Control Engineering hot topics, May 2019
Hot topics in Control Engineering, for May 2019, included the VFDs, safe human-robot interaction, sustainable cybersecurity, object-oriented programming, and the Career and Salary Survey. These are based on the top 10 most read articles online in Control Engineering May. Links to each article below.
There’s a lot to know behind the process of replacing a drive.
2. Fenceless safety methods embrace human-robot interaction
Human-robot collaboration (HRC) is becoming more common, but humans still need to be aware of their machine counterparts. Companies have developed techniques to make it easier for humans and robots to safely interact and improve plant floor productivity.
3. Sustainable cybersecurity architecture for safety instrumented systems
Choosing a safety instrumented system (SIS) architecture for defensible operation across the product lifecycle is one of the first decisions an organization must make; know these applicable standards.
4. Leverage object-oriented industrial programming
Plants and equipment are assembled from objects, so controls architecture should be too. New tools help industrial programmers deliver the productivity of object-oriented programming (OOP) without the complexity.
5. Control Engineering Career and Salary Survey, 2019
Engineers are getting paid more, although fewer expect to get increases in 2019; top factors for determining job satisfaction are feeling of accomplishment, technical challenge, and financial compensation.
6. Model-less multivariable control benefits
Part 2: Model-less multivariable control (XMC) is designed to solve multivariable control challenges without using detailed models or embedded optimizers.
Model-less multivariable control (XMC) automates the way operating teams have always carried out multivariable constraint control and optimizaton manually. Notably, this method does not require detailed models or embedded optimizers. XMC uses patented rate-predictive control (RPC) internally. Courtesy: APC Performance LLC
Software uses real-time data to draw real-world conclusions.
8. The data historian’s history told
Momentum around time-series data storage suggests a new chapter for a legacy offering.
9. Five ways location intelligence improves IIoT operations
Digital representations of factories and industrial spaces lead to opportunities.
10. Proactively manage industrial cybersecurity by automating risk monitoring
Cover story: A refinery installed a modern distributed control system (DCS) that automates and manages industrial cybersecurity tasks to reduce manual workflows, potential human error and overall company costs.
On Mondays, see the top 5 articles of the prior week.
Chris Vavra, production editor, CFE Media, cvavra@cfemedia.com.