is there a PID controller available in an off-the shelf IC package for integration on a PCB?
or, what would be the cheapest way to implement 16 channels of PID temperature control (RTD in -> PWM out)?
could one get a 16 channel PID temperature controller from Omega or Watlow for
Look at 'Microchips' website. They have many development boards too. If you do not find exactly what you want, send me some private email. We do lots of embedded control development for other companies....
James
Or Atmel, or Silicon Labs, or Infineon, or Philips, or, or, or.
The cheapest way for a hobbyist or a product is to use a microcontroller, an ADC, and a driver with some PID software. Are you doing a one-off, a hobby project, or is this for a product?
See the various articles on my website for guidance on implementing your PID controllers once you've found your processor, or contact me.
Thanks for info, but would like a dedicated PID controller IC like those dedicated motion controller IC's. This would be for a medium-volume embedded SBC-type product.
I am familiar with the motion controller IC's from some time ago, but haven't sufficiently kept up with the IC data book barrage lately to know if there are similar offerings for a generic PID controller IC.
tia!
snip
I don't know of any off the shelf pid controller solutions. If there were I doubt I'd get as much consulting business as I do.
Doing a pid controller in a micro is pretty simple. I've done several variations on pid temperature controllers. Typically the cycle time is pretty slow, so doing a controller in C, using floating point math is usually fast enough.
I've a bit of experience with Microchip PICs in these sorts of applications, and development has been pretty easy (though about any decent microcontroller would do). Microchip even has some high end 18F series parts with 16 analog inputs (18F8720. etc.). You could add an analog mux to other smaller microcontrollers.
If the thought of writing code from scratch for a microcontroller fills you with dread, consider hiring somebody to do that part for you. If you need more than 10 of these things, you should be able to hire someone to do the initial PID control loop design for you, and still come in under what it would cost you to buy a commercial product.
mark
Really a microcontroller is about as close to an off-the-shelf PID controller as you could get -- particularly for a temperature controller where the speeds will be fairly slow. I doubt that there is a dedicated "PID" controller chip that you could design that would be able to do anything you couldn't do cheaper and better with a microprocessor and some software.
In fact, for dedicated motor control the market seems to be swinging in the direction of small DSP chips with software, as well.
Do you have issues with software (medical, safety critical, etc) ?
Sorry for plugging my own company but you asked. The CLS or MLS family from Watlow would be one method;
If this is OEM stuff we may have some custom off the shelf solutions for you.
Again I apologize for doing a commercial.
Bill Schuh Watlow
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