Top 10 Control Engineering articles, August 11 to September 10: Common VFD myths, Industrial control panel standards, future of oil prices, more

Articles about common VFD myths, industrial control panel standards, the future of oil prices, ladder logic, and an IIoT and machine sensor demonstration were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from August 11 to September 10. Miss something? You can catch up here. Also see what ranked 6-10.

By Chris Vavra September 11, 2015

The top 5 most read articles online, for Aug. 11 to Sep. 10 for Control Engineering covered common VFD myths, industrial control panel standards, the future of oil prices, ladder logic, and an IIoT and machine sensor demonstration. Link to each article below. Also see what ranked 6-10 over the past month. 

1. The truth about five common VFD myths

Knowing the truth about VFD operation can simplify the selection process for choose a variable frequency drive.

2. Standard for industrial control panel builders changing

UL 508 is being phased out and replaced by UL 60947-4, which is designed to harmonize international standards by UL, the Canadian Standards Association, and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in Europe. 

3. Black October on the horizon

The price of oil may not have hit the nadir yet, supply is almost double that of demand, and the Iran deal may slash oil prices to new lows.

4. Ladder logic 304: Timer application

A sample timer application written in ladder logic provides examples of various programming tips, such as ensuring the programmer knows what the customer wants. 

5. IIoT video: See on-machine sensor values in real time via Apple iPad

Figure 1: Users select variable frequency drives (VFDs) to control motor speed and reduce energy consumption. Courtesy: Yaskawa America Inc.In an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) demonstration using a mountain bike tricked out with sensors and instrumentation, ThingWorx, a PTC business, revealed how an operator might see an industrial machine’s metrics in real time by looking through a mobile human-machine interface (HMI) or a head-mounted display. 

More popular stories on Control Engineering

As an online-only feature, we’re featuring the stories that finished 6-10 over the past month.

6. Industrial robot trends and types

Diversity of robotic trends, types, and programming advances make the use of robots attractive to consider in more applications and industries, and resulting innovations should benefit manufacturing. See 10 robotic software trends and 9 robot types.

7. Security for wireless instrumentation

Protocols for wireless instrumentation and other field devices use encryption as a key security element. Is it enough?

8. IIoT at the IO level

What is IIoT? Learn four IIoT misconceptions, five ways IIoT is new, and six reasons why the disruptive technology of IIoT will be slow to catch on.

9. SCADA cyber security

SCADA software, part of many industrial control systems, can use the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) framework for cyber security.

10. Protecting industrial control systems

Operational technology relies on outdated security models based on invalid assumptions.

The list was developed using CFE Media’s web analytics for stories viewed on controleng.com, August 11 to September 10, for articles published within the last two months.  

– Chris Vavra, production editor, CFE Media, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

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