Control Engineering hot topics, June 2018

Control Engineering's most clicked articles in June 2018 included stories about the 2018 Salary and Career Survey, autotuning PID control, IT and OT convergence, and sensor selection tips. Miss something? You can catch up here.

By Chris Vavra July 1, 2018

Hot topics in Control Engineering, for June 2018, included the 2018 Salary and Career Survey, autotuning PID control, IT and OT convergence, and sensor selection tips. These are based on the top 10 most read articles online in Control Engineering June. Links to each article below.

1. Control Engineering Salary and Career Survey, 2018

Career Update 2018: Engineers are getting paid more and a greater percentage expect to get increases in 2018, but the technical challenge and a general feeling of accomplishment remains the highest factors for job satisfaction.

2. Pros and cons of autotuning control: Part 1

Proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers that can automatically select their own tuning parameters sound good but face challenges.

3. Understanding the convergence of IT and OT

Information technology (IT) and operations technology (OT) are converging to improve manufacturing operations, that can offer benefits such as improved productivity and security.

4. Case study: IIoT effectiveness on the plant floor

Create and collect machine and sensor data to augment overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and determine machine efficiency.

5. Tips on sensor selection

Many different sensors are available to manufacturers and knowledge about the application type and basic operation conditioning requirements can create a more informed and accurate choice.

6. Discrete Sensors 101: Sensor types and best practices

Measuring success: Understand which type of discrete sensors to use for what applications, terminology, and tips.

7. Providing circuit protection for safety

When correctly selected and applied, circuit breakers, fuses, and other protection components can help keep workers safe from injuries and machines from damage.

8. Five essential criteria for effective mobile HMIs

Mobile human-machine interface (HMI) strategies should consider security, ease of use, level of access and detail, and collaboration when bringing HMI interfaces from the control room to the plant floor.

9. Implementing remote technical training

By using an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) gateway, or a remotely-controlled PC, critical how-to skill-based training can be made available to engineering students anywhere there’s an Internet connection.

10. Observation wheel demonstrates safety with a view

Case study: Automation’s attention to safety, reliability, and ease of implementation at the Coca-Cola Orlando Eye Observation Wheel.

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.