Tune Any PID Loop
Identify a 50×50 process model from 4–24 hours of normal operating data with PITOPS.
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AI-based Process Control Software
AI-based Process Control Software for PID Tuning, APC Design & Optimization, MPC Maintenance & Closed-Loop Plant Optimization and Monitoring
PiControl cutting-edge AI-based process control software helps industrial plant operations to reduce process variability, minimize energy consumption and waste, and increase throughput across refining, petrochemical, power generation, pharmaceutical, and many other manufacturing facilities.
Our AI-based optimization technology uses multivariable stepless closed-loop system identification, not sensitive to industrial data complexity, and capable to reject unmeasured disturbances, while identifying real process models — the only approach that extracts accurate process models from normal operating data without disrupting any production.
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Where engineers begin with PiControl
Sharpen Personnel Skills
Access industrial process control training packed with tips, tricks & practical labs.
Upgrade Skills Now
Efficient APC Deployment
Boost disturbance rejection in APC with COLUMBO — closed-loop MPC identification.
Switch to a Modular Approach
Enhance MPC Controllers
Improve efficiency by refitting MPC models with stepless closed-loop modeling.
Start MPC Assessment
Monitor Every Loop
APROMON tracks every PID & APC loop on your DCS and flags degradation within minutes.
See APROMON
Offering
PiControl AI-based tailored made solutions ensure multi-objective PID controller tuning and diagnostics, disturbance rejection-based advanced process control (APC) design and optimization, and continuous model predictive control (MPC) maintenance and monitoring.
Proven worldwide
Our technology has been used in more than 200 different industrial and manufacturing facilities and more than 100 international schools, colleges and universities. Our software integrates easily with any DCS, PLC, Plant Historian or SCADA system worldwide via industrial OPC connectivity.
Who uses it
From students and lab technicians, to chemical and process control engineers and professors, to shift supervisors and plant managers — our software has helped many institutions and companies grow, accelerate the learning curve, and meet daily operational challenges.
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Industrial facilities
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Schools & universities
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PID loops tuned
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Training courses
01 · Software
Our AI-based Process Control Technology
PiControl offers many AI-based process control software products related to precise PID tuning, specialized advanced process control (APC) design and optimization, process control monitoring and diagnostics, model predictive control (MPC) maintenance, and process simulation — divided into the following categories.
Optimization
3
Core products
Process Control Optimization Software
PITOPS is multi-objective PID tuning, APC design and optimization, and MPC maintenance technology. Based on AI stepless multivariable closed-loop system identification, it identifies true process models while rejecting unmeasured disturbances.
SUPERTUNE is AI-based 24/7 automatic auto-adaptive online PID tuning technology. Can be used for all control loop types — without any plant step tests required.
COLUMBO is the closed-loop universal multivariable optimizer — a full-blown MPC controller residing completely on a Siemens Virtual Controller, providing complete economic optimization.
View Optimization Software
Monitoring & Diagnostics
30+
Health criteria
Process Control Monitoring & Diagnostics Software
APROMON is online and offline AI-based process control performance monitoring and diagnostics technology. Based on 30+ criteria, it continuously tracks the health status of all PIDs, APCs, MPCs, final control elements and measuring sensors.
PiLogger is online high-speed raw data logging technology.
PiLims is an online laboratory information management system.
View Monitoring Software
Simulation
20+
Unit simulators
Process Control Simulation Software
PiControl is a world-wide leader in process and process control real-time simulation design. All PiControl simulation technology precisely replicates real unit or complete plant dynamics on a simple computer with SCADA interface.
PiControl has designed more than 20+ specialized process simulators with control system embedded — including distillations, heat-exchangers, reactors, pumps, mixers, tanks and vessels, and many others. Two especially attractive simulators: SIMCET (PID tuning simulator) and STYROSIM (entire plant simulator).
View Simulation Software
Auxiliary OPC
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OPC products
Auxiliary OPC Software
PiControl provides several auxiliary OPC products for simulation and real-life application. PiBridge is OPC communication software that bridges two different OPC servers across different networks — a dual OPC client bridge for connecting separated control systems.
PiOPCServer is a simulation OPC server with a real-time PID control loop embedded. It can be used to generate data and test OPC client-to-server communication and software capabilities.
