Automation Portals

Programmable Controllers (PLC & PAC) Portal

Articles

		Integrated HMI/PLC packages offer convenience, but only in the right applications - 05/20/12 Control Engineering, May 2012 By Peter Welander Choices of controllers that include an integrated HMI in one package are growing. These promise greater simplicity if the combination of elements works in your situation.

		Is PLC a Dirty Word Now? - 03/21/12 Control Design, March 2012 By Dan Hebert Controllers now are called Programmable Automation Controllers (PACs), Industrial PCs, or just about anything else except PLCs

		Pick Right, and Service Is Free - 02/25/12 Control Design, February 2012 By Dan Hebert Does it annoy you when automation suppliers charge for technical support? Do you think this service should be free, or at least built into the cost of the original product? Here’s how to get free service.

		Rockwell Automation's Lower Cost, Higher Power 5370 CompactLogix Controllers - 02/24/12 Automation.com, February 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor At Automation Fair 2011, Rockwell Automation released the new 5730 line of CompactLogix controllers. These controllers allow users and machine builders to get the power of the Logix architecture for smaller applications. Here's an overview of the new line.

		Digital Factory Superstructure Emerging with OPC UA - 02/17/12 Automation.com, February 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor OPC UA is emerging as a fundamental technology for implementing Digital Factory concepts to increase production efficiency. The concept was reinforced at the ARC Forum in a session titled, Transforming Manufacturing with OPC UA: From Embedded to the Enterprise.


		Suppliers Embrace OPC UA - 02/17/12 Automation.com, February 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor During a half day session at the Sixteenth Annual ARC World Industry Forum Conference some automation vendors made it clear they are adopting OPC UA. This adoption is intended to close the gap between advances in the general computing industry and industrial automation systems.

		Rockwell Automation Product Philosophy - 02/13/12 Automation.com, February 2012 By Bill Lydon Rockwell Automation firmly believes there are users that only want simple controllers and users that want integrated control and information products. In order to meet these requirements Rockwell has two separate product and software architectures, Connected Components and Logix.

		Automatic Improvement: Spotlight On PLCs - 02/12/12 IMPO, January 2012 By Rachel Leisemann Immel PLCs can be used to control amusement rides, HVAC systems, or assembly lines, and are manufactured to be reliable and withstand harsh environments—making them perfect for industrial manufacturing.

		Open Systems and the Programmable Controller - 02/04/12 Automation.com, February 2012 By Adam VanOort, DataNab ModBus and BACnet are the best protocol options to support on open I/O and control devices. Both protocols use RS485 as the communications backbone, i.e., the physical network that supports the data traffic. But what about IP?

		Emerging Technology Benchmarking - 02/03/12 Automation.com, February 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor These results of the Pharmaceutical Automation Roundtable (PAR) Emerging Technology Benchmarking Survey addressed major automation topics including DCS vs. PLC, Fieldbus Technology, Smart Devices, VFDs, PAT, APC, Wireless, Operator Interfaces, Computing Technology, Validation and Skills gaps.

		Addressing the perils of DIY DCS - 01/11/12 Control Engineering Europe, January 2012 By Tim Sweet, Honeywell Process Solutions When PLCs and HMI software are integrated, the result looks a lot like a DCS. But all is not as it seems. This is very much a DIY approach with technical risk and added costs that may not always be obvious.

		Highlights from PI NA General Assembly Meeting 2011 - 01/09/12 Automation.com, January 2012 By Bill Lydon, Editor The 17th Annual PI North America General Assembly Meeting was held October 4-6, 2011 in Phoenix, AZ and included vendors and users who provided updates on PROFIBUS and PROFINET technologies. Topics included PROFINET survey, GE IP, Chrysler-Fiat, Wireless and PROFIenergy.

		GE Intelligent Platforms Selects PROFINET as Flagship Network - 01/08/12 Automation.com, January 2012 By Bill Lydon At the recent PI North America General Assembly Meeting, Bernie Anger of GE Intelligent Platforms discussed why they chose PROFINET as the backbone for their Programmable Automation Controller portfolio. The PROFINET philosophy fits with GE's evolving legacy of high performance distributed systems.

		Industrial Software: Programming With Old and New - 12/28/11 Control Design, December 2011 By Jim Montague Programs today consist of object-based software. Is this the end of legacy programming languages?

		Micro800 Standalone Machine Controller - 11/21/11 Automation.com, November 2011 By Bill Lydon for Automation.com Rockwell Automation introduced the new low-cost Micro800 PLC product line suited for standalone machine applications - a completely new architecture and not based on or compatible with the Logix Platform and Integrated Architecture.

		Must Industry Choose Between Security or Efficiency? - 11/14/11 Automation.com, November 2011 By Eric Byres, Byres Security Inc. On one hand, industry is becoming increasingly concerned about just how vulnerable control systems have become to outside attacks. At the same time, new tools and applications that improve efficiency, but increase that exposure, are appearing daily. So must we sacrifice these gains in efficiency if we want to be secure?

		Emerson Executive Perspectives - 11/07/11 Automation.com, November 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor Discussion of the industry issues and trends with Steve Sonnenberg, Emerson Process Management's Executive Vice President, and Peter Zornio, Chief Strategic Officer. Topics include Emerson's energy initiative, the economy, PLC/DCS debate, disposable automation, and more.

		How to achieve redundancy in power supply systems - 11/05/11 Process & Control Engineering, November 2011 By Weidmuller Redundancy is paramount when extreme reliability is required in power supply systems, as is the case in the DC supply to a DCS or PLC control system.

		Has Open Architecture Delivered? - 10/28/11 Automation.com, October 2011 By Bill Lydon Since the 1980s, the automation industry has been adopting standards for networked industrial communications, software, and applications. Have users gained all the benefits originally envisioned?

		Safety PLCs: Tools To Help You Choose - 10/21/11 Industrial Automation Asia, September 2011 By Mike Scott, AE Solutions Most users have little concern about being able to select a proper sensor, transmitter or valve positioner but when it comes to choosing from the vast array of logic solvers, they often do not know how to make a proper decision.

		The Danger With Time Bombs - 10/21/11 Control, October 2011 By Pierre Grosdidier Time bombs prevent the execution of programs past a certain date and time. Vendors use them to enforce license agreements. Can your software vendor lock up your software so that you have to buy an upgrade? Maybe not.

		What Really Happens When You Update Software and Machinery - 10/18/11 Control Design, October 2011 By TJ McDermott, Systems Interface Replacing a worn wrench is easy and not very expensive. What happens, though, when the portable computer that supports the new machinery's PLC, HMI and safety systems gives up the ghost?

		Panel Meters Take Control - 10/18/11 Control Design, October 2011 By Jim Montague Panel meters now can do control in the process, and so many users don't need all the PLCs and SCADA software they had to use in the past.

		PLC vs. DCS - Competing Process Control Philosophy - 10/10/11 Automation.com, October 2011 By Bill Lydon The idea of using a PLC-based system rather than a DCS has become a philosophical and technical debate in the industry. DCSs have been the primary solution for process automation but now many PLC vendors are arguing that a single integrated architecture based on PLCs and/or PACs is the best approach to total plant automation.

