The topic of PLC standards for both programming and hardware has been on the mind of the industry nearly since the invention of the PLC. Throughout this time, the industry, as well as the professionals working therein, have experienced great success as well as some setbacks.
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Once upon a time in the 1970s, when Controls Engineers rode brontosauruses to work each day, the only way to automate a control system was to fill a medium-sized room with relays, wires, and a whiff of desperation.
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Most manufacturers and utilities with an established base of vintage PLC systems have either started chipping away at modernization or nearing that phase. These projects can seem simple – after all, they won’t be touching the field devices or processing equipment, and there’s no change to operation. You think that all that you need to do is swap in new PLC hardware in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines and convert the program, but there’s more to the story.
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We’ve been hearing for a while about the growing experience gap that manufacturers face, as the longest-tenured operations experts claim their gold pocket watches and head off into the sunset. This is true for engineers, technicians, and operators who represent a trifecta of wisdom that manufacturing companies will be hard pressed to replace.
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MOOC is a term that’s still new for a lot of people, though the concept of online learning is certainly well established. A MOOC is a Massive Open Online Course, although the term is sometimes also applied to the platforms and companies that offer them. It’s all right there in the name – these are courses designed for a potentially unlimited number of students, available to anyone, via the web.
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The Components of MES Value
November 10, 2023
A Tale of Two Nic(k)s
October 6, 2023
PLC Standards for the New-ish Millennium
September 15, 2023
Benefits of Upgrading a Facility to Ethernet
August 18, 2023
Early Partner Engagement in Digital Transformation
August 4, 2023
Challenging Labor Shortages: Options to Mitigate
June 21, 2023
MES Enablement: The Universal Translator
June 8, 2023
Breaking the Mold: Our Approach to Digital Transformation
May 26, 2023