Visualizing the (applied) automation continuum

Well-implemented automation strategies solve problems, increase flexibility, and meet increasing business pressures and challenges.

By Jack Smith February 17, 2016

The first issue of AppliedAutomation was published in August 2006. CFE Media will celebrate the supplement’s 10-year anniversary this year, 2016. The debut issue contained only eight pages, and was published quarterly. AppliedAutomation has been published six times each year since 2009.

In the debut issue, I wrote that AppliedAutomation will feature "… examples of how well-implemented automation strategies solve problems, increase flexibility, and meet increasing business pressures and challenges." Those manufacturing constraints have not disappeared, but they have changed as technologies evolved. I also wrote, "Automation … should be considered and implemented for good, solid business and technical reasons." Throughout the past decade, I have frequently stated that automation solutions should be chosen for the right business and technical reasons. Moving forward, I will continue to emphasize the use of good judgment when pursuing the astute application of automation.

The cover story in this issue explores Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) readiness by focusing on advances in human-machine interface (HMI) technologies. According to the author, IIoT connects industrial systems to make automation smarter, and promises to expand automation even further. The second article offers a punch list of best practices for preventing common variable frequency drive (VFD) faults and serious failures before they occur. The third story makes a case for using wireless technology for control applications. The author explains how wireless has quickly evolved from sensor-only applications to closed-loop control.

Keep watching these pages throughout 2016 for special 10-year anniversary coverage as well as continued coverage of how well-implemented automation strategies solve problems, increase flexibility, and meet increasing business pressures and challenges.

This article appears in the Applied Automation supplement for Control Engineering 
and Plant Engineering

– See other articles from the supplement below.


Author Bio: Content manager, CFE Media