This paper summarizes an approach of Sliding Mode Control, which can be use
d for a width class of nonlinear chemical processes. The controller was syn
thesized from an empirical model of the process. The designed controller wa
s developed for minimum phase systems and presents a fixed structure and ca
n be tuned based on the characteristic parameters of the model. A proposed
implementation scheme is shown. The designed controller was tested for mini
mum and nonminimum phase systems, as well as for integrating and MIMO syste
ms in different experimental conditions (i.e., disturbances, noise, modelin
g errors). The designed controller had shown good performance for the diffe
rent kind of systems and conditions. [S0022-0434(00)01504-5].