This paper presents the potential of open source software for designing educational tools in the automatization field. In particular, this paper presents a complete tool that students can use for studying and testing nonlinear control algorithms. The system has three different parts that students can evaluate and modify. Firstly, a virtual model represents the physical model and, in this case, an inverted pendulum is used. Secondly, the controller is implemented by a real‐time distributed control system. Finally, the system can be managed with a JAVA application. Therefore, students have all the necessary elements to practice using nonlinear and complex systems. The main tools applied in the design are open source software and the developed platform is Generalized Public License(GPL). © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 20: 137–148, 2012