# Ziegler-Nichols Method **Goal :** Choosing kI,kP,kD appropriately Ziegler-Nichols is an iterative, online method to choose kI,kP,kD values. ![](https://i.imgur.com/5HD0Nsi.png) ``` where Ki=Kp/Ti Kd=Kp*Td ``` **Procedure:** 1. Start with Kp=small; Ki=Kd=0 2. Increase Kp until neutral stability ![](https://i.imgur.com/ECmM7vG.png) 4. Record critical/ultimate gain Ku="Kp at neutral stability" 5. Look up Kp,Ki,Kd values ![](https://i.imgur.com/es6s4bO.png) 6. Compute Ki,Kd **Advantages:** * Does not require expert pre-requisite knowledge about control theory * Does not require a model/simulation, differential equations etc. * Often produces good initial Kp,Ki,Kd **Disadvantages:** * Not mathematically robust/rigorous * Requires a stable system to begin with; if not reaching neutral stability is not possible and the moment the system is perturbed it would blow up * If a model/simulation does not exist, then real experiments would be costly * Requires a system that can be driven unstable with increas in proportional gain