The automatic adjustment of a PID controllers tuning terms (proportional bands, integral time and derivative time).
Several automatic tuning methods are possible depending on the controller model.
These methods involve analysing either naturally occurring (i.e. Self-tune), or artificially induced disturbances (pre-tune/start-up tune or tune at setpoint) in the process, to establish its thermal characteristics and time constants. These are used to calculate the appropriate tuning terms.