Process control · Free online course

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.

  • 13 modules
  • 6h 48m of video
  • Intermediate
  • English
  • ₹0, free
PID Control for PLC Engineers course cover

₹0Free for good

Worth ₹4,499 by length and depth against classroom training. It has always been free; that is not a former price.

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Overview

About 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.

PID Control for PLC Engineers is a free, self-paced online course from EDWartens for engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in process plants. It has 13 modules and 6h 48m of video lessons by RealPars, Tim Wilborne, MATLAB and others, with written notes and worked problems, a practical project with a document pack and a 15-question final assessment (pass mark 60%). Learning is free with an account; an optional certificate with a public verification code is issued when you pass. Last updated 27 September 2026.

Who it is for: Engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in process plants

This course includes

  • 6h 48m of video lessons
  • 13 modules with written notes and diagrams
  • One final assessment: 15 questions, pass mark 60%
  • Ask-an-engineer support from practising engineers
  • Lifetime access, the course does not expire
  • Optional verifiable certificate when you finish
  1. Step 1 of 3

    Learn the 13 modules

    6h 48m of video lessons, written notes and a practice task per module, at your own pace.

  2. Step 2 of 3

    Pass the final assessment

    15 questions drawn from every module, pass mark 60%, 3 attempts.

  3. Step 3 of 3

    Take the certificate, if you want it

    Optional, paid once, only if you choose it. The course stays free either way.

    See the certificate and its price

A look inside

PID Control for PLC Engineers: Syllabus at a glance
Syllabus at a glance
PID Control for PLC Engineers: What you will be able to do
What you will be able to do
PID Control for PLC Engineers: Tools and credits
Tools and credits

From the lessons

  • PID Control. Why Won't Manual Control Work? Do We Need Proportional Integral Derivative Control?

    Why Control, and Why PID

    by Tim Wilborne

  • Proportional Controller Explained: Basics, Block Diagram, Transfer Function, Pros, and Cons

    Proportional Control

    by Engineering Funda

  • Derivative Controller Explained: Basics, Block Diagram, Transfer Function, Pros, and Cons

    Derivative Action, PD and Full PID

    by Engineering Funda

  • How to Tune a PID Controller

    Tuning a Loop

    by RealPars

  • 3 Ways to Build a Model for Control System Design | Understanding PID Control, Part 5

    Modelling the Process

    by MATLAB

  • PID Control in RsLogix 500 for Allen Bradley Micrologix and SLC

    PID in RSLogix 500 and Micro800

    by Tim Wilborne

Lesson frames belong to the creators named in the Credits and are shown from YouTube.

What you learn

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

Syllabus

Course content, module by module

In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last.

Modules
13
Video lessons
36
Of video
6h 48m
Final questions
15
  1. 01

    Why Control, and Why PID

    4 lessons · 39m
  2. 02

    The Loop Hardware and Wiring

    3 lessons · 23m
  3. 03

    Proportional Control

    3 lessons · 36m
  4. 04

    Integral Action and PI

    4 lessons · 1h 2m
  5. 05

    Derivative Action, PD and Full PID

    4 lessons · 50m
  6. 06

    Tuning Parameters and the Two Equations

    3 lessons · 27m
  7. 07

    Tuning a Loop

    3 lessons · 34m
  8. 08

    Anti-Windup, Noise Filtering and Key Concepts

    3 lessons · 35m

  9. Final assessment · 15 questions, pass mark 60%

Project

The course project

Optional practice that ends in the kind of job the course prepares you for, with the documents that go with it.

About 16 hours

Four loops on an annealing furnace: identify, tune and record on a CompactLogix

Model, tune and document four control loops on a heat-treatment furnace line: zone temperature with dead time, combustion air pressure, gas flow as the inner loop of a cascade, and quench tank level. You perform open-loop step tests, identify gain, dead time and time constant, tune by lambda, Cohen-Coon and Ziegler-Nichols as each loop deserves, prove the result with before-and-after step responses, and deliver the loop tuning record, the test report and the alarm list. The sample pack shows what a commissioning engineer leaves behind.

