Top 5 Control Engineering articles, June 9 to July 9: Salary and career survey, oil and gas employment, PLC basics, more

Articles about the 2015 Control Engineering salary and career survey, oil and gas employment, PLC basics, 7 benefits of HMI-historian integration, and motion controls for Cirque du Soleil’s KÀ were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from June 9 to July 9. Miss something? You can catch up here. Bonus this month: Also see what ranked 6-10.

By Chris Vavra July 10, 2015

Control Engineering Top 5 most read articles online, for Jun. 9-Jul. 9, covered the 2015 Control Engineering salary and career survey, oil and gas employment, PLC basics, 7 benefits of HMI-historian integration, and motion controls for Cirque du Soleil’s KÀ. Link to each article below. 

1. Control Engineering salary and career survey, 2015

Control Engineering research: While slightly less is expected for salary and significantly more for bonuses in 2015 compared to 2014, concerns about shortages of skilled workers remained highest on the list of challenges. 

2. Thirty years later, the industry is losing its best and brightest, again

In the 1980s, the oil and gas industry was going through the same crew change as it is now. Highly educated workers were laid off and the cycle is repeating itself. Will the industry learn its lesson this time?

3. Support-focused enterprise controls: PLC Basics

PLC programs do not behave like scripted language programs used by most computer applications. A basic understanding of control application fundamentals is crucial for designing an effective support-focused system.

4. 7 benefits of integrating human-machine interfaces, historians

Human-machine interfaces (HMIs) and historians differ but need to be tightly integrated to provide company operations with optimal value. Big data has little value without analysis and access in real time. 

5. Motion controls inside Cirque du Soleil’s KÀ

Application Update: Motion control with instantaneous redundancy backup propels the Cirque du Soleil production of KÀ, at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas.

More popular stories on Control Engineering

Because competition was very close for the fourth and fifth spot in the ranking, this month we’re featuring 6-10, as well.

6. Industrial Internet of Things, Industry 4.0

How can the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industry 4.0 concepts help with your next automation, controls, and instrumentation implementations?

7. 10 years later: BP Texas City and the inevitable cost of an incident

With 10 years of hindsight, what have we learned from an incident that resulted in 15 fatalities and 180 injuries?

8. Four tips on automation and control integration

Spend money on the right things, hire the right people, develop a common infrastructure, and be nimble or die were among the best bits of advice from the 2015 CSIA Executive Conference.

9. Evaluating servo system performance

Servo system selection criteria involves more than just wattage and price. There are many other important servo criteria and features to consider. 

10. Define, integrate, implement MES with controls, ERP

Modern manufacturing execution systems (MES) can deliver the flexibility to enable manufacturers to define the solutions that meet their strategic needs.  

The list was developed using CFE Media’s web analytics for stories viewed on controleng.com, June 9 to July 9, 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.