How to Design PID Controllers with Control System Designer

How do you design a PID controller—and actually understand why all three gains are needed? Learn how to use MATLAB® and Simulink® to design a PID controller for DC motor speed control, with a focus on Control System Designer to build real intuition behind P, I, and D gains. Begin with a Simscape Electrical™ DC motor model and observe its open-loop response—concentrating on oscillations and steady-state error. You’ll first see how PID Tuner can quickly deliver a working controller. Then, go deeper using Control System Designer to build the controller step by step: 1. Start with proportional control and observe its limitations. 2. Add integral action to remove steady-state error. 3. Introduce derivative action to improve speed and robustness. Using Bode plots, root locus, and step response, you’ll clearly see how poles and zeros shape system behavior and why each term is essential. By the end, you won’t just have a tuned controller—you’ll understand why PID works and how to design it confidently for real systems. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:48 PID Tuner 01:28 Linearization 02:00 Control System Designer 05:29 Key Takeaways -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Get a free product trial: https://goo.gl/ZHFb5u Learn more about MATLAB: https://goo.gl/8QV7ZZ Learn more about Simulink: https://goo.gl/nqnbLe See what's new in MATLAB and Simulink: https://goo.gl/pgGtod © 2026 The MathWorks, Inc. MATLAB and Simulink are registered trademarks of The MathWorks, Inc. See www.mathworks.com/trademarks for a list of additional trademarks. Other product or brand names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.