Sample document pack, 7 documents, filled in for the scenario

  • Control narrativeControl Narrative: Furnace Line HT-2 Control Loops
  • Instrument indexInstrument Index: Furnace Line HT-2 (zone 1 and common loops)
  • I/O listI/O List: Panel CP-HT2 (loop-related signals)
  • Alarm listAlarm List: HT-2 Control Loops
  • Commissioning procedureLoop Tuning Procedure and Checklist: HT-2
  • Loop tuning recordPID Loop Tuning Record: HT-2 Zone 1 and Common Loops
  • Test reportLoop Performance Test Report: Step Responses Before and After Tuning

Read inside the course and download as a workbook. The project is optional practice, marked when you submit it; the certificate needs only the modules and the final assessment.

About 14 hours

Loop audit at a water treatment works: stiction, dead time and feedforward on a Micro850

Audit three misbehaving loops at a drinking-water treatment works and fix each with the right tool: a raw-water flow loop that limit-cycles because the valve sticks, a chlorine-residual loop that dead time defeats until it is rebuilt as flow-paced feedforward with a slow feedback trim, and a pH loop whose derivative turns electrode noise into pump wear. You diagnose from trends and manual bump tests, model each process, rebuild the logic around the Micro850 IPIDCONTROLLER block with correct anti-windup, and prove the result. The sample pack shows what a control-loop audit leaves behind.

Sample document pack, 10 documents, filled in for the scenario

  • ReportControl Loop Audit: As-Found Performance and Diagnosis, Las Rastras WTP
  • Control narrativeControl Narrative: Inflow, Post-Chlorination and pH Correction Loops (as modified)
  • Instrument indexInstrument Index: Loops FIC-403, AIC-401 and AIC-402
  • I/O listI/O List: Micro850 Signals Used by the Three Loops
  • Loop checkLoop Check and Analyser Calibration Record: FT-401, AIT-401, AIT-402, P-401
  • Loop tuning recordLoop Tuning Record: FIC-403, AIC-401, AIC-402 (IPIDCONTROLLER)
  • Test reportLoop Performance Test Report: Before and After, Including the 06:00 Flow Step
  • Alarm listAlarm List: Post-Chlorination, pH and Inflow Loops
  • DatasheetDatasheet: Hypochlorite Dosing Pump P-401 and Its Control Interface
  • O&M manualOperator Guide: Chlorine and pH Loops After the Audit

Read inside the course and download as a workbook. The project is optional practice, marked when you submit it; the certificate needs only the modules and the final assessment.

Tools

Software, hardware and lessons

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.

Who it is for

Intermediate. You should already program a PLC and know what an analog input is.

Video lessons by

  • RealPars
  • Tim Wilborne
  • MATLAB
  • Engineering Funda

Independent creators, credited in full under Credits.

Software you need

What to download, where from, what it costs and how to install it. Every link goes to the maker's own site, never a mirror.

The theory modules need nothing installed.

For the implementation modules, one of these

Any one is enough.

  1. 01

    Connected Components Workbench Standard Edition

    Rockwell Automation

    Free
    Runs on
    Windows 10 or 11 Pro or Enterprise 64-bit, or Windows Server 2019/2022
    Account
    A free Rockwell Automation account (sign in to the Product Compatibility and Download Center)

    The Standard Edition is free and needs no activation. It includes a demo version of the Micro800 Simulator; the full simulator comes with the paid Developer Edition.

    Official download pagecompatibility.rockwellautomation.com

    Alternatives

  2. 02

    RSLogix Micro Starter Lite

    Rockwell Automation

    Free edition with limits
    Runs on
    Windows
    Account
    A free Rockwell Automation account (sign in to the Product Compatibility and Download Center)

    Micro Starter Lite is the free entry edition of RSLogix 500 and only programs MicroLogix 1000 and 1100 controllers. For other MicroLogix or SLC 500 controllers you need a paid RSLogix 500 or RSLogix Micro edition.

