Overview
Week 14 at a Glance
Closed-loop architectureP, I, D actionsZiegler-Nichols tuningITAE criterionAnti-windupDerivative filtering
Why it matters in practice. PID control is the most widely deployed control algorithm in industry, running in approximately 95% of industrial control loops. Understanding it deeply — not just as a formula but as a design process — is one of the most career-relevant skills you will gain in this course.
Objectives
What You Will Be Able to Do
Course objectives (CO) define program-level skills. Module objectives (MO) define specific weekly targets that build toward them.
Course Objectives (CO)
CO9: Design and implement a PID controller; apply systematic tuning methods; implement a digital control loop on an embedded microcontroller.
Module Objectives (MO) — Week 14
Describe the roles of proportional, integral, and derivative actions in reducing steady-state error, improving transient response, and providing derivative damping.
CO9
CO9
Apply Ziegler-Nichols ultimate gain method to determine initial PID gains from an open-loop step response or closed-loop oscillation test.
CO9
CO9
Formulate ITAE optimal gains for a second-order plant and compare to Ziegler-Nichols results.
CO9
CO9
Implement anti-windup (integrator clamping) and a first-order derivative filter in a PID algorithm.
CO9
CO9
Review these objectives before you start each assignment. They map directly to what is assessed on the quiz, homework, and exams.
Suggested Learning Path
How to Work Through This Week
Follow this sequence. Each step prepares you for the next. Do not attempt graded work before completing the instructional material it depends on.
1
Complete Midterm 2 review
Midterm 2 covers Module 3 (Weeks 11-13). Use the Study Guide Midterm 2 page and work through all practice problems before the exam.
2
Take Midterm 2
Midterm 2 is this week. Know your transfer function derivation, step response performance metrics, Routh-Hurwitz, and Bode plot construction cold.
3
Attend Lecture — PID theory
Lecture 1 covers PID control law and the three actions. Lecture 2 covers tuning methods (Z-N, ITAE) and anti-windup. These lectures begin Module 4 content.
4
Read Alciatore Ch. 10 (control sections)
Read the PID chapter after the midterm. Focus on the Z-N tuning tables and the anti-windup discussion.
Instructional Material
Required Readings, Videos, and Resources
Complete all required items before moving to graded activities. The Aligns to column maps each resource to the module objectives it directly supports.
| Resource | What You Will Gain | Aligns to | Est. Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Read Alciatore Ch. 10 — Feedback Control (PID sections) |
PID control law derivation, P/I/D action interpretation, Ziegler-Nichols step response and ultimate gain methods, ITAE tuning tables, anti-windup, and derivative filtering. | MO1-MO4 | 75 min |
| Explore Study Guide: Midterm 2 Exam Prep |
Complete review of Module 3 content. Work every practice problem before the exam. | CO7-CO8 | 2-3 hr review |
| Watch Micro-lecture: Why Integral Windup Happens and How to Stop It |
5-minute visual explanation of integrator saturation and the clamping anti-windup algorithm. | MO4 | 5 min |
Graded Learning Activities
Assignments and Due Dates
All graded work is submitted through Canvas. Complete the listed prerequisites before attempting each assignment.
| Assignment | Prerequisites | What Is Assessed | Aligns to | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIDTERM 2 Week 14 |
Complete all Module 3 readings (Ch. 7-9) and review the Study Guide Midterm 2 page. | Module 3 content: mathematical modeling, Laplace transforms, first/second-order step response, Routh-Hurwitz stability, Bode plots, and system identification. | CO7-CO8 | 100 pts |
| Module 6 Homework: PID and Digital Control End of Week 15 |
Complete Ch. 10 reading and attend Week 14 lectures before starting PID design and tuning problems. | PID action analysis, Ziegler-Nichols tuning, ITAE gain calculation, anti-windup specification, and digital controller conversion. | MO1-MO4 | 50 pts |
Academic integrity. Midterm 2 is an individual assessment. All work must be your own. Module 6 Homework PID tuning problems require you to record plant step response data from your own Arduino hardware session.