This report documents common proportional-integral-derivative (PID) algorithms used in industrial control systems, including the various algorithms’ implementation methods, options, and performance measurements.

Even though PID controllers have been used for more than a century , and many books and publications have been written on the subject, a standard describing fundamentals, terminology, best practices, and special functions does not exist. This document lays the foundation for that standard.

This document presents history, theory, equations, and many examples of utilization. It discusses different implementations of the algorithm and its variations. Also, it suggests how to use special functions with examples to deal with common application difficulties that threaten performance, such as disruptive, slow, or delayed measurement and actuator response and nonlinearities. This report clarifies the PID algorithms and terminology used in industrial control systems and provides knowledge to aid in selecting and applying these algorithms to benefit manufacturing and various applications.

This report does not present tuning methods nor discuss alternatives to PID algorithms. It includes no proprietary or patented information that has not been published.