What is a PID Controller?

A PID (Proportional – Integral – Derivative) controller is an instrument used by control engineers to regulate temperature, flow, pressure, speed, and other process variables in industrial control systems. PID controllers use a control loop feedback mechanism to control process variables and are the most accurate and stable controller. PID control is a well-established way of driving a system towards a target position or control parameters. It’s practically ubiquitous as a means of controlling temperature and finds application in a myriad of chemical and scientific processes as well as automation. PID control keeps the actual output from a process as close to the target or setpoint output as possible.