    Official download pagecompatibility.rockwellautomation.com

    Alternatives

  3. 03

    Studio 5000 Logix Designer

    Rockwell Automation

    Paid only
    Runs on
    Windows (check the Studio 5000 entry on the Product Compatibility and Download Center for exact versions)
    Account
    A Rockwell Automation account plus a purchased licence (serial number or subscription)

    Rockwell sells Studio 5000 Logix Designer as a perpetual licence or a paid subscription. Rockwell's product page offers no public free trial or free edition.

    Rockwell Automation product pagerockwellautomation.com

    Legitimate free routes

Checked against each maker's own page on 27 September 2026. Trial lengths and editions change; the maker's page is the final word.

What you walk away with

Your certificate for PID Control for PLC Engineers

Finish the course, pass the final, and this is the document with your name on it.

Sample Wartens Certificate of Completion for PID Control for PLC Engineers, issued through the EDWartens training portal
Sample. The issued certificate carries your name, your final score, a unique certificate ID and its own QR code.

  • Verifiable by anyone

  • Adds to LinkedIn in one click

  • QR code on the certificate

  • Names what you can do

  • A permanent link

  • Earned, not attended

Learning is free. The certificate is optional.

Add it now and pay only when you have finished the course, or come back for it later. One-off, US$28.99, with a receipt.

Issued by Wartens Ltd (England and Wales, company no. 15262249) through the EDWartens training portal, as a Certificate of Completion for this self-paced course. Sold in India by Wartens Automation Private Limited. It is not a vendor certification, a university award or a CPD-accredited activity, and it does not certify competence on live equipment. Delivered electronically; see the refund policy.

FAQ

Common questions

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 PID Control for PLC Engineers 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 in the PID Control for PLC Engineers course?

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 PID Control for PLC Engineers 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.

Is the PID Control for PLC Engineers course free in India, and what does the certificate cost?

Yes. Learning costs ₹0 in India: every module, the written notes, the practice tasks and the final assessment, with no card and no trial period. The only paid item is the optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹599 including GST for this intermediate course, paid in rupees through Razorpay, and only if you want it after passing the final assessment.

Is there classroom process control training in India as well?

Yes. EDWartens India runs the Automation Engineer Program (AEP), a classroom programme at its Electronic City centre in Bangalore. The Automation Engineer Program (AEP) covers PLC, SCADA, HMI, drives, measuring instruments, PID basics and control panel design, taught in person at our Electronic City centre. This free course is separate and fully online; it is a good way to try the subject before deciding on classroom training. Details are at edwartens.co.in/automation-training-bangalore, and the programme itself at edwartens.co.in/courses/aep.

All course facts
Price
₹0, free for good. No trial, no card. Comparable classroom training of this length costs about ₹4,499.
Who it is for
Engineering students, ITI and diploma holders, and working engineers in process plants
Format
13 self-paced modules, 6h 48m of video, written notes, a practice task per module and one final assessment.
Level
Intermediate. Intermediate. You should already program a PLC and know what an analog input is.
Brand
Vendor-neutral
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.
Certificate
Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹599 inclusive of GST for learners in India, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
Video lessons by
RealPars, Tim Wilborne, MATLAB, Engineering Funda (independent creators, credited below)
Language
English
Last updated
27 September 2026

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Learning paths with this course

Classroom course, Bangalore

Industrial automation course in Bangalore

The Automation Engineer Program (AEP) covers PLC, SCADA, HMI, drives, measuring instruments, PID basics and control panel design, taught in person at our Electronic City centre.

Credits

Who made the video lessons

The video lessons in this course were created by the people below, not by EDWartens. Every lesson streams from its creator's own YouTube channel; EDWartens neither hosts nor sells that footage, and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens and do not endorse this course. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.

If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.