Control Engineering’s most clicked articles in December 2024 included stories on Modbus documentation, distributed control systems and IT/OT integration. Miss something? You can catch up here.
1. Modbus documentation clarified, 5 reasons to use RS-485 with automation
Understand the implementation of Modbus serial communication, and its evolving relevance in a digital world of automation and controls.
2. Why it’s critical to integrate distributed control systems
The distributed control system (DCS) is still the heart of modern automation, driving today’s most optimized plants, while preparing for a future of data-centric operations.
3. How to unlock design efficiency, standards for P&ID development
Standardization of process piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) is an integral element of any multidiscipline design project. By using consistent symbols and conventions, standardized P&IDs streamline communications among project stakeholders and provide a valuable document that is useful throughout the production plant or process lifecycle.
4. Core architecture strategies for IT/OT network integration
Taking a holistic approach toward integration of IT and OT networks allows access and security requirements to be met and scaled as additional needs arise over time.
5. System integrators expand, vital, scarce automation skillsets
2025 System Integrator Giants: Examining the shifts in revenue, talent, and industry pressures over the past five years.
6. More answers now: Back to basics: What you need to know about today’s PLCs
System integrators provide more answers from audience questions after the Control Engineering webcast, “Back to basics: What you need to know about today’s PLCs.”
7. How to use PA-DIM to improve OT/IT process data
By standardizing the data representation of process plant instruments and other devices, the Process Automation Device Information Model (PA-DIM) simplifies access and expands compatibility to transport essential field data up to enterprise computing assets.
8. Seven open-source interconnection strategies for empowering Industry 4.0
Industry 4.0 projects can be initiated with interconnection strategies, which allow cost-effective digitization, unlocking optimization and improvement opportunities. Seven strategies are highlighted.
9. New AI-powered closed-loop tools can revolutionize manufacturing in 9 ways
A software company applies artificial intelligence in nine key ways to empower workers, improve performance and enhance productivity in closed-loop machine-vision-based applications.
10. PID spotlight part 10: Heuristic tuning, deadtime-dominant self-limiting process
When a PID controller is behaving badly, do we start over? What if our open or closed loop tuning method got us almost there? Can we use what we see and a few simple rules to fix PID controller tuning in one or two easy steps? Using heuristic methods for loop tuning may be the answer. See also, part 9.
