1. Linear or equal percentage valves: when should I use which?

A reader question sparks a discussion on valve selection from automation and safety consultant Béla Lipták and a panel of experts. "The selection goal is control loop stability. This we obtain by making the loop response to load changes as linear as possible (keeping the loop gain more-less constant)," says Lipták. Read more.

2. Control 2017 Readers' Choice Awards

For the 25th time, Control’s readership of process automation professionals has named the suppliers that offer the best industry technology—this year in 10 overall product categories and 84 subcategories. Read more.

3. Positioned for recovery: Top 50 automation companies of 2015

The biggest global and North American process control and automation suppliers jockey to be in the right spot when their markets revive. Control's October cover story is No. 3 on our list. Read it here. 

4. How to avoid a common PID tuning mistake tips

"The process variable has slow decaying oscillations. Control theory text books indicate decreasing the PID gain should make the loop more stable. You decrease the PID gain. The oscillation gets worse. You decrease the gain again. The amplitude and the period get bigger. You repeatedly decrease the PID gain. The process variable appears to be very slowly approaching or diverging from setpoint. What is going on?" Read more from Greg McMillan.

5. The Burlington Electric Department cyber attack story has been misreported even though malware is in our US electric grids

Joe Weiss addresses questions and concerns regarding the Russian hacking that took place on Dec. 30, 2016, which penetrated U.S. electricity grid through a utility in Vermont. Read more.

6. Capacity control of reciprocating compressors

Large reciprocating compressors have high power requirements, sometimes running in the range of megawatts. Integrating them into complex processes with side streams or multi-stream compression requires precise control and operational flexibility. Read more.

7. Open Process Automation Forum holds first meeting

Process automation industry stakeholders gathered in San Francisco on Nov. 16-17 for the first meeting of the Open Process Automation Forum, an organization formed to further the development of a “standards-based, open, secure, interoperable process control architecture.” Read more.

8. Human factors engineering delivers ROI

Experts from BAW Architecture discuss how fostering a user-centric control room can reduce human error, accidents and illness, while improving productivity, job satisfaction and profits. Read more.

9. Forbes unveils 2017’s ‘30 Under 30’ in manufacturing

Annual list includes 600 young innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders who "challenge conventional wisdom and rewrite the rules for the next generation." Read more.

10. Wireless hits the open road

As it gains mainstream acceptance and better tools, users are expanding wireless networks to exchange data with more remote applications. Read more.

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