Selection of computer-aided control engineering tools

Computer-aided control engineering (CACE) tools have a great influence on the effectiveness and success of control design procedures. However, more and more functionally similar CACE tools mean that control engineers face a dilemma as to which ones are the most appropriate. The authors´ experience in the development of CACE tools, as well as in the use of different CACE tools in applications and education, can help to resolve such a dilemma. As a background, four application problems solved by the aid of CAD tools are described. A user-oriented classification of conventional CACE tools is then given and, to conclude, a view on the selection of appropriate CACE tools is presented