Control Engineering’s most clicked articles in May 2024 included stories on PID control, PLCs, cybersecurity and more. Miss something? You can catch up here.
Hot topics in Control Engineering, for May 2024, for stories posted in the last three months included stories on PID control, PLCs, cybersecurity and more. Links to each article below.
1. PID spotlight, part 4: How to balance PID control for a self-limiting process
Control of a self-limiting process with a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller begins with learning the role of controller gain, integral and derivative in controlling the self-limiting process. Controller gain responds to the present, integral corrects based on the past, and derivative can be used to best-guess the future.
2. Back to the future of the PLC
Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are not going away any time soon, and improving technologies combined with user demands will continue their evolution as a foundational automation platform.
3. Four steps to designing for future OT cybersecurity challenges
Manufacturers are continuing to be a major target for cybersecurity attacks and need to plan and design for the future. Four steps on how to do this are highlighted.
4. Edge to cloud: Understanding new industrial architectures
Modern edge devices put emphasis on cybersecurity, data democratization and programmability to enable advanced cloud capabilities.
5. How to choose a VFD for medium-voltage motors
Understand the advantages of multi-level output drive topology in medium voltage (MV) motor applications. Motor insulation reliability and reflected waves: What to consider when selecting a variable frequency drive (VFD).
6. Important advancements in VFD and motor control
Recent advancements in variable frequency drives have transformed these devices to enhance safety features and improve energy efficiency. See three VFD advanced control schemes.
7. Picking the right MES or automation solution for a life sciences application
Life sciences manufacturers have more automation options than ever, but choosing the right manufacturing execution system (MES) or software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution to streamline and improve operations is not as difficult as it may seem.
8. PID spotlight, part 2: Know these 13 terms, interactions
Learning proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller tuning begins with the basics: Definition of terms, the PID equation (multiple forms) and seeing how each of the PID terms functions independently from each other and separated from a process.
9. How gen AI can help amplify industrial efforts
Carefully curated AI, when integrated on a comprehensive industrial automation platform, will accelerate the way users develop, deploy and optimize manufacturing and processing operations.
10. Power quality, harmonics: How to select a variable frequency drive (VFD)
Part 2: Understand the advantages of 36-pulse input drive topology in medium-voltage (MV) motor applications and how medium-voltage VFD design mitigates harmonics and improves power quality.
