--- title: 7 reasons to get INCATools PID Tuning software description: Why you should choose a PID tuning software over freeware any time! Choose to receive the ability of optimization and the full ROI of your plant. image: https://blog.incatools.com/hubfs/pidtuning-bestof2020.jpg --- [![IPCOS](https://blog.incatools.com/hubfs/Incatools_March%202020/Images/IncaTools_Logo_Text-1.png)](https://incatools.com/) - - [PID Tuning](https://incatools.com/pid-tuning/) - [APC](https://incatools.com/apc/) - [Applications](https://incatools.com/applications/) - [INCAtools](https://incatools.com/incatools/) - - [Blog](https://blog.incatools.com) - [Cases](https://incatools.com/cases/) - [Contact](https://incatools.com/contact/) - [PID Tuning](https://incatools.com/pid-tuning/) - Menu Item 3 - [APC](https://incatools.com/apc/) - [Applications](https://incatools.com/applications/) - [INCAtools](https://incatools.com/incatools/) - [Blog](https://blog.incatools.com) - [Cases](https://incatools.com/cases/) - [Contact](https://incatools.com/contact/) # 7 reasons to get INCATools PID Tuning software Posted by [Christiaan Moons](https://blog.incatools.com/author/christiaan-moons) on Jan 12, 2021 1:52:50 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) When [PID tuning](https://www.incatools.com/pid-tuning/) is done right, it can provide significant benefits to your plant. A little help from PID tuning software can help tremendously to get your tuning on track. You can find many free PID tuning software downloads on the internet, or you can find a free PID tuner in your DCS. Nevertheless, are numerous companies that provide [PID software licences](https://www.incatools.com/incatools/inca-pid-tuner/) at a fair price. But, why would you pay for a PID tuning software licence when you can do somewhat the same with the free versions?  The answer is simple, the most critical PID loops in your plant will get left behind when you use free PID tuning software. The freeware will stand in the way of optimization and receiving the full ROI of your plant. ## Free vs. licenced PID tuning software Many Distributed Control Systems (DCS) provide software modules that help you with tuning your PID loops. The problem with these software modules or with free PID Tuning software downloaded from the internet is that it’s very limited in usability and output. You put the loop in manual, run the freeware, and PID parameters will soon come your way. But, the software doesn’t know anything about your plant, DCS, or loop you want to tune. The output is based on the rules of [Lambda, Ziegler-Nichols, or Cohen-Coon.](https://www.incatools.com/pid-tuning/pid-tuning-methods/) It’s an automated version of [rule-based tuning](https://www.incatools.com/pid-tuning/pid-tuning-methods/), with all the disadvantages that stick to these rules, and that’s no surprise. How can you create a perfect output, when the freeware doesn’t ask you what the desired outcome is? ## Tune all the difficult PID loops at once Only 70% to 80% of the PID loops will get the right [PID tuning parameters](https://www.incatools.com/pid-tuning/pid-tuning-parameters/) with freeware. That’s quite an amount one can say. However, all the critical loops that are connected to quality and throughput are the other 20% of the PID loops. These are the loops where you want to determine the overshoot or other engineering specifications. So, the critical PID loops are a thorn in your side for the last 10 years still won’t improve. The main advantage of a [PID software like INCATools PID Tuner](https://www.incatools.com/pid-tuning/pid-tuning-software/) is it can tune all your loops, even the most complex, critical ones. If you want to stay in control of your PID loops and tune them the first time right (and that’s a guarantee, not just marketing language) you should use [INCATools PID Tuner](https://www.incatools.com/incatools/inca-pid-tuner/). It will give you a result that is sufficient to 100% of your PID loops.   [![Learn more — PID Tuning](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/7060164/5141d4cf-4292-4fa1-a791-759665ae9f70.