		Chrysler/FIAT Adopts PROFINET for CArS - 10/10/11 Automation.com, October 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor The CArS architecture is a modern systems level approach defined by the joint Chrysler and Fiat Manufacturing Engineering Council that improves the process flow for designing and implementing production lines.

		Carving 'Challenging' Niche out of Automation market - 09/30/11 Automation.com, October 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor National Instruments typical applications in the automation industry require very high speeds, high precision, and special functions. According to Christian Fritz, in these challenging applications, they are not competing against PLCs - PLCs just cannot do the job.

		Programmable Logic Keeps Machine-Vision Systems Moving - 09/29/11 Vision Systems Design, September 2011 By Jason Eiynck, et al Interfacing machine-vision systems and PLCs requires minimizing latency and jitter to guarantee response time.

		Siemens Contributes to Toy Story Attraction's Magic - 09/19/11 Automation.com, September 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor Toy Story Midway Mania! is one of the most technologically sophisticated attractions yet developed by Walt Disney Imagineering. It marks the company's first use of industrial Ethernet for a ride's control system which takes advantage of Siemens products.

		The Future of Real-time Control - 09/12/11 Automation.com, September 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor Bill Lydon talks with Jeff Kodosky, Cofounder of National Instruments and Father of LabVIEW, to discuss real-time control and particularly his continuing work on the problem of visually programming real-time- control applications.

		An alternative to DCS or PLC/SCADA? - 09/08/11 Control Engineering Europe, September 2011 By Richard Sturt, Rockwell Automation A true ‘Plant-wide Automation’ approach takes the best features from DCS and PLC/SCADA systems and combines them into a single system. It combines the ‘systems approach’ of a DCS and flexibility of a PLC/PAC to provide a solution for multiple applications.

		Executive Interview - Norm Gilsdorf of Honeywell Process Solutions - 08/28/11 Automation.com, August 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor Norm Gilsdorf of Honeywell Process Solutions sits down with our editor, Bill Lydon, to discuss their organizational changes, asset management, PLC competition, wireless, skill crisis, energy and sustainability.

		Really, Really, Really Cyber Secure - 08/18/11 Control, August 2011 By Walt Boyes It is now clear that machine-level, embedded controllers, such as PLCs, PACs and DCS controllers are vulnerable from both inside and outside the plant.

		Automation & Control Getting iPhone App Enabled - 07/23/11 Design News, July 2011 By Alexander Wolfe Programmable logic controllers are beginning to connect beyond the confines of the factory floor, via iPhone Apps that display status data or even control PLCs directly via over-the-air commands.

		Strategies for Energy Monitoring - 07/23/11 Design News, June 2011 By Al Presher Standard Ethernet networking and PAC technology, new software tools, and demand-response programs team up to identify energy savings and reduce consumption.

		Polk State College helps close manufacturing skills gap - 07/20/11 Automation.com, July 2011 Mosaic, a Florida-based fertilizer producer, asked Polk State College (PSC) to create a training program. PSC worked with Rockwell Automation and RWD Technologies to develop the curriculum.

		Stuxnet and the Paradigm Shift in Cyber Warfare - 06/27/11 Control, June 2011 By Robert M. Lee A brief history of the Stuxnet worm including its targets, the initial findings, possible creators of the worm and its effects.

		Plant-wide optimisation - 05/27/11 What’s New in Process Technology, May 2011 By Gordon Bartlett, Rockwell Automation The important elements to look for when choosing a system that offers the greatest opportunity for plant-wide optimisation include the ability to perform multi-disciplined control; plant-wide integration on a single, open, secure network; and the ability to run advanced control within the controllers.

		Combining Power and Automation Products to Serve Customers - 05/27/11 Automation.com, May 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor ABB creates new role, appoints Brice Koch, to oversee relations with ABB’s largest customers and the development of opportunities in strategic growth areas such as rail, wind, water, solar, energy efficiency and smart grids. Koch will also be responsible for developing ABB’s service business.

		Easier M2E (Machine to Enterprise) Integration - 05/26/11 Automation.com, May 2011 By Roy Kok Over the years, we’ve had sensor upgrades, improved controllers, better operator visibility, data archiving and analytics, and now we have enterprise integration for improved material management, corporate agility, regulatory compliance and a host of other features.

		IEC 61131-3 by the Numbers - 05/18/11 Control, May 2011 By Jeremy Pollard The intent of IEC 61131-3 is to normalize PLC and control systems' programming by standardizing functionality such as program entry, instruction visualization, data types and syntax. The general requirements section includes models for software, communication—external as well as internal instruction and variable parameter passing—and programming.

		From the Field - ABB Automation and Power World 2011 - 05/11/11 Automation.com, May 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor Here are a few highlights from ABB Automation & Power World 2011. The event attracted a record number of participants, totaling more than 4,200, and featured over 400 educational workshops and hands-on training sessions, over 45 customer-presented case studies, and an exhibition of ABB and partner products.

		Hannover Messe 2011 – More than 230,000 Visitors Automation.com, April 2011 By Bill Lydon, Editor Hannover Messe 2011 was larger than any other in the last 10 years, with more than 230,000 visitors. More than 6,500 businesses from 65 countries came to Hannover to display their solutions. The attendance numbers represent a growth of 10 to 15 percent over the comparable 2009 event.

		Automation appliances create interoperability - 04/17/11 Control Engineering, January 2011 By Roy Kok, AutomationSMX Within the automation space, appliances fall into many categories. Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are appliances. Single loop controllers (SLCs) are appliances, and their special functions are well known.

		Industry Gets Cyber-Security Reality Check - 04/09/11 Chemical Processing, April 2011 By Seán Ottewell The emergence of the Stuxnet worm, which apparently targeted Siemens control systems at an Iranian nuclear-enrichment facility, certainly exposed serious knowledge gaps in how cyber security is implemented and maintained by process companies. Registration required to read story.

		Skid Integration Problems Solved by PLCopen Standards - 03/29/11 Automation.com, March 2011 By PLCopen North America The use of skid mounted equipment has become popular for a number of reasons but they pose some unique automation and control challenges that can be solved by using IEC 61131-3 and PLCopen standards.

		A Look at PLCs, Yesterday and Today - 03/26/11 Control Design, March 2011 By Jeremy Pollard The art of bit-flipping: although you can point to many changes in the PLC world over the past 25 years, much is still the same.

		DCS and PLC/SCADA – a comparison in use - 03/24/11 Control Engineering Europe, March 2011 It may surprise you to know that PLC, HMI and SCADA implementations today are consistently proving more expensive than a DCS for the same process or batch application.

		Hyper-Secured PLC…and other curious combinations - 03/24/11 Control Engineering, March 2011 To make life easier for automation engineers, and less costly for OEMs and end-user companies to build control systems, clever companies are converging previously separate products.

		OPC UA is Frictionless Bridge to New Automation Architecture - 02/21/11 Automation.com, February 2011 OPC UA elevates automation systems to the level of current computing technology by leveraging web services and Internet Protocol (IP), enabling automation systems to deliver increased value.