View OPC Software
02 · Consulting
Process Control Consulting - Our AI-based Software, Deployed by Our Professionals
PiControl has over 20+ years of specialization and experience in process control design, PID tuning and optimization, advanced process control (APC) implementation, and MPC design and maintenance. We've analysed more than 100 different chemical and manufacturing plants, successfully finished more than 500 process control projects, and trained numerous industrial company and academia employees on practical industrial process control.
Service
Service
Service
PID Tuning Consulting
PiControl experts have designed and mathematically tuned more than 10,000+ PID control loops in different DCSs and PLCs. Our strength lies in precise PID optimization — each loop tuned on its real objectives. On-site or remote service available.
Result
Reduce variability by 50%+
APC Implementation
Our professionals have implemented more than 200 APCs inside different customer DCSs & PLCs, or deployed our powerful COLUMBO multivariable controller. Typical benefits in production rate increase or savings of utilities and waste are 2–4%, sometimes up to 10%.
Result
2–4% (up to 10%) gain
MPC Maintenance
PiControl team has audited, maintained, and re-optimized many existing MPC applications including AspenTech DMC, Honeywell RMPCT, Yokogawa PACE, and others. Just by taking MPC stepless closed-loop real data, we've improved and stabilized more than 50 MPC controllers.
Result
50+ MPCs re-stabilized
03 · Training
Industrial Process Control Training — Learn From The Best
PiControl possesses more than 30+ industrial process control and peripheral chemical engineering training courses, designed by experienced professionals. We deliver classroom on-site, live online and web-based video training courses for companies and individuals. During our courses we provide proven practical step procedures, tips and tricks for successful process control projects — and every student gets our simulation and optimization technology for labs and practice.
Track
PID Tuning Training
Dive deep into and finally understand the most attractive process control topics: PID control algorithm from a practical perspective, industrial open-loop and closed-loop system identification, PID control loop design and safety, mathematical PID tuning and optimization, and PID control problems and diagnostics.
Using
SIMCET simulator
Track
DCS & PLC Training
Get practical knowledge and exposure to basic and advanced functionality, design, and programming of many industrial PLC, DCS and SCADA software. Understand automation hardware and design powerful software projects from different vendors: SIEMENS, EMERSON, Rockwell Automation, Yokogawa, Honeywell, and others.
Using
Live DCS practice
Track
APC & MPC Training
Get the full potential of your control system and learn how to build complete APC inside a PLC or a DCS. Learn and understand how and when to use MPC control. Use scientific approach and specialized software products to calculate APC and other DCS parameters precisely.
Using
PITOPS + COLUMBO
Delivery
Training
Classroom Training
Live in Houston, TX and Zagreb, Croatia — or at the customer location.
Online Training
Live online or web-based video courses.
Audience
Companies & individuals
04 · Industries
Process Control Software & Services Adapted for Every Industrial Sector
PiControl provides custom-made and more efficient solutions and services, specifically designed and adapted to the process dynamics, safety constraints, and regulatory requirements of each industry. We consider each project as a tailored solution designed to meet specific industrial sector needs.
The PiControl Difference
Why Engineers and Professors Choose Us?
Four technical choices, made consistently for 20+ years, that separate PiControl from every other process control vendor. Read the comparison →
01
AI-based Closed-Loop System Identification
PiControl technology is not sensitive to any data challenges and does not need any data preconditioning. It takes past complex industrial data and — based on AI system identification — extracts accurate process models from normal closed-loop PID or APC operating data: no bump tests, no open-loop step changes, no process disruption. When data is impacted by unmeasured disturbances, our identification technology has unique power to detect and isolate them while providing pure process models.
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Multi-Objective PID Tuning
PiControl technology mathematically tunes and optimizes PID or APC controllers based on their real plant objectives. Precisely tune all PID or APC controllers on step, ramped, or cascade complex setpoint trajectories — achieve allowed or no overshoots, successfully reject unmeasured disturbances, and fight against final control element mechanical problems, and more.
