The low-priced U-Tune PID tuning package by Contek Systems Ltd was designed by hands-on process control engineers using their extensive exposure to process tuning and optimisation. Controller tuning is something every instrument engineer or technician claims to be able to do. However, when it comes down to the facts, very few have the insight and experience to really improve the process performance and squeeze more oil out of the ground. Often it’s not the controlling tuning that’s at fault, but faulty valves and instrumentation, poor implementation of the control scheme and misinterpretation of the process data. That’s the human part of tuning: being able to see past the ‘obvious’ problems and to identify the real issues.
The other part is having the right tools. Contek Systems’ U-Tune PID Tuning package was produced after years of problem solving and de-bottlenecking control systems for the North Sea oil and gas industry. Although the vast majority of processes can be characterised by simple delay-lag dynamics, many expensive tuning packages fail to cater for the excessive noise and disturbances typifying the process response. U-Tune succeeds by giving the engineer direct input into the process identification phase and by providing easy comparison of test results. U-Tune accepts text data, maybe downloaded from a trend display or logging device, or takes waveform files directly from Dataq data acquisition equipment.
Tuning parameters are calculated in all the normal forms (gain, proportional band, repeats per minute, seconds per repeat etc.) and for the standard controller algorithms (series, parallel and ideal).
Take a look at Contek Systems’ website ( www.contek-systems.co.uk ) for other control engineering software and technical articles, even a free tuning calculator. U-Tune can be downloaded from the website for a 7-day trial.