Industry has numerous articles about PID (proportional, integral, derivative) controller loop tuning and its various approaches. From complex mathematical algorithms to various tuning techniques, loop tuning often presents itself as a black box that requires a certain mathematical artistry to open. One way to open this box is to ask:
“What kind of process is being controlled?”
Accumulating vs Non-accumulating Processes
Most processes can be categorized as either accumulating or non-accumulating. By accumulating, we mean that the process is collecting or holding material or energy, such as levels and some temperatures and pressures.
