Abstract: A parameter tuning method for PID controllers based on particle swarm optimization with a constriction factor is proposed. A fitness function containing terms of overshoot, rise time and steady-state error of the system is defined. These terms are properly weighted. The particle swarm optimization algorithm is used in the multi-object optimization of PID controllers so that automatic tuning of the PID parameters can be achieved. The overall performance of the PID controllers using the proposed method is better than that by using conventional methods.

Key words: particle swarm optimization, PID controller, multi-object optimization, parameter tuning