Top Control Engineering articles, February 2011

Most visited Control Engineering articles during February 2011 included “world’s fastest” PLC, advanced control at a steel mill, 2011 Engineers’ Choice Awards, help with engineering contracts, Stuxnet, M2M cloud, multi-core processors, and advanced motor design, among other articles. See links.

March 6, 2011

Most visited articles at www.controleng.com during February 2011 included “world’s fastest” PLC, advanced control at a steel mill, 2011 Engineers’ Choice Awards, engineering contracts errors to avoid, lessons learned from Stuxnet, M2M cloud advice, multi-core processors, and advanced motor design, among other articles. Descriptions of each and links follow, with some images.

World’s fastest PLC based on CPU scanning speed? Yokogawa FA-M3V is a high-performance PLC with the world’s fastest CPU scanning speed, capable of scanning a 100,000-step program in one millisecond, according to Yokogowa Electric Corp., in a Feb. 7 announcement.

Inside Machines: Process models, advanced control support super steel mill – Extensive system integration and custom advanced control software supports one of only four cold mills in the U.S. coupled to a pickle line. The mill automation system supports a continuous process requiring precision control of motor speeds and integration of auxiliary equipment.

2011 Engineers’ Choice Awards – Spotlight on Innovation – Cover story: Best automation, control, and instrumentation products in 30 categories.

Cover Story: Balancing PLCs, PACs, IPCs – Do you need a PLC, PAC, or IPC for your next control application? Will programmable logic controllers (PLCs) evolve into programmable automation controllers (PACs) or industrial PCs (IPCs)? Whatever the name, get the best features and software for your control applications.

Legalities: 8 ugly contract clauses – Legal risks for automation industry companies: Add these ugly 8 contract clauses to the dirty dozen to get 20 very serious legal risks.

Control network security lessons from Stuxnet – A UK expert describes how Stuxnet and other threats to industrial infrastructure cyber security are prompting national and international action.

Advancing Technology: High-efficiency gas turbines – General Electric and Siemens are among companies pushing the frontiers of large high-efficiency gas turbines for electricity generation. Target is more than 60% thermal efficiency for combined-cycle power plants.

M2M cloud platform now connects industrial control systems – Machine to machine Sierra Wireless AirVantage Smart Automation service enables industrial products with cellular-based remote access, enhancing the Internet of things. Sierra Wireless says the comprehensive, enabling new cloud-based service to reach new revenue-producing applications and reduce development costs, using Sierra Wireless AirPrime and Sierra Wireless AirLink devices.

Insights on multi-core processors – Intel says multi-core processor technology addresses numerous industrial control challenges by delivering greater ‘raw’ and real-time performance. This was driven by a need for critical applications to respond quickly and predictably to real-time events. Link to 3 other Control Engineering articles in this four-part series.

Advanced motor design: New Motors Reach New Applications – Permanent magnets, axial, transverse, and radial flux designs optimize torque, power, efficiency, size, weight, and other motor performance parameters, as explained in this February Control Engineering feature article. Reader feedback added on Feb. 16.

Among the most popular pages this month…

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Integrator Guide www.controleng.com/integrators

– Edited by Mark T. Hoske, CFE Media, Control Engineering, www.controleng.com