03
COLUMBO — Powerful Disturbance Rejection MPC
Our powerful COLUMBO MPC approach helps you achieve all economic objectives, while handling all process nonlinearities and unmeasured disturbances more effectively than other MPC technologies. Learn more about COLUMBO →
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Software + Consulting + Training
PiControl is the only process control and software company offering a complete ecosystem: modeling & optimization, monitoring & diagnostics, and simulation software tools + professional consulting services + numerous process control training courses — setting a new global standard for how modern process control should be designed, deployed, and mastered.
Trust
Trusted by process engineers worldwide
Award
Top 10 Oil and Gas Solutions Providers, 2023
— Energy Tech Review
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About Process Control Software
Process control software is industrial automation software that optimizes the performance of PID controllers, advanced process control (APC) strategies, and control loop monitoring systems in manufacturing plants. It includes tools for system identification, PID tuning optimization, automatic PID auto-tuning, MPC model building, and control loop performance monitoring. PiControl Solutions develops process control software that operates in the time domain using closed-loop data.
PID tuning software calculates optimal proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) controller parameters by analyzing process response data and building mathematical models of process dynamics. PITOPS performs closed-loop PID tuning optimization using system identification, while SUPERTUNE provides fully automatic online PID auto-tuning that continuously adapts to changing process conditions. Read the complete guide to choosing PID tuning software.
Advanced process control (APC) is a category of control strategies above basic PID that coordinate multiple process variables simultaneously to improve plant performance. APC includes multivariable control, inferential control, constraint management, and model predictive control (MPC). PiControl implements DCS-resident APC that operates inside existing control systems — no external host computer required. Read our complete APC guide or APC vs MPC comparison.
Closed-loop system identification extracts mathematical process models (transfer functions) from operating data collected while controllers remain in automatic mode. Unlike open-loop methods requiring disruptive step tests, closed-loop identification uses normal setpoint changes and disturbance responses. PiControl's PITOPS software performs multivariable closed-loop identification for up to 50×50 variable matrices in the time domain.
PiControl process control software connects to DCS and PLC systems through OPC-DA and OPC-UA communication protocols. Compatible platforms include Honeywell Experion, Emerson DeltaV, Yokogawa CENTUM VP, ABB Ability Symphony Plus, Siemens PCS 7, Rockwell PlantPAx, and Schneider EcoStruxure. No proprietary hardware or middleware is required.
Process control software is used across every continuous and batch manufacturing sector including oil refining, petrochemicals, power generation, pharmaceuticals, cement manufacturing, LNG processing, air separation, polymer manufacturing, and more. PiControl serves 16+ industries across 40+ countries.
Request a free software demo and our engineers will demonstrate the specific process control software products relevant to your plant — typically PITOPS for PID tuning, SIMCET for simulation training, or APROMON for control loop monitoring. Demos use your own process data when available.
Most PID tuning methods fail because they rely on open-loop step tests that require taking controllers out of automatic mode — disrupting production and creating safety risks. Manual trial-and-error tuning produces inconsistent results, and factory-default PID parameters rarely match actual process dynamics. Studies show 60–80% of industrial PID loops operate with suboptimal tuning. Closed-loop system identification eliminates these problems by extracting accurate process models from normal operating data without any production disruption. See the complete PID tuning guide.
Closed-loop identification captures process dynamics under real operating conditions — including interactions between multiple control loops, nonlinear behavior at actual operating points, and real disturbance patterns — that open-loop step tests cannot reproduce. Open-loop tests isolate a single loop in artificial conditions, producing models that degrade when controllers return to automatic mode. PiControl's PITOPS software uses time-domain closed-loop data to identify multivariable transfer functions that remain accurate in service. Read the full closed-loop vs open-loop comparison.
A process control system is the complete industrial infrastructure — DCS, PLC, SCADA, sensors, actuators, and control networks — that physically operates a plant. Process control software is the optimization layer that sits on top of these systems, analyzing their data and improving their performance. PiControl process control software connects to any process control system via OPC and optimizes the PID controllers, APC strategies, and monitoring tools running inside it. For a detailed comparison of control system architectures, see our guide to DCS vs PLC vs SCADA.
Ready when you are
See PiControl run against your loops.
30-minute walkthrough with an applications engineer. We'll pre-tune the demo to your DCS, unit operations, and the loops you care about most.