Control Intelligence

Choosing between motor starters and variable-frequency drives

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Control systems engineering requires a broad knowledge base of many components. Why? Applications of all shapes, sizes, functionality and needs are br...

How is Ethernet-APL reshaping Industry 4.0?

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Did Industry 4.0 go away? No. It seems that, behind the scenes, the open-source platform community is just working along, developing the next go-arou...

What is SRCI?

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Integration of PLCs and robots has become standardized. Standard robot command interface is a means for robots to increase its interface capacity wit...

How field-mounted devices can be networked together

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Field-mounted devices change the way controls engineers approach industrial networking. The shift toward on-machine connectivity can simplify design,...

CERN's FCC and China's CEPC could be the world's largest machines

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While China's technical design report for its proposed circular electron-positron collider (CEPC) is still awaiting government approval for inclusion...

A conversation with control automation's Kind Canuckian

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The guest on this episode of Control Intelligence is Jeremy Pollard, who was a 10-year veteran of Allen-Bradley as a technical specialist. Pollard es...

Determinism, jittering and load balancing: strategies for real-time control

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For many years, real-time control software, whether running on a dedicated controller or an industrial PC, operated on a single CPU core. The runtime ...

What to expect from the automation supply chain

27 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The combination of technology and market forces is reshaping the automation supply chain for machine builders. Where can you turn for guidance? In thi...

Transforming industrial operations with vision systems

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At its core, an industrial machine vision system comprises high-resolution cameras, specialized illumination, image processors and software algorithm...

Human-machine interfaces begin at the electrical cabinet

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Industrial enclosures and human-machine interfaces (HMIs) represent a pivotal advancement in automation and control. These integrated systems enable s...

Digital twins usher in a new era for motion-control programming

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In factories, motion control systems are more complex than ever. Multi-axis machines, integrated robotics and tight production schedules leave little ...

The key to state machines in industrial automation

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There are many applications in the industrial automation realm that benefit from state machines. Therefore, it was surprising to hear from an industri...

Ac vs. dc motors: Which one should you choose?

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Control systems use direct current (dc) motors for many applications. Many systems displace dc with alternating current (ac) technology because ac mot...

The dos and don'ts of troubleshooting industrial Ethernet failures

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It has become a de facto standard in plants and machines for interconnecting systems and in fact individual devices. So, what happens when it fails? ...

Echolocation Episode: How have views on RS-232 changed?

02 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 2023, the Control Intelligence podcast on RS-232 was greeted with immediate popularity, and it remains an often-downloaded podcast episode. Electr...

How will the One Big Beautiful Bill Act impact controls engineers?

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, editor in chief Mike Bacidore is joined by Mike Devereux and Tim Finerty from national accounting and consult...

Echolocation Episode: Talking about STEM with Austin Park

21 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 2021, Control Intelligence spoke with Austin Park, winner of the first ever Acopian Power Supply Scholarship in 2017. Park had completed his master...

Insights from controls engineering pro Tobey Strauch

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week’s guest on Control Intelligence is Tobey Strauch, senior staff electrical engineer, project manager and one of Control Design's most trus...

A trip down memory lane: Revisiting a conversation with Matthias Altendorf

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 2020, editor in chief Mike Bacidore spoke with Mattias Altendorf, then- CEO of Endress+Hauser Group. Much has changed since then. Since January of...

Using CIP Safety and FSoE to understand communication

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The “safety PLC” is no longer more expensive for the hardware. Availability still may be an issue at times, and the programming costs may go up, ...

The promise of IEC 61131-3 language portability

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At the end of 2023, the Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE) sponsored a report from consulting firm BCG called “The US Needs More Engineers. What...

July 2025 industry news: membership updates, robotics and new facilities

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, managing editor Anna Townshend shares machine builder and system integrator news highlights from the month ...

Expanding robotic applications across the engineering landscape

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The landscape of industry is undergoing a profound transformation, largely driven by the increasing integration of robotics. Once confined to the rea...

Implementing smart control design for safer speeds

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many times, in industrial automation we hear the term “safe speed” in motion conversations. It’s important to define safe speed and how it appli...

LiDAR and IO-Link: sensor solutions for controls engineers

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Two technologies that have risen to prominence in industrial settings over the past few years are light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and IO-Link. The...

Evolving equipment operations employ advanced industrial panel displays

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Industrial panel displays have undergone significant advancements in recent years, driven by the growing demand for better performance, durability and...

Commissioning machine projects with PLCs and HMI

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Commissioning a stand-alone machine project based on control with a programmable logic controller (PLC) and a human-machine interface (HMI) has many f...

Optimizing industrial control systems with PLCs and PACs

16 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A programmable logic controller (PLC) is essentially a term used for any controller these days. A programmable automation controller (PAC) is the alte...

Absolute vs. incremental encoders: when are they appropriate?

11 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the world of motor encoders, there are two main types – incremental and absolute. Incremental encoders do not retain their actual position upon p...

Building the tech and workforce for the bioindustrial economy

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Managing editor Anna Townshend spoke with two team members at BioMADE, which is one of nine different Manufacturing Innovation Institutes started by t...

May 2025 industry news: scholarships, decarbonization and Automate

27 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, managing editor Anna Townshend shares machine builder and system integrator news highlights from the month ...

Patrick Bunn: laying the groundwork for future generations of automation

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week’s guest on Control Intelligence is Patrick Bunn, owner of Bunn Automation Consulting in Birmingham, Alabama. Bunn’s career has included ...