		Cloud Control - 02/14/11 Control Design, February 2011 By Jeremy Pollard The shared resources of cloud computing could--and should--change the way automation specialists use the tools they call on daily, avoiding the need to license each vendor’s software solution separately.

		The Safety Controller Solution - 02/14/11 Control Design, February 2011 By Dan Hebert What many OEMs need is a mid-range solution, more capable than safety relays but less expensive than a safety PLC. Enter the safety controller, essentially a stripped-down version of the safety PLC, with sufficient features and I/O capacity to handle many OEM applications.

		Omron focuses on discrete application leadership - 02/11/11 Automation.com, February 2011 In November of 2010, I attended the Omron Automotive Summit in Chicago and had the opportunity to interview Gregg Holst, Chief Operating Officer and President of Omron Americas. The clear message is that Omron is laser focused on discrete automation and control applications.

		Balancing PLCs, PACs, IPCs - 02/07/11 Control Engineering, January 2011 By K. Pietrusewicz and Ł. Urbański, W Pomeranian Univ of Tech 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)?

		Rockwell Automation's pursuit of process control - 01/31/11 Automation.com, February 2011 I recently interviewed the two key executives leading Rockwell Automation’s process industry initiative, Som Chakraborti and Steve Pulsifer. We discussed their focus on the process markets, PlantPAx, the sales channel, Ethernet/IP, wireless, and how they compare to traditional DCS systems.

		Tips and Tricks for Legacy Hardware - 01/16/11 Control Design, January 2010 By Danny Budzinski Finding information on old industrial hardware isn't easy. There are dozens of legacy brands out there, but chances are that if you have something really old, it was made by Allen-Bradley, GE, Modicon, Omron or Siemens. But even if something is labeled as a Modicon, you might actually have to go somewhere completely different to find the support you need.

		Portability Rage-Part II - 01/16/11 Control Design, January 2010 By Jeremy Pollard The portability issue in IEC 61131 remains. Semantics aside, blocks are developed for each vendor. You cannot take a Beckhoff program and use it with B&R Automation hardware directly.

		How to Hijack a Controller - 01/16/11 Control, January 2011 By Ralph Langner Even though Stuxnet as such is not a generic attack on control systems, several parts of the attack are generic, and these parts are easy to copy. With these generic attack techniques, an attacker may not only implement a similar targeted and surgical strike, but may choose to create widespread, random havoc, using any vendor's controller.

		Innovation in Industrial PCs - 01/16/11 Control, January 2011 By Jim Montague industrial PCs will never stop getting smaller, faster, more powerful and less expensive. And these ongoing changes will keep driving developers and users to deploy computers in new process applications where it would have been too difficult or costly to use them just a short time ago.

		Automation Standards Are More Like Guidelines - 01/16/11 Control, January 2011 By Jim Montague The IEC 61131-3 standard for programming PLCs is a non-standard because many of its rules are so generally stated, and because it allows so many exceptions and proprietary software extensions that its initial definitions and original promise of portability of software between devices is unfulfilled.

		Pharmaceutical Automation Roundtable (PAR) - Part 2 - Virtualization & Software Configuration Management - 01/11/11 Automation.com, January 2011 This is the second article in a series that are the result of the annual Pharmaceutical Automation Roundtable (PAR). A PAR member started the discussion by relating their experience deploying Virtual Machine (VM) technology. Then the discussion turned to Software Development Environment & Configuration Management.

		PC-based control - it is time for change - 01/09/11 South Africa Instrumentation & Control, January 2011 By Conrad Muller, Beckhoff Automation South Africa In many process plants, the PLC simply plays the role of an ‘interlock’ or PID code repository, with most of the system intelligence based in the external SCADA, MES or analysis software application zones.

		Significant Financial Gains Come with Upgrading an Aging Control System to More Modern Technology - 12/21/10 Automation.com, December 2010 By upgrading aging control systems, manufacturers and processing companies are optimizing production flow and enjoying significant gains in productivity and ROI on their control system investments.

		Rockwell Automation Fair 2010 - Smart, Safe & Sustainable Manufacturing Automation.com, December 2010 Highlights from Automation Fair 2010 include an overview of Rockwell Automation's process control initiatives, their vision of a standard, unmodified Ethernet infrastructure, and the release of the Micro800 PLC product line, designed specifically for machine builders.

		Process control gets a makeover with new-generation DCS - 12/12/10 What’s New in Process Technology, December 2010 By Rockwell Automation Australia Historically, there has been a clear divide between control strategies for process and discrete applications. However, with the recent development of a new generation of DCS systems, the distinctions are now not so clear-cut.

		Integrated safety helps control system design - 12/12/10 Control Engineering, November 2010 By Tim Roback, Rockwell Automation Along with eliminating the need for a separate safety controller, integrated safety systems also use one programming software package. That can eliminate the need to write and coordinate multiple programs on different controllers, simplify application programming, and help reduce training and support costs.

		Modern PLCs and PACs pack more punch - 12/12/10 InTech, December 2010 By Jeff Payne Many modern PLCs and PACs now have built-in data acquisition, data storage, and networking capabilities—so accessing this critical information can be as simple as connecting a PLC’s Ethernet port to a network, or pulling data from a removable USB mass storage device such as a USB pen drive.

		PACs versus PLCs - 11/21/10 Design News, November 2010 By Al Presher The line between programmable automation controllers (PACs) and traditional programmable logic controllers (PLCs) is blurring, and continues to be re-defined both by applications and a set of key network connectivity, cost and programmability issues.

		The Can of Worms Is Open-Now What? - 10/19/10 Control, October 2010 By John Cusimano, Exida, and Eric Byres, Byres Security Designing a good cyber defense for your SCADA or process control system is no longer an option.

		Worst Fears Realized - 10/19/10 Control, October 2010 By Nancy Bartels A scary piece of malware named Stuxnet is in town. Remember its name. Its arrival may make you want to change the way you think about control system security.

		Integrated Controllers Grow in Power - 10/13/10 Control Engineering, September 2010 By Jeanine Katzel Rapid technology advancements in hardware and software for panel PCs and related devices are improving equipment design and performance, bringing savings in time, space, and money while maintaining a stable, reliable, and familiar work platform.

		Machine design software generates open source Mechatronics program code - 09/28/10 Automation.com, September 2010 By Bill Lydon Mechatronics Concept Designer enables the entire development team to collaborate more effectively to design, simulate, and build a complete machine and allows the team to identify and correct issues early, before they become costly problems. To implement a design, the software generates the control application code in the PLCopen XML standard format to create programs for controllers.

		The Counterfeit Conundrum: Protecting Company And Customer - 09/24/10 Manufacturing.net, September 2010 By Duane Sword, vice president, Thermo Scientific Manufacturers need to be prepared to protect their brand, product and customers. Technology is needed to differentiate between legitimate products and counterfeits so that fakes can be kept out of the supply chain and out of customers’ hands.

		From simulation to plant floor control Automation.com, September 2010 By Bill Lydon MathWorks and their hardware partner, Speedgoat GmbH, took another big step onto the plant floor with a turnkey simulation solution. With xPC Target Turnkey, users can do virtual design and debugging of machines, production lines and processes and the results will be automatically implemented in real control systems.

