Top 5 Control Engineering articles, July 25-31: High-performance HMIs, PID control, storyboarding and HMIs, more

Articles about high-performance HMIs, PID control and loop tuning, HMI migration and storyboarding, condition monitoring systems, and research for turning waste into a power source were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from July 25-31. Miss something? You can catch up here.

By Chris Vavra August 1, 2016

The top 5 most read articles online, from Jul. 25-31 for Control Engineering covered high-performance HMIs, PID control and loop tuning, HMI migration and storyboarding, condition monitoring systems, and research for turning waste into a power source. Links to each article below. 

1. Developing high-performance HMIs: Enhancing interface effectiveness 

This two-part series examines the development of high-performance, human-machine interface (HMI) methodology. Part 2 focuses on accuracy versus context, accessibility, visual hierarchy, animation versus static indication, and 2-D versus 3-D screens.

2. Understanding PID control and loop tuning fundamentals

PID loop tuning may not be a hard science, but it’s not magic either. Here are some tuning tips that work.

3. Storyboarding as the first step in high-performance HMI migration

The first step in migrating to a high-performance human-machine interface (HP-HMI) should always be storyboarding, which offers a visual representation of the layout and hierarchy of the new high-performance graphics (HPGs). This helps operators become an active part of the migration planning process.

4. Condition monitoring system for voltage, current, temperature

Intermittent-error problem solving on machines, in plants, and facilities is expected to get easier with Fluke’s 3500 FC Series Condition Monitoring System for remote or local sensing, data logging, and alarming of voltage, current, and temperature measurements. See three values of condition monitoring and three benefits.

5. Researchers receive funding to turn waste into power source for space missions

The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology has been awarded $750,000 to develop an extreme biological system to turn solid waste into a power source to create an efficient alternative to the current processes using chemical fuel cells, such as hydrogen fuel cells, that require pure chemicals.

The list was developed using CFE Media’s web analytics for stories viewed on controleng.com, July 25-31, for articles published within the last two months.  

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


Author Bio: Chris Vavra is web content manager for CFE Media and Technology.