Spare a moment’s pity for the process engineer, whose job it is to keep industrial automation running no matter what. These poor souls seem to be forever on call, fielding panicked requests to come to ...

Every plant in the process industry most likely has several control loops that do not perform well. Although there are many factors that may negatively affect control loop performance, a few of these ...

Control valve selection plays a crucial role in optimizing control loop performance, and engineers must consider factors beyond just cost, leakage class and pressure drop. As explored in a Control ...

Systematic methodology is the key to quickly and effectively troubleshooting control circuits. Even the most experienced troubleshooter must rely on a systematic troubleshooting process to solve ...

In this article, as in industry, advanced process control (APC) refers primarily to multi-variable control. Multivariable control means adjusting multiple single-loop controllers in unison, to meet ...

Stiction, the tendency of a control valve or actuator to stick in position until a threshold force is exceeded, represents a pervasive source of non-linearity in automated feedback systems. In process ...

PID loops are a central component of modulating boiler control systems with applications ranging from basic steam header pressure control to cascading 3-element drum level control. A modern ...

Oscillation detection in process control systems remains of paramount importance in ensuring operational efficiency and maintaining product quality. The ability to accurately identify and characterise ...

As an executive in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, I have seen firsthand how outsourcing has helped businesses to scale up and operate more efficiently. However, with the advancements ...

Sometimes it can feel like PID tuning is a cross between engineering, mathematics, and the Dark Arts. There are some definitive engineering and mathematical steps to take when tuning a loop (for the ...

Good building mechanical design requires a firm grasp of the mechanical engineering fundamentals (thermodynamics, psychrometrics, the fan laws, etc.). The same can be said about the BAS design needed ...

Systematic methodology is the key to quickly and effectively troubleshooting control circuits. Even the most experienced troubleshooter must rely on a systematic troubleshooting process to solve ...