		Your Next Network Connection Could Be a Powerline - 09/12/10 Machine Design, August 2010 By Leland E. Teschler Goodbye to fieldbus? Maybe so, if a new generation of powerline-communication gear lives up to expectations. Smart-grid applications for power-line communications could pave the way for using the technology as a less-expensive fieldbus networking scheme.

		Fallout from Stuxnet Continues - 09/10/10 Control, September 2010 Stuxnet is notable not only for its technical sophistication, but also for the fact that it targets industrial control systems (ICS) designed to run power plants including nuclear plants, smart grid, water systems, off-shore oil platforms, ships, other critical infrastructure. Just because Stuxnet was first discovered in a Siemens system, doesn't mean other ICSs aren't vulnerable.

		High-End Features at Low-End Prices - 09/10/10 Control, September 2010 By Dan Hebert Inexpensive PACs and PLCs provide the features and performance of high-end PACs, PLCs and even DCSs at low-end prices.

		Cimquest INGEAR Finds Eclectic Customer Base to Assist in Automation Automation.com, September 2010 By Thomas R. Cutler I recently interviewed eight distinct companies about technology, efficiency, and automation trends. While the numerator was different, the technology solution selected by each company, the denominator, was remarkably consistent. Each of these individuals interviewed performed one act in common. Each Googled the phrase ".NET PLC driver."

		Electrical design software gaining more acceptance Automation.com, September 2010 By Bill Lydon As U.S. companies gain a better understanding of their costs and risks on projects, more are beginning to use electrical design software. This shift has led to a greater focus on efficiency and systemizing knowledge – ideal for what these software systems accomplish.

		IEC 61131-3 and Programming - 08/26/10 Control Design, August 2010 By Don Talend Development of the standard has positive impact on control capability and programming efficiency.

		Three Ways to Remote Diagnostics - 08/26/10 Control Design, August 2010 By Dan Hebert There are three main ways to perform remote diagnostics: with a PC-based control system, a PLC-based control system, and an interface component such as an embedded computer.

		Time for Innovation declared at NIWeek 2010 Automation.com, August 2010 By Bill Lydon NIWeek 2010 attracted a record 3000 engineers, scientists and researchers from all over the world. Dr. James Truchard highlighted how NI's products help users become more like Edison by enabling them to innovate more quickly. Jeff Kodosky elaborated on their innovative research on distributed real-time systems and the tight integration of hardware configuration along with timing.

		Honeywell makes move to capture business through SIs - 08/03/10 Automation.com, August 2010 By Bill Lydon HPS is pursuing relationships with independent system integrators (SIs) to "capture incremental business" for smaller systems in applications including specialty chemicals, food & beverage, and pharmaceuticals. This article reviews the details of the Systems Integrator Program.

		Industry Perspectives from Honeywell User Group 2010 - 07/20/10 Automation.com, July 2010 By Bill Lydon Review the industry perspectives, technology and solutions from HUG Americas 2010. Highlights include an overview of five megatrends identified by Norm Gilsdorf, Honeywell's commitment to legacy products, training and service, and introduction of a new RTU, safety remote IO, in-controller batch manager, and turbo machine controller. Plus, see an example of control system virtualization.

		Is There a PC in Your Control Systems Future? - 07/18/10 Control, July 2010 By Dan Hebert There's no longer any technical reason why a PLC or a DCS should be more reliable than an industrial PC.

		Driving Technology and Innovation Together Automation.com, July 2010 By Bill Lydon Review the technology and innovations presented by Siemens at their recent 2010 Automation Summit, held in Charlotte, NC. Highlights include Siemens’ focus on energy, advancements in their process control offering, their industrial communications strategy and new distributed panel devices.

		Unraveling PAC - 07/13/10 InTech, July 2010 By Bill Lydon InTech asked a number of suppliers to provide their definition of a PAC—to find common ground and determine where there are differences—and for one example of a product the vendor provides that fits their PAC definition.

		PACs & I/O Go Wireless - 07/11/10 Industrial Automation Asia, July 2010 By Jean Femia, Opto 22 Automation engineers are beginning to seriously consider wireless solutions for all or part of their applications. But with all these good reasons to use wireless, several concerns remain. Among them are security, network performance and reliability, availability and cost of I/O components

		The Logical Platform - 06/12/10 Control Engineering Asia, May 2010 By Mogan Swamy The PLC has moved well beyond its original discrete control function to become a multi-discipline platform for plant-wide automation.

		Providing Process Safety - 06/12/10 Control Engineering Asia, May 2010 By Paul Gruhn The latest trends in safety instrumented system designs for the process industries, including safety PLCs and SIS.

		The power of integration exemplified at ABB A&PW 2010 By Bill Lydon, Automation.com The "Connect, Learn, Succeed" theme of this event was about users forming stronger working relationships with ABB. The event brought the opportunity to connect across disciplines and apply products and knowledge - focusing on the power of integration, particularly between automation and power systems. The event attracted more than 4,000 people and offered more than 400 educational and hands-on sessions and a 100,000 sf. exhibit area.

		Just how open is your software? - 05/12/10 Control Engineering Europe, May 2010 By Chris Cox, Codra The expectation of a user is that an open product will offer great flexibility and allow them to fully meet their customer’s specification with one product. So just how “open” does a product need to be for this to be achieved?

		FDT for Open Access - 05/11/10 Control Engineering Asia, April 2010 By Glenn Schulz Supported by all major DCS, PLC, and instrument/device manufacturers, the FDT standard delivers on the promise of open access to device intelligence.

		System Migration Attacks Skills Crisis Automation.com, April 2010 By Bill Lydon Daniel Tadie, Manager of Remote Energy Plants, Colorado Springs Utilities (retired) described a successful migration from a legacy DCS to a new system at Colorado Springs Utilities Birdsall power plant. I was impressed with the philosophy, methodical approach, system performance results, and significant improvements in operations.

		Understanding the IEC61131-3 programming languages - 04/08/10 What’s New in Process Technology, March 2010 IEC61131-3 identifies the five programming languages and their common abbreviations as: Ladder Diagram (LD), Instruction List (IL), Function Block Diagram (FBD), Structured Text (ST) and Sequential Function Chart (SFC). When should one be used over another? What are the benefits and disadvantages of each?

		Automatic PLC Code Generation & Design Interchange Standards Automation.com, April 2010 By Bill Lydon Open standards, more powerful desktop computers, and lower cost software are making design, modeling, and automatic code generation for PLCs and PACs practical for improving automation.

		DCS Migrations: Risk vs Return - 03/19/10 Industrial Automation Asia, March 2010 By Mike Vernak, Rockwell Automation, and John Bryant, Arkema Instituting a phased migration is a major step for any manufacturing system. Although replacing an old DCS system with a single, plant-wide system poses some risks, it is important to help your production team realise the potential benefits.

		A PLC by Any Other Name - 03/19/10 Control Design, March 2010 By James Ingraham The line between a PAC and a PLC remains quite blurry. When exactly is the jump made between a high-end PLC and a low-end PAC? In the end, the distinction is less about naming convention and more about application needs.

