Control Engineering hot topics, May 2018

Control Engineering's most clicked articles in May 2018 included stories about the 2018 Salary and Career Survey, data analytics, building a small controls project, and condition-based maintenance. Miss something? You can catch up here.

By Chris Vavra June 1, 2018

Hot topics in Control Engineering, for May 2018, included the 2018 Salary and Career Survey, data analytics, building a small controls project, and condition-based maintenance. These are based on the top 10 most read articles online in Control Engineering May. 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. Four ways spreadsheets limit data analytics

Tools needed for data cleansing, visualization, contextualization, and modeling.

3. Six tips for designing and building a small controls project

When designing and building a small controls project, aspects such as ordering and specifying parts, building the system, and programming should be considered to make the process as smooth as possible.

4. Understanding industrial control systems security basics

Cover story: It’s critical to implement an in-depth cybersecurity plan to help protect industrial control systems (ICSs) against a cyber attack. Identify threats, vulnerabilities, standards, and documents.

5. How IIoT impacts tool and sensor functionality 

On the front lines of the cloud’s maintenance disruption.

6. Where to start with industrial analytics

What to do to create useful operations information and drive real results.

7. Three levels of condition-based maintenance

Compressed air strategies to maximize uptime are happening in a shift towards maintenance of equipment and systems called prognostics and health management.

8. Advice from the Triton cybersecurity incident 

Cybersecurity incident: Human errors enabled it, but the Triconex safety controller shut down the plant as designed, say experts with Schneider Electric and ARC Advisory Group. But it’s still a call to action for industry. Have you implemented changes since then?

9. Smart manufacturing: IIoT analytics and predictive maintenance

Enhance operations by using Internet of Things (IoT) platforms and data analysis.

10. Career return on investment

Career update 2018: Engineer your career for maximum return. Engineers in automation-related professions need to review and implement these (sometimes painful) six best practice tips to achieve a satisfying and productive career return on investment (ROI).

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.