Topic: Programmable Controllers

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Creative Computing for Control
PC-Based Control Is Taking Over in a Variety of New and Upcoming Process Industry Applications. Here Are Some of the Most Innovative Solutions

Shrink-Swell Phenomenon and Solving A Steam Generator Control Problem
Upgrading a Control System at Maanshan II, a nuclear power plant in southern Taiwan, Solved an Elusive Steam Generator Control Problem. Find Out How

Control Room Designs Revolutionize Work Environments
See How Control Rooms Were Originally Designed and How Differently They Are Designed Today

Model Predictive Control -- Where Have We Been and Where Are We Going -- Part 3
McMillan, Weiner and Darby Discuss Practical Considerations in MPC Setup, Maintenance and Improvement to Meet Economic Objectives

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White Papers: In Depth Research

I/O Solutions for Temperature Monitoring
Author: Opto 22
Posted: 05/15/2013

Sensors used for temperature monitoring and data acquisition can be quite varied. Applications ranging from simple room temperature monitoring to highly sophisticated batch process control can all be highly dependent on obtaining accurate temperature readings. The primary types of sensors used for this purpose are resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), thermocouples, integrated circuit temperature detectors (ICTDs), thermistors, and infrared sensors.

RTDs determine changes in the electrical resistance of materials in relation to temperature. RTDs deliver very precise readings (typically to 2–3 decimal places) and are manufactured in a variety of form factors. Though they are sometimes composed of nickel, copper, or other metals, historically, RTDs have been made of platinum--largely due to the fact that platinum's resistance-temperature relationship is maintained in a very linear fashion across very broad temperature ranges. RTDs' platinum composition also makes them somewhat expensive and unsuitable for applications involving temperatures above 660 °C, as temperatures above this range compromise the inertness of the platinum and may cause it to become contaminated and deliver inaccurate readings.

This white paper describes various temperature sensors such as RTDs, thermocouples, ICTDs, thermistors, and infrared sensors, and the Opto 22 solutions for using them.

Security for Industrial Automation and Control Systems
Author: ABB
Posted: 05/15/2013

The security of industrial automation and control systems becomes increasingly critical as different networks are connected and systems are integrated in a collaborative manufacturing environment. For industrial automation and control systems the potential impact of an attack maybe more serious than for computer systems in general. Users of industrial automation and control systems need to pay correspondingly increased attention to these issues.

Security measures aim at protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of a computer system from being compromised through deliberate or accidental attacks. Similar to process and safety improvements, security improvement needs to be a continuous activity.

This white paper provides background and a general overview of different elements of information system security, with specific emphasis on how it applies to industrial automation and process control. Different security measures that should be considered when an automation system is connected to external networks of different kinds are discussed, including connections to general purpose IS and corporate networks, remote connections, and wireless connections.

Signal Conditioning and PC-Based Data Acquisition Handbook
Author: Measurement Computing
Posted: 04/23/2012

The third edition of this handbook has been totally revised to include new chapters on Electrical Measurements, Vibration and Sound, Displacement and Position Sensing, and Transducer Electronic Data Sheets (TEDS). It also includes several new subjects and expands on selected items including Fundamental Signal Conditioning.

All chapters have been enhanced to address more practical applications than theoretical measurement issues. They cover a major topic with sufficient detail to help readers understand the basic principles of sensor operation and the need for careful system interconnections. The handbook also discusses key issues concerning the data acquisition system's multiplexing and signal conditioning circuits, and analog-to-digital converters. These three functions establish the overall accuracy, resolution, speed, and sensitivity of data acquisition systems and determine how well the systems perform.

Data acquisition systems measure, store, display, and analyze information collected from a variety of devices. Most measurements require a transducer or a sensor, a device that converts a measurable physical quantity into an electrical signal. Examples include temperature, strain, acceleration, pressure, vibration, and sound. Yet others are humidity, flow, level, velocity, charge, pH, and chemical composition.

Convergence and the Programmable Automation Controller
Author: Rockwell Automation
Posted: 03/23/2010
Ensuring your PAC-based control system is an integrated, robust and flexible information producer helps improve business performance, lower costs and uncover unique opportunities for competitiveness.

All companies seek ways to make their businesses grow for the long-term. Ask any manufacturer today what he/she needs in an increasingly challenging economy. It's likely to include cutting costs, improving yield, increasing functionality and becoming more competitive in the global marketplace.

Manufacturing convergence helps companies meet these business drivers - globalization, innovation, productivity and sustainability - by more closely aligning manufacturing technologies and production system operations with the rest of the enterprise. This convergence is enabled throughout the manufacturing environment with the technologies of convergence - control, power, information and communication.

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