		New Gigabyte Industrial Ethernet Open Protocol - CC-Link IE The CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA) announced the release of the open architecture gigabit (GB) CC-Link IE Field Network. I recently met with two members of CLPA Americas to get an update on the latest CC-Link IE standard. Chuck Lukasik is the Director of CLPA Americas and John Woznaik is their Network Specialist.

		Outsourcing Your Engineering - 02/28/10 Manufacturing.net, February 2010 By Amanda Earing Outsourcing your engineering can free up your in-house engineering department to focus on other projects, and saves time and money.

		Programmable Safety Controllers Are Slow to Gain Acceptance - 02/22/10 Control Design, February 2010 By Jim Montague It's been more than a few years since the NFPA amended its NFPA-79 regulations to allow safety and control communications on the same network, but it took longer for suppliers to release updated programmable safety controllers, and it's taking even longer for users to adopt them.

		Reduce the risk of system migrations - 02/16/10 Control Engineering Europe, February 2010 By Frank Prendergast, Schneider Electric Continually updating programmable logic control (PLC) systems can help facilities be more efficient, accommodate evolving needs, and better meet customer requests and deadlines. But an upgrade project is also one fraught with risk when it gets underway, and even after it is complete.

		Three Bugaboos to Avoid When Designing a PC into Your Application - 01/24/10 Design News, January 2010 By Franklin Flint, Dell OEM Solutions Three common "gotchas" often show up too late: Planning for the PC form factor that best fits your requirement; Considering the reliability options available to the solution; Taking into account the long-term consistent supply of the PC hardware.

		Databases – The Perfect Complement to PLCs Automation.com, December 2009 By Steve Hechtman, Inductive Automation SQL and relational databases form the bridge to integrate processes, machinery and people together. Working with SQL is remarkably similar to working with PLCs and ladder logic. And that’s why the PLC programmer is best suited to implement solutions involving PLCs and relational databases.

		Rockwell Automation Fair 2009 - Smart, Safe & Sustainable Manufacturing By Bill Lydon As usual, Rockwell Automation Fair was an impressive event with over 8,000 attendees. Rockwell's continued focus on process control punctuates their very direct message that the Logix architecture can meet all control and automation requirements from discrete to process control.

		Siemens Industry's New Automation Organization By Bill Lydon Interview with Raj Batra President, Industry Automation Division Batra was formerly vice president, Automation & Motion, for Siemens Energy & Automation. The Industry Automation division, based in Alpharetta, Ga., encompasses automation products including programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and controls for discrete and process automation.

		Coder’s Corner: PLCopen Standards Architecture & Data Typing By Dr. Ken Ryan, Alexandria Technical College This is the first in a series of articles focused on writing code using the IEC 61131-3 programming standard. This article outlines the major components of the software model. Later tutorials will focus on specifics of the POUs with emphasis on the differences between programs, function blocks and functions.

		PLCopen XML Standard Update - 09/14/09 By Bill Lydon, Automation.com PLCopen finalized release 2.1 of the PLCopen Technical Committee 6 – XML Standard. This release 2.1 is based version 2.0 published in December 2008, as well as the feedback received from PLCopen members and the AutomationML organization. Here’s a synopsis of what the standard contains.

		What’s the Right Blend in Automation Platforms? - 08/20/09 Managing Automation, August 2009 By Stephanie Neil Manufacturers don’t have the time or money to overhaul antiquated automation systems. It’s not an easy task for companies that have spent the past 20 years investing in a cornucopia of control, including PLCs, CNC or a DCS, on top of which they’ve built out a complex network of I/O communication modules, sensors, and software from historians to HMIs.

		Software License Should Be Included in Hardware Price - 08/20/09 Control Design, August 2009 By TJ McDermott, Formost Fuji You major automation companies out there should take a page from the smaller ones. Your efforts to protect your software are poorly executed, interfere with my ability to do my job and reflect poorly on what is important, which is the programming software.

		Honeywell Process Solutions Embraces System Integrators Honeywell Process Solutions is pursuing relationships with independent system integrators (SI) for the "Honeywell Experion Implementers" program. I spoke with Bill Stevens, Honeywell Channel Manager, to learn more about this program. Stevens explained that the goal of the program is to "capture incremental business" for smaller systems in applications including specialty chemicals, food & beverage, and pharmaceutical.

		Technology & Engineers Celebrated at NIWeek 2009 Dr. James Truchard opened the conference by describing National Instruments' technical directions and thanking attendees for taking on new challenges by innovating and solving problems. NIWeek 2009 attendance was up over last year and that alone is a significant statement compared with other conferences this year. It was billed as the Worldwide Graphical System Design conference providing three days of over 200 interactive technical sessions, exhibitions, and hands-on workshops on the technologies for control, design, measurement, automation, manufacturing, and test.

		Ease of Programming Isn't the Only Benefit of PC-Based Control - 07/15/09 Control Design, July 2009 By Mike Bacidore More than just a rugged face: ruggedized industrial pcs offer a variety of advantages for machine control.

		Taking Control - 07/14/09 Industrial Automation Asia, June 2009 By Elmar Vogts, ABB Driven by technological developments in the last years, manufacturers of process automation technology are nowadays able to offer control systems with higher scalability as an alternative to PLCs in process-oriented applications.

		PCs and PLCs Have Grown Up - 06/24/09 Control Design, June 2009 By Gregory Kempfer In the past decade, PLCs evolved such that they can perform the same functions as the PCs, and the PCs have become more rugged. The advent of soft logic-type programming for PCs virtually eliminated the need for specialized custom programming for most industrial control applications.

		Relays Yield More Programmable Machine Control Options - 06/24/09 Control Design, June 2009 Relays might seem to be in retreat for all but the most basic control applications in the face of seemingly relentless PLC advances. Instead, relays actually are adding capabilities and encroaching into control territory formerly occupied by PLCs

		Safety PLCs Provide Space Savings For OEMs Automation.com, June 2009 By Dave Collins, Schneider Electric Safety PLCs provide all of the same functionality of traditional safety relays, but offer space savings and improved communications, while also providing the safety levels needed for the protection of personnel.

		Machine Safety Incorporates Relays, PLCs, Risk Assessment and Standards Control Design, May 2009 By Jim Montague Most machine safety programs are inspired by a painful wake-up call. These events can be deadly serious destructions of life, limb and equipment, or only slightly less serious near misses that could turn tragic next time if changes aren't made.

		Product Briefs from Hannover Messe By Bill Lydon Over 6,000 companies showed products at Hannover Messe and there are important trends that are worth noting. Here are highlights of some products that caught my interest - some due to functional sophistication and others because of their elegant simplicity.

		Embedded control: Automation’s fastest growing segment Control Engineering Europe, April 2009 By Giuseppe Favata and Thomas Laudenberg, Siemens AG This growing technology is bridging the gap between conventional modular programmable controllers on the one hand and PC-based control systems on the other. The boundaries are increasingly fluid, and the power density continues to increase.

		PAC for Performance Control Engineering Asia, April 2009 By David Hill and David Crum, Opto 22 Blending the best of PLC and PC technology in a single, versatile unit, the programmable automation controller (PAC) is increasingly being called upon to meet the complex demands of today’s industrial applications.