Stu Shepherd talks robotics, AI, and the 2025 Engelberger Robotics Awards

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week’s guest on Control Intelligence is Stu Shepherd, co-founder and president of Shepherd Solutions. Shepherd was selected as the winner of th...

Cabinet-free automation

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The decentralized MX-System achieves completely cabinet-free automation of machines and systems. Beckhoff has bundled more than four decades of automa...

A conversation with robot royalty Joe Gemma

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week’s guest on Control Intelligence is robot royalty. Joe Gemma was the 2024 winner of the Joseph F. Engelberger Robotics Award for Leadership...

What is MQTT?

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) is a protocol. It has a broker and a client and can run over Ethernet. In this episode of Control Intellige...

Presence-sensing tech for safer automation

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Manufacturing is wrought with safety devices. As we progress further along with cobots and mixing humans and automation together, presence sensing bec...

What's in store for upcoming automation conferences and trade shows

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Spring is sprung, and it’s time to start making plans for upcoming conferences and trade shows. In this episode of Control Intelligence, editor in c...

March 2025 industry news: facilities, VFD integration and Hannover Messe

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, managing editor Anna Townshend shares machine builder and system integrator news highlights from the month of...

How industrial safety sensors have your back

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Charles Palmer, editor in chief Mike Bacidore explains the different types of ...

Securely implementing remote monitoring and diagnostics

17 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Jeremy Pollard, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses remote monitoring and ...

PLCs v. PACs: similarities and differences

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Tobey Strauch, editor in chief Mike Bacidore shares the similarities and diffe...

IPCs, IT departments and software updates: how they work together

03 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Joey Stubbs, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses industrial PCs, IT depart...

February 2025 industry news: robotics, acquisitions and the two Pats

24 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, managing editor Anna Townshend shares machine builder and system integrator news highlights from the month of...

VFDs and their many advantages

17 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Jeremy Pollard, editor in chief Mike Bacidore explains the many advantages of ...

How to restrict PSCs' instruction sets

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Joey Stubbs, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses which IEC 61131-3 program...

Protecting OT data against voltage spikes

03 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by Larry Stepniak, electrical engineer at Flint Group, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses voltag...

January 2025 industry news: AI assistants, appointments and STEM support

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, managing editor Anna Townshend shares machine builder and system integrator news highlights from the month of...

What is unified namespace?

21 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Tobey Strauch, editor in chief Mike Bacidore explains what unified namespace i...

Radar, lidar, infrared and time-of-flight: advancements in sensors

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Joey Stubbs, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses presence sensing technolo...

Integrating four robots types into applications

06 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, written by Tom Trinh, senior application engineer of automation at Valin, a subsidiary of Graybar, editor in chief Mike Bacidore diss...

December 2024 industry news: a year in review

30 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, managing editor Anna Townshend shares which news stories made the biggest waves in the automation industry in...

Which network protocol works best for you?

16 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Jeremy Pollard, editor in chief Mike Bacidore debates the merits of different ...

Uses of wireless, battery-free pushbuttons

09 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Tobey Strauch, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses wireless battery-less t...

Exploring AI capabilities with Rockwell Automation

02 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses how Rockwell Automation is introducing artificial intelligence into i...

November 2024 industry news: expansions, award nominations and Automation Fair highlights

25 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, managing editor Anna Townshend shares machine builder and system integrator news highlights from the month of...

Machine vision vs. computer vision

18 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Rick Rice, editor in chief Mike Bacidore explains the differences between mach...

5 use cases for the uninterruptible power supply

11 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Joey Stubbs, editor in chief Mike Bacidore shares what uninterruptible power s...

Wireless HMI enables endless control and monitoring

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Jeremy Pollard, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses the uses of wireless H...

October 2024 industry news: acquisitions, new facilities and AI

28 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, managing editor Anna Townshend shares machine builder and system integrator news highlights from the month of...

Fiberglass, ABS or recycled plastic materials create unique enclosure troubleshooting scenarios

21 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Joey Stubbs, editor in chief Mike Bacidore shares how to troubleshoot electric...

Object-oriented programming or ladder logic?

14 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Tobey Strauch, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses object-oriented program...

The evolution of the programmable automation controller

07 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Jeremy Pollard, editor in chief Mike Bacidore differentiates between programma...

September 2024 industry news: reports, associations and new leaders

30 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, managing editor Anna Townshend shares machine builder and system integrator news highlights from the month of...

HMIs in hazardous areas

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Rick Rice, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses how to protect HMIs in haza...

How RFID can be used in real-time inventory management, seamless asset tracking, quality control and streamlined production processes

16 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Joey Stubbs, editor in chief Mike Bacidore shares four use cases of radio-freq...

Industrial vs. commercial networks

09 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Jeremy Pollard, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses how industrial network...

50 years of EZAutomation innovation

03 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In 2025, AVG Automation, parent company of EZAutomation, a midwestern U.S. manufacturer and factory-direct purveyor of industrial automation systems a...

August 2024 industry news: events, standards and executive appointments

26 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, managing editor Anna Townshend shares machine builder and system integrator news highlights from the month of...

Embracing cybersecurity with Nozomi Networks

19 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Tobey Strauch, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore discusses cybersecurity-enabled c...

Protecting and serving data with sensing devices

12 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this Control Intelligence podcast, written by contributing editor Jeremy Pollard, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore explores networking capