September 12, 2013 - The International Society of Automation (ISA) published a reference book that outlines how to establish and manage industrial control groups, and how to initiate and execute industrial control projects. “The book, Managing Industrial Controls, is designed to fill the void in the marketplace for essential reference information dedicated to managers of industrial control groups,” says the book’s author, Nabil (Bill) E.
Battikha, P.E., a widely recognized expert in process instrumentation and control engineering, and president of BergoTech, Inc., a firm specializing in online engineering courses. “Up to this point, there has been very little guidance available to industrial control managers.
More often than not, these people have been getting promoted to these positions with no or very limited training.” Industrial control groups, Battikha explains, exist principally in three business areas: manufacturers of industrial control equipment; organizations that implement control systems in plants (such as engineering consultants); and plants (the end users) that rely on control systems to operate efficiently. The book is organized into three components:
- A foundational component that includes an overview of industrial control systems, organizational, training and human resources issues; the tools for business development; and the corporate standards that guide implementation and ongoing execution.
- A central component that covers three essential topics: (a) learning how to assess plant needs and a take a quantified approach to decision making; (b) selecting the management tools to justify the budgets needed to implement industrial control systems; and (c) defining what constitutes the active management of industrial control projects, from project definition and scheduling to front-end and detailed engineering.
- The final component encompasses the post-engineering phases, including equipment installation, check out, commissioning, start-up and ongoing maintenance activities. (The last two chapters in this section focus on auditing, a key process that managers need to identify control system implementation problems and to measure compliance with plant needs.)
The book, Battikha emphasizes, is a valuable resource for:
- All managers of industrial control groups, especially those seeking a handy manual that covers the key matters relating to industrial controls from a management perspective
- Professionals working in industrial controls who intend to become industrial controls group managers or supervisors.
Battikha is the president of BergoTech Inc. During his more than 30 years of experience in process measurement and control, Battikha has worked for suppliers of control equipment, engineering consultants and end users on a diverse range of engineering, management and training projects. He has published three other ISA books: The Management of Control Systems (1992), Developing Guidelines for Instrumentation & Control (1994), and The Condensed Handbook of Measurement and Control (now in its the third edition)—a best seller in its first year of publication and a winner of the R.D. Molloy Award in 1998.
He also has written numerous technical articles, co-authored a patent and a commercial software package and teaches part time at various universities across North America. Beginning in October of this year, Battikha will be teaching an online certificate program on managing industrial controls through the University of Kansas Continuing Education.
About ISA
Founded in 1945, the International Society of Automation is a leading, global, nonprofit organization that is setting the standard for automation by helping over 30,000 worldwide members and other professionals solve difficult technical problems, while enhancing their leadership and personal career capabilities. Based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, ISA develops standards; certifies industry professionals; provides education and training; publishes books and technical articles; and hosts conferences and exhibitions for automation professionals. ISA is the founding sponsor of The Automation Federation.