		Fast-Tracking a Control System Retrofit Power, April 2009 By Kevin Geraghty, PT Inco Indonesia Upgrading a 1970s-era generator control system to Allen Bradley ControlLogix technology in 12 days during a three-week shutdown would require careful planning and teamwork under any circumstances. The quick replacement of the governor and control system at the PT Inco smelter’s hydroelectric generation system is even more impressive because the facility is located in the middle of an Indonesian jungle.

		Tomorrow has not been canceled! Report from ABB Automation & Power World 2009 Mark Taft, Group Vice President, Process Automation, Global control System Business opened with, "...it is important for us to remember that tomorrow has not been canceled." Mark's point was the conference was designed to provide a great deal of useful and actionable information that will help attendees survive and thrive in the current economy, and be prepared to take advantage of the future. Mark further noted that having a combined event encompassing automation and power is timely.

		Battle Royal for Machining Center Control Control Design, March 2009 By Jim Romeo Where is CNC control architecture heading? Opinions differ. Some believe there is a clear trend in integrating advanced control into CNC machining. While CNC may still be the dominant choice, the use of PLCs, PACs and PC-based controls is becoming an increasingly visible consideration, often due to the need to integrate the machining center with other systems.

		Winning Strategies and Best Practices for Sustainable Manufacturing By Bill Lydon, Contributing Editor The initial focus of the ARC Forum in Orlando was sustainable manufacturing strategies as they relate to environmental performance and resource management. Based on the recent economic downturn, the conference was expanded to address strategies for bottom line business sustainability of process and discrete manufacturing companies.

		Perfect Packaging with PC Control Control Engineering Europe, January 2009 Multivac employs PC-based control technology in all fully automated machines making thermoformers. At the core of the machine control systems are Beckhoff embedded PCs with Windows XP Embedded and TwinCAT automation software.

		PLC Programming Control, January 2009 By Dave Harrold The three top reasons why RLL — Ladder Logic — remains the control language of choice of PLC users worldwide are – it’s easy to learn, robust to use and offers transparency across platforms.

		PLCs, PACs and DCSs Can Do Windows Control, January 2009 By Rich Merritt The capability of today’s PC-based industrial computers are overcoming engineers’ resistance to “the Wal-Mart of Operating Systems.”

		Speaking In Tongues: Understanding The IEC61131-3 Programming Languages Control Engineering, January 2009 By Ted Thayer, Bosch Rexroth The IEC standard provides five different controller-programming languages, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. When should one be used over another? What are the benefits and disadvantages of each?

		3D Vision Seamlessly Enables Perfect Welds Machine Vision On Line, December 2008 By Winn Hardin 3D machine vision systems – laser-based triangulation systems in particular – are helping manufacturers meet stringent welding requirements in a number of ways, while simplifying system integration with PLCs and other common industrial automation equipment.

		Rockwell Automation Fair 2008 Review By Bill Lydon, Contributing Editor As usual, the Rockwell Automation Fair was an impressive event with over 11,000 attendees and over 90 Encompass partners. This is a very successful show that creates enormous goodwill and is the most successful control show in North America. Training is becoming a big part of the event and allows users to justify the time and money to attend. Distributor travel packages also make it much easier for users to attend the event.

		Wireless & Networking Dominate ISA EXPO 2008, Product Highlights The emphasis on networked communications whether wired or wireless was visible at the event. We review the ISA Wireless Industrial Automation Standard (SP100) Committee meeting in Houston, which drew a standing-room-only crowd. Other product highlights include: PLC/Programming Learning Package, EtherNet/IP Controller, Single Board Industrial Controller, Remote Eyeballs for Wireless Reading Gauges, Quad Process Safety System, Universal Gas Transmitter and HMI Enhancements.

		Choosing a machine control architecture Control Engineering Europe, November 2008 An important step in machine control systems is the use of prefabricated, self-contained modules during the creation of control programs. To accomplish this, machine builders are using function blocks from IEC 61131-3 programming languages. Using standardized software decreases engineering time.

		Direct Selling Firms Look at Warehouse Automation By Thomas R. Cutler Due to lia sophia’s exponential growth, management recognized that the manual system in place at the Bensenville, Illinois, distribution center was unable to support its needs. In 2006, the company opened a new 200,000 sq. ft. facility in Roselle, Illinois, and took the opportunity to reconfigure its current distribution environment and automate to prepare for the future.

		The Making of the PLC Control Engineering Asia, October 2008 By Ken Ball Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) were more of a technology evolution than a startling discovery. Identifying the needs and early ideas first began to take shape in 1967. Documentation and actual building of prototype devices started in 1968, with early model deliveries and factory tests taking place in 1969 and1970.

		Do PLCs Eliminate Need for a DCS? By Bill Lydon, Contributing Editor In the past it was fairly easy to determine whether a PLC or a DCS was right for an application but in recent years this has become more difficult. It is argued that more powerful PLC products coupled with new software tools provide an integrated process control system rivaling a distributed control system (DCS) for process control applications.

		The Choice of Continuous DC or Pulsed DC for Nitriding Industrial Heating, October 2008 By David Pye Pulsed-plasma-generation technology nullifies the risk of arc discharging with the workpiece because of the pulse generation method. The introduction of PC PLC control for both data acquisition and process control offers a very accurate nitriding process system.

		Light weights put heavy demands on labelers Food & Beverage Packaging By Pan Demetrakakes When labelers are called upon to run faster and with more versatility, control becomes more of an issue. The trend has been toward using ever more sophisticated programmable logic controllers (PLCs), as opposed to more limited microprocessors.

		Solid-State Relays Enhance Reliability Control Design, October 2008 By Don Talend With the lines between solid-state relay (SSR) and programmable logic controller (PLC) capabilities blurring in recent years, SSR manufacturers see a major role for relays in maintaining equipment functions and reliability.

		Automation Insights Network By Rick Zabel, Publisher Automation Insights Network is a select group of controls and automation professionals who agree to help us cover news, emerging trends and technologies on various automation topics. Every two months, we will ask people in the Network to share their observations, knowledge and expertise with us. We take that information, distill it, and pass it on to our reporters and editors for use in future stories.

		ISA - Change the name to represent the industry By Rick Zabel, Automation.com The proposed name change of ISA (to "International Society of Automation") is up for a vote again during ISA Expo in Houston, October 14-16, 2008. Last year, the change was voted down, but I have yet to hear a compelling argument against the change. And there are many reasons for the change. If ISA is truly the global society of automation professionals, then its name should reflect its cause. It's time for a change!

		How Programmable Logic Controllers Emerged from Industry Needs Control Engineering, September 2008 By Ken Ball Happy anniversary, PLC! No detailed account of your origins is known to exist, and most PLC textbook introductions are inaccurate. This article, based on published references and personal recollections, is written to set the record straight.

		State of Manufacturing & Automation in the U.S. Looks Good Could it be that high fuel prices, the weak dollar and crises in the U.S. manufacturing industry are creating opportunities? Andy Chatha of ARC Advisory Group thinks so. He says the U.S. industry has suddenly become competitive on the world market, and companies are no longer moving operations overseas. Instead, many are expanding their facilities, and he predicts a boom in automation right here in the U.S.

