Top 5 Control Engineering articles February 13-19: Engineers’ Choice, pick the right controller, PLC and computer differences, more

Articles about the Engineers' Choice winners, picking the right controller, PLC and computer differences, wireless and industrial applications, and reasons to be fluent in multiple platforms were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from February 13-19. Miss something? You can catch up here.

By Chris Vavra February 20, 2017

The top 5 most read articles online, from Feb. 13-19 for Control Engineering, covered the Engineers’ Choice winners, picking the right controller, PLC and computer differences, wireless and industrial applications, and reasons to be fluent in multiple platforms. Links to each article below.

1. 2017 Engineers’ Choice Awards: Spotlight on innovation

The 30th annual Control Engineering Engineers’ Choice Awards shines a light on 28 categories of control, instrumentation, and automation products, revealing the best of those introduced in 2016 as chosen by you, Control Engineering’s print and digital audience.

2. What controller fits your application?

Controllers available for modern applications include programmable logic controllers (PLCs), programmable automation controllers (PACs), distributed control systems (DCS), industrial PCs (IPCs) or PC-based control, and embedded (board-level) controllers. What criteria should be used to choose among them and why?

3. Six key differences between PLCs and computers

On the surface, programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and computers are similar, but PLCs can perform discrete and continuous control functions that a computer can’t. 

4. Wireless takes control for industrial applications

Wireless transmitters are being widely used for monitoring, but recent developments such as energy harvesting and legacy connections show wireless is also suitable for real-time control for any application. 

5. Four reasons to be fluent in multiple platforms

Being fluent in multiple platforms can be a helpful tool in the automation field for engineers and integrators and can give the engineer the ability to solve more problems and be a better, more rounded engineer.

The list was developed using CFE Media’s web analytics for stories viewed on controleng.com, February 13-19, 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.