foot of this page, on their own YouTube channels. EDWartens did not make the videos and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.
How long does the course take?
Plan on about 13 hours in all, including the video lessons, notes and practice tasks. It is self-paced, so you work through the thirteen modules at your own speed.

Process control

Take it with

See the whole path

The Professional Module is five live days of Siemens PLC, HMI and SCADA with an instructor, then a resume session and a CPD certificate.

See the Professional Module