Control Engineering hot topics, November 2018

Control Engineering's most clicked articles in November 2018 included stories about the Engineers' Choice Finalists, matching motors and drives, designing a wireless IIoT gateway, complex upgrades, and more. Miss something? You can catch up here.

By Chris Vavra December 1, 2018

Hot topics in Control Engineering, for November 2018, included the Engineers’ Choice Finalists, IIoT capabilities for process plants, IoT implementation challenges, and tuning tips matching motors and drives, designing a wireless IIoT gateway, and complex upgrades. These are based on the top 10 most read articles online in Control Engineering November. Links to each article below.

1. Vote now for 2019 Engineers’ Choice Finalists

The official ballot is open for voting for Control Engineering North American print and digital edition subscribers, for a limited time. Review finalists and vote by using CFE Media’s New Products for Engineers platform.

2. Bring IIoT capabilities to refineries and process plants

The first step to bringing fieldbus networking and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) into process manufacturing plants and refineries may be changing device-level networking practices.

3. Six IoT implementation challenges and solutions

The Internet of Things (IoT) is gaining acceptance, but some companies remain hesitant to implement it. Six common concerns are highlighted, along with ways teams can address any concerns from management.

4. Top 10 tuning tips for control engineers

Best practices to follow to increase loop tuning performance and reliability in a facility include increased efficiency, controller gain, and being aware of loop interactions.

5. Three phases of industrial digital transformation

Manufacturing, packaging, and logistics companies are unlocking new potential through digital transformation with the power of the Internet of Things (IoT) and advanced analytics.

6. How AR and VR are transforming training in manufacturing

Augmented reality (VR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies are improving training programs in plant facilities and bridging the skills gap with more efficient training for the incoming workforce – training new workers at 30 to 40% more efficiently and reducing assembly time.

7. Optimize machine metrics with a machine-as-a-service model, blockchain

Machine as a service (MaaS) and blockchain manage and secure machine data and transactions. Blockchain, while known for its use in the financial world, is being used by Steamchain, a start-up company, to provide secure financial and machine information design to help end users and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

8. Analyze data quality for process control systems

Data obtained from process analyzers need to be trusted and verified to help the user make an informed decision. Considerations include communications reliability, analyzer status, and logic platform.

9. Wireless alarms for facility showers are crucial to plant safety

Wireless alarms for facility showers can help workers provide quicker first aid to a worker if they have been injured in a remote area or late at night.

10. Award-winning pumpkin grown with engineering

Caleb Otto used his engineering background in NorthWind Technical Services’ pumpkin growing contest with an award-winning pumpkin that weighed almost 800 pounds. Research, formulas, calculations, and automation helped.

On Mondays, see the top 5 articles of the prior week. In January, see the hot topics for the prior year.

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


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