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/7060164/5141d4cf-4292-4fa1-a791-759665ae9f70)   ## INCATools PID Tuner Always choose a [PID tuning software like INCATools PID tuner](https://www.incatools.com/pid-tuning/pid-tuning-software/)over a freeware downloaded from the internet or the one in your DCS. Because of these 7 reasons: - **Reason 1: Long-term investment due to evolutionary software** Freeware is static which means that it will not get updated with the latest improvements. - **Reason 2: Ability to communicate with every DCS** Every DCS has a different formula. The free software bases its output on a standard PID template which will often provide complete nonsense output, resulting in unstable controllers. - **Reason 3: A safe connection with OPC ** Directly connecting freeware downloaded from the internet to your DCS is probably not the safest thing to do. Who to blame when something goes wrong? - **Reason 4: A reporting system to fall back on** INCATools PID Tuner provides the process control engineer after every optimization with a full report of which data you have used, the used models, the parameters of the models, which and why you used the engineering constraints. - **Reason 5: First-time right approach** Freeware enables you to set a minimal overshoot, maximum robustness, to use setpoint tracking or disturbance rejection. Software will provide you with these options. - **Reason 6: Ability to follow a simple workflow ** INCATools PID Tuner will take you by the hand to follow the workflow step-by-step. It’s a complete workflow from start to finish. - **Reason 7: Support & training** If you purchase a reliable PID tuning software, you always have a support department where you can ask questions and receive personal guidance.   ## Like to get more information? In the extented whitepaper, 15 pages - 10 min read, we’ll take you through the 7 main reasons why you should always use a PID tuning software package. Read the free whitepaper here [![Read whitepaper](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/7060164/3ab03533-4592-41b8-a169-c2c454e2c5b2.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/7060164/3ab03533-4592-41b8-a169-c2c454e2c5b2)   Do you like to know what INCATools PID tuning software can offer you? [Request your demo here.](https://info.incatools.com/incatools-demo) Topics: [PID tuning](https://blog.incatools.com/tag/pid-tuning), [PID software](https://blog.incatools.com/tag/pid-software) ### Subscribe Here! ### Recent Posts ### Posts by Tag - [PID tuning (38)](https://blog.incatools.com/tag/pid-tuning) - [PID tuning methods (14)](https://blog.incatools.com/tag/pid-tuning-methods) - [Advanced Process Control (12)](https://blog.incatools.com/tag/advanced-process-control) - [Plant performance (9)](https://blog.incatools.com/tag/plant-performance) - [PID tuning parameters (7)](https://blog.incatools.com/tag/pid-tuning-parameters) - [PID software (3)](https://blog.incatools.com/tag/pid-software) - [PID tuning software (3)](https://blog.incatools.com/tag/pid-tuning-software) - [PID control equations (2)](https://blog.incatools.com/tag/pid-control-equations) - [PID tuning example (1)](https://blog.incatools.com/tag/pid-tuning-example) - [Plant commissioning phase (1)](https://blog.incatools.com/tag/plant-commissioning-phase) See all [![IPCOS](https://blog.incatools.com/hubfs/Incatools_March%202020/Images/IPCOS-logo.png)](http://www.ipcos.com/) ### IPCOS BV Bosscheweg 135B 5282 WV Boxtel The Netherlands ### Contact us Tel. [+31 411 613 500](tel:+31411613500) Fax. [+31 411 616 710](tel:+31411616710) [info@ipcos.com](mailto:info@ipcos.com) [![linkedin](https://blog.incatools.com/hubfs/Incatools_March%202020/Images/linkedin.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ipcos) [Join us](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ipcos) - - [INCATools](https://incatools.com/) - - [Blog](https://blog.incatools.com) - [Cases](https://incatools.com/cases/) - [Contact](https://incatools.com/contact/) - - [IPCOS Shop](https://incatools.com/ipcos-shop/) - [Cart](https://incatools.com/ipcos-shop/cart/) - [My account](https://incatools.com//ipcos-shop/my-account/) [Disclaimer](https://19lz9c16l9mt45jwvkt81p14-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Disclaimer-IPCOS-v2.pdf) & [Cookie](https://ipcos.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ENG-Cookie-Policy.pdf) & [Privacy](https://ipcos.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ENG-Privacy-Policy.pdf) Policies