		Don’t Rip Out Your Old Automation Just Yet Automation World, July 2008 By James R. Koelsch Tearing everything out and starting again from scratch is not always an option. Some manufacturers are devising strategies for upgrading their installed automation over time in an orderly way. One example involves PACs.

		What Does an Automation Computer Look Like? By Mike Berryman, Advantech This is the age of embedded computing. From wristwatches to cell phones to industrial process control devices, computers control everything. But these devices do not look like computers. So what does an automation computer look like?

		Will This Machine Work? Control Design, June 2008 By Dan Hebert There are many different ways to test and verify that your machine and its automation system will perform as intended prior to final fabrication, installation and commissioning. Includes examples of PC, PLC and PAC-based controls.

		Don't judge a supplier by its name By Frank Hurtte, Contributing Author. For those of us who live and breathe the rarified vapors of technology based automation, it's pretty hard to fathom how life existed without electronic automation. Yet, it has been a short 30 years since the venerable PLC became anything more than a novelty outside of the Big 3 in Detroit. Sometime in the late 1970s, microprocessors changed our lives forever. Since those early days, the power of these tiny chips forever changed the way we think about manufacturing.

		Custom Controls Survey - Complimentary assessment, tips and tricks We are conducting a brief survey on custom controls — that is, board-level controllers used in place of standard PLCs or process controls. If you use custom controls in your automation applications, please take a minute to tell us why you use them and what challenges you face. You may be eligible to receive a complimentary controls assessment, plus tips and tricks on how to lower your control costs.

		Regional Manufacturing Expos Prove Most Valuable By Thomas R. Cutler Deciding which conferences, webinars, and expos are worthwhile for manufacturing engineers and buyers to attend often feels like a dangerous yellow brick road, never knowing quite what to expect.

		Energy efficiency of power quality technologies Plant Engineering, May 2008 By Dr. William Brumsickle Ferromagnetic transformers – also known as CVTs – work by continuously oscillating energy between the CVT’s transformer secondary and its load-side capacitor. Sloshing that energy back and forth creates heat. CVT efficiency is 70% to 80% in typical applications. CVTs are commonly installed with PLC panels, often in the hundreds or thousands. Taken together, they could burn a megawatt of wasted heat in a large plant.

		ABB is powered up and running at high efficiency! By Bill Lydon The products and services shown at ABB Automation World in Houston, Texas along with the enthusiasm of the ABB employees and users would seem to explain why the company’s 1st quarter 2008 earnings beat investment analysts’ consensus by over 40%. The three-day trade show and conference ran from April 29 through May 1 in Houston, Texas. There was a great deal of energy and enthusiasm at the event which showcased ABB products, ABB services, partner products, and over 300 workshops/training sessions.

		PLCs and DCSs Converge Control Engineering, May 2008 By Bob Nelson and Todd Stauffer, Siemens Energy & Automation The evolution of PLC, DCS and hybrid control technologies makes it more challenging than ever for process manufacturers to select the best technology for their application. The answers to questions in seven areas can help guide you to the right choice.

		What's in a name? by Jeff Payne, AutomationDirect PLC, DCS and PAC are a few acronyms used to describe what originally replaced relays in the late 1960s. So, what are the differences and why do we need to call them by so many different names?

		Moving toward PACs Plant Engineering, April 2008 By Matt Mekschun, Schneider Electric The continued trend of smaller, more powerful computing technology has not been lost on the automation industry. Emerging from this trend is the concept of the programmable automation controller. The PAC blurs the traditional PC vs. PLC control argument.

		PAC attack Intech, April 2008 By Kelly Downey and Jean Femia PACs on the market today have varying capabilities. When you are choosing a PAC for an application, there are considerations to keep in mind from a hardware and software perspective.

		XML Control Logic Standard Gains Acceptance as Digital Factory Interface By Bill Lydon, Managing Director, PLCopen North America Open non-proprietary interface allows users to pick the best of breed production hardware and software including PLC, PAC, PLM, modeling, and simulation software to make virtual design and production simulation a reality.

		PLCOpen Overview By PLCOpen Backgrounder article explains what PLCOpen is, and what it does.

		The Culinary Art of Mechatronics Control Engineering, March 2008 By C.G. Masi Cooking up good mechatronic systems takes the right hardware and software. For mechatronics, software includes the operating system (OS), application programs, and instrument drivers.

		Building block diagrams Control Engineering, March 2008 By C.G. Masi Block-diagram visualization allows system engineers to separate needs analysis from system design, and start system-level design before finishing component-level designs.

		PACs Gain Momentum Automation World, February 2008 By Wes Iversen While not everyone likes the name, a new generation of programmable automation controllers that feature multi-domain control functionality are helping to reduce costs for a growing number of manufacturers.

		Distributed Control Systems Vendors Respond to PAC Questions Automation World, February 2008 By Wes Iversen Are PACs displacing DCSes? Here’s what four DCS vendors have to say about that.

		Controllers evolve as information needs grow Control Engineering, February 2008 By Lee Lane, Rockwell Automation Controllers have evolved over the years from relay boards that automate a machine to the tag-enabled multidisciplined controllers today. As an information-enabled controller, PACs will continue to evolve along with the information systems executives find useful.

		A Better View of the Plant Automation World, January 2008 By Rob Spiegel New HMI tools are taking data from programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and displaying it throughout the enterprise via Web browsers. Likewise, HMI systems are sending intelligible information from the enterprise down to the shop floor.

		Software for Programmable Automation Controllers If you’re looking at PACs for your monitoring, automation, and data acquisition applications, you may be wondering how PACs are programmed. This white paper explores some of the most important features of software for PACs.

		Signal Conditioning for PC-Based Control Control Engineering, January 2008 By C.G. Masi Control-system designers need to pay extra attention to signal conditioning issues when using PC-based controllers. PACs and PLCs don’t have the same problems.

		Improving PLC Compatibility and Function Flexibility Control Engineering, December 2007 By Jim McMahon, Zebra Communications When Weiler Engineering upgraded the drive systems on its aseptic blow-fill-seal machines, a problem with its existing controller compatibility was limiting the functionality of its equipment. A one-on-one PLC-integration from Siemens provided the machine-operation interface needed and expanded its application’s flexibility.

		New Guises, Protections for Industrial PCs Control, January 2008 By Jim Montague Reports of the demise of the industrial computer have been greatly exaggerated. Sure, recent technical advances are making the desktop PC-in-a-box and many of its traditional capabilities unrecognizable. However, there remain many applications in which operators need screen-based HMIs on or close to machines, production lines or other systems.

		PACs for Communications and Data Handling Control, January 2008 By Dan Hebert Many process control applications require much more than just real-time control, and extensive communications and data handling can tax the functionality of PLCs. In these instances, a programmable automation controller (PAC) can be a good fit. Most PACs are derived from the PC world; hence their relative strength when it comes to communications and data handling.

		When is a PLC like a typewriter? Control Engineering, December 2007 By Thomas R. Kurfess The PLC vs PAC argument, from a different perspective.

		Programmable safety begets new standards Machine Design, December 2007 By Dave Collins, Schneider Electric New safety standards have led safety PLCs and controllers to become more widely accepted in the U.S. In fact, many users are combining safety and automation components into the same system through use of safety PLCs and safety networks.

		Backup for Critical Processes Control Engineering, September 2007 By Stephen Arnold, Telemecanique While it might not be practical for end users to implement a hot standby solution with a DCS, many end users and system integrators are now learning that PLC hot standby solutions can offer high availability in a more cost effective hardware and software combination.

		Hybrid control identity crisis InTech, September 2007 By Samuel Herb, JAOMAD Consultancy What’s in a name? What’s the difference between DCS, PLC and PAC? With hybrid controllers combining functions of DCSs, PLCs, and RTUs, confusion reigns. Author tries to sort it out.

		Logic and I/O Motion System Design, September 2007 Interviews with experts from Opto 22, Wago, Phoenix Contact and Rockwell Automation on control system options and processing machine commands and feedback signals. It’s PC vs PLC vs PAC vs motion controllers.

		Automation, Operators and the bottom line Control, August 2007 By Ian Nimmo By taking away the easy parts of operator’s task, automation can make the difficult parts of the job even more difficult.

		Why Most Applicators Don’t Work — and What to Do About It Adhesives, August 2007 By Mike Terry, AccuPlace The traditional method most label and adhesive-film applicators use employs many outdated industrial solutions. While simple basic control can be implemented with a PLC, it is difficult to integrate automated procedures, error recovery and visualization functions as an incorporated part of the application.

		Bolstering efforts for machine builders Q & A Industrial Embedded Systems, Summer 2007 Interview with Christopher Zei, Rockwell Automation, concerning how OEMs can enhance machine performance and increase their bottom lines by keeping abreast of new technologies.

		Connecting PLC control systems to the internet Process & Control Today, May 2007 By Jeremy Shinton of Mitsubishi Electric The connection of automation systems to the Internet has been via Ethernet adaptors to a web server or PC connected to the web. However the latest generation of PLCs, such as Mitsubishi’s System Q, have fully integrated PC modules available directly within the PLC racks

		Elements of successful integration Food Engineering, May 2007 by Kevin T. Higgins, Senior Editor The rules of engagement remain a bit fuzzy, but manufacturers and their technology partners are getting better at reducing the risk in automation projects involving MES, HMI and PLCs.

		Safety From the Ground Up Dairy Foods, January 2007 by Jeff Gellendin Manufacturers can often add Zone Control to the facility’s planning process by implementing Safety Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) throughout a control system.

		Juggling many functions Motion System Design, July 2007 By Fabio Malaspina, Rockwell Automation Programmable automation controls (PACs) consolidate discrete, motion, drives and safety control in a single environment, making changeovers easier and significantly faster.

		The Changing Shape Of Embedded Automation The Industrial Ethernet Book, April 2007 By Marcus Hoffmann and Jürgen Teufel, Siemens Automation and Drives PC-based controllers and classic PLCs currently exist side by side. However, fast network connections and web services are giving rise to a new breed of controller. With the classic stability of a PLC and the open market of conventional PC platform, it promises to win applications from both, particularly those with combinations of HMI and motion control.

		Upgrade Streamlines Application Software Control Engineering – February 2007 Rick Hannasch, president of Magnum Engineering In this semiconductor application, the original system split interface, security and configuration utilities between HMI and PLC. The goal in replacing the HMI hardware and software was to provide the requested resolution and detail while dramatically reducing PLC program complexity by offloading the security and configuration functions to the HMI.

		Back to the books: PLC easy reader Control Design, February 2007 By Jeremy Pollard, Columnist Jeremy reviews Programmable Logic Controllers: An Emphasis on Design and Application, from Dogwood Valley Press, was written by Dr. Kelvin Erickson, a professor at the University of Missouri–Rolla campus.

		PLC: An evolutionary matter Control Design, January 2007 By Jeremy Pollard, Columnist Has the PLC evolved over the past 10 years? Is it better? As we look back at how machine automation has changed since 1997, columnist Jeremy Pollard reflects on the evolution of the PLC.

		PLC home companion Control Design, January 2007 By Jeremy Pollard, Columnist Jeremy reviews Programmable Logic Controllers, 4th Edition, a book by William Bolton, author of college texts in engineering and other technical subjects, and published by Elsevier.

		PLC-Based Control Systems Go Off-Shore Control Engineering -- January 2007 By Michael Darnell, vice president, Prism Systems Offshore supply vessels (OSV), platform supply vessels (PSV) and anchor handling towing supply (AHTS) vessels depend on industrial networking and control systems using fieldbus-connected instrumentation, PLCs and Ethernet communication. They are, in effect, mobile industrial installations requiring the same equipment and control functionality.

		Our PLCs in action Control Design, March 2007 By Jeremy Pollard, Columnist Daqota Systems, based in California and Minnesota, builds PLC-based X-Y scanning systems for veneering operations at major wood suppliers. Its systems maximize the available veneer its users can harvest from a given log. Daqota says the hardware finally is fast enough to perform the calculations needed for their optimization techniques.

		Connecting to the PLC from a Remote Location by Paul Reszka of WAGO Corporation. Industrial automation is no longer limited by the walls of a production facility. More and more automation is being handled via remote communication, whether it’s from the office or from the comfort of your own home. Today’s PLCs give you the ability to access your control system to handle such tasks as monitoring via a website to determine the condition of a machine or check other statistics. With the latest PLC technology, almost anything that can be accomplished next to the machine can be accomplished wherever there is an Internet connection.

		What is a Programmable Automation Controller (PAC)? The ARC Advisory Group is generally recognized as the originator of the term "Programmable Automation Controller" (PAC). It was first coined in 2001 as a way to help automation hardware users better define their application needs and to give automation hardware vendors a term to more clearly communicate the capabilities of their products. Recently many vendors have begun classifying their newest or high-end systems as PACs, while others have come to use the term interchangeably with the term PLC. Despite these inconsistencies, PACs have a definite feature set, and their similarities to PLCs are as numerous as their differences.

		The PLC: New Technology, Greater Data Sharing Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) continue to evolve as new technologies are added to their capabilities. The PLC started out as a replacement for banks of relays. Gradually, various math and logic manipulation functions were added. Today they are the brains of the vast majority of automation, processes and special machines. PLCs now incorporate smaller cases, faster CPUs, networking and various internet technologies.

		Web-enabling Your PLC Enough has been written during the past couple years to convince most plant managers of the benefits of connecting plant floor equipment and processes to the Internet or Intranet. So, now that we're all convinced of the benefits of web-enabled automation, what pieces and parts are required to put this technology to work?

		Integrating PLCs into Process Weighing Systems A typical weighing system consists of a weight controller, a load cell based platform scale, and a programmable logic controller.

		Removable Storage Media Add Flexibility to Modern Day PLCs by Mark DeCramer of WAGO Corporation. The question “Why can’t my PLC interface easily to off-the-shelf devices?” is being answered by a new wave of PLCs with standard interfaces to common peripheral devices. Without sacrificing the deterministic operation, reliability, and ease of use of the traditional PLC, modern day PLCs are now incorporating more and more PC features than ever before.

Automation.com Real-time Information for the Automation Professional May. 26, 2012

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