Optimal Tuning of PID controller by Cuckoo Search via Lévy flights

Nature has been a main source of inspiration for many optimization algorithms. Such algorithms are increasingly becoming popular among control engineers for the optimal tuning of PID controller. In this paper, a very recent nature inspired metaheuristic technique known as Cuckoo Search Algorithm is presented for the optimal tuning of PID controller. This controller is required to achieve the desired specification of the closed loop response of the DC motor plant, that here is taken as a third order plant system. Though several conventional techniques have been proposed to sufficiently optimize linear plant systems but the desired performance indices i.e. settling time, overshoot, rise time etc. are comparatively higher than the response attained by heuristic algorithms. Here, a study is done on PID controller optimized by Cuckoo Search Algorithm for different fitness functions i.e. IAE, ISE, ITAE and ITSE and their responses are compared with one such conventional method.