JLB Controls is pleased to introduce pidbot! The pidbot module includes components for tuning and simulating PID controllers. It has become an essential tool at JLB Controls, helping us rapidly and accurately tune PID controllers for the vast majority of process industry applications. Now we would like to share it with the world!
pidbot is currently in beta, and publicly available at the address below. Please register with JLB Controls to download (it is very painless, just an email and password).
jlbcontrols.com/pidbot
I would love to hear your feedback on this forum, jlbcontrols.com, or email: connect@jlbcontrols.com
Thank you and enjoy!!
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pidbot is production-ready, and available to download now!
Thank you to everyone who participated in the beta. Lots of loops were successfully tuned, including many different PID flavors on Rockwell, AutomationDirect, and Siemens PLCs. Though the beta period has ended, please keep the feedback coming! We want to hear about your experience, and stay focused on the features that matter most to you.
Happy Tuning 
See the full release announcement: jlbcontrols.com/post/introducing-pidbot
More info, demo video, and download: jlbcontrols.com/pidbot
User manual: jlbcontrols.com/pidbot-user-manual
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This was a pleasant find! Wish I had more loops on my current project to test this out will keep this in mind for future projects!
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@Paullys50 Thanks! It has saved me a ton of time tuning, with better results (and less stress). Let me know when you get a chance to try it!
pidbot version 1.1 is now available for download. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback. The most notable update is support for scripting functions to allow users to access more internal data. Great for creating PID tuning reports! Try it out, and let me know what you think!
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Hi Joseph
Is there any plan to publish python API to develop our own GUI ?
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@nader.chinichian We’re still considering the best way to support Perspective. I’m not sure if it will be an API or a Perspective component. Ultimately, the decision will be based on customer requests/feedback.
An API would be more flexible, and easier for us to develop. Implementing a tuning dashboard with the API in Perspective wouldn’t be trivial though. Most users like dropping in a standard component that can be configured with properties and scripting.
Also, a Perspective component would be able to run client side, like the Vision component is doing now. Everything is nice and smooth - charts update very quickly when the user is tuning, using sliders, buttons, etc.
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I hope both will be release soon.
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pidbot version 1.2 is available to download! This update includes features that make it easier to analyze PID data that has been recorded “on change”. The built-in “Accept” button’s warning message can now be disabled to allow the tuning update workflow to be fully customized. See the full release notes here. Please keep your feedback coming, and I’ll do my best to accommodate! Enjoy!
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I want to make it as easy as possible for people to try Pidbot - so I built Pidbot Manager.
Pidbot Manager is a turn-key Vision project that can get you tuning in minutes. Browse your PLC via OPC, find your PID tags, and drag them in. It currently recognizes ControlLogix PID, PIDE, and P_PIDE tags, but I’ll be adding more on request!
Get started fast with docker-compose! Gateway backup and project files are also available.
The project is currently in beta, please reach out with your feedback. Thanks!
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It’ll be nice to have it in perspective
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Hi
any news update for perspective?
Yes, I actually just started a Pidbot v2 beta preview. Pidbot v2 includes a library of scripting functions for building custom PID tuning interfaces/workflows in any scope - including Perspective. I’ll send you a message with the details about the preview.
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@joseph.burns Is there a way to use this for just simulating without collecting data in pidbot? I already have PID Scan time, Process Gain, Dead Time and Time Constant from previous data collection, and I would like to just simulate the loop with those values.
Caleb, you can supply your own process model for simulations using the scripting functions in Pidbot v2. If you’d like to try the Pidbot v2 beta preview, let me know and I can get you set up.
In Pidbot v1, the model needs to be fit to data using the Tuning Dashboard component. However, once you’ve fit a model, you can adjust the model’s parameters (gain, dead time, and time constant) in the model table.
Any news about the V2 beta?
I’m planing a new system using only the perspective.
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The Pidbot v2 beta has been thoroughly tested, and works great!
For those who haven’t been following along, Pidbot v1 provides a full-featured, ready-made PID tuning solution in the form of a Vision component. In v2, we introduced a powerful PID tuning script API to allow users to build their own fully customized PID tuning application.
Some interesting insight came from the beta though - most users (aside from PID nerds like me) don’t want to build their own PID tuning system. Even if all the heavy functionality is handled via the script API, the UI portion is still fairly complex. So we decided to hold back the release.
I’d encourage you to try the beta, which we fully support, but it will stay in beta for now (which basically means we aren’t promoting it heavily, and the script API could change in the future). If other forum members want a PID tuning script API, please chime in! As it stands, we plan to support Perspective with a component based solution, similar to the Vision component, in the next release.
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Hi Joseph,
Where can I find v2 beta to test and play around with
You came to the right place @wmbrits7. I’ll private message you later to get you set up.
Anyone else who is interested feel free to post here or send me a message.
Looking forward to the Perspective release. Would love to have a look at the beta but just don’t have the time at the moment 
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