PID control

The PID controlThe PID control in espresso machines regulates the brewing water temperature and ensures that it is kept constant. Especially very dark or very... read more in espresso machines regulates the brewing water temperature and ensures that it is kept constant. Especially very dark or very light ArabicaThe Arabica bean is large and flat and, depending on the region of origin, has a more or less pronounced seam curl. With an average height... read more beans react more sensitively to temperature fluctuations. A deviation of just 1 degree Celsius can determine whether the espresso tastes sour or bitter. Therefore, constant water temperature is one of the most essential factors for a quality espresso. The letters PID stand for Proportional, Integral and Differential. Let's take a closer look at the three components of PID control:

The proportional component measures the deviation between the setpoint and actual value of the brewing water. The greater the deviation, the more the controller throttles the heating power.

The integral component measures the temperature fluctuations over a longer period of time and adds them up. Thus, it takes into account the past measured values and corrects them accordingly until the target value is reached.

The differential component refers to the values to be expected in the future. For example, if the brewing temperature increases over a long period of time, the differential component will slowly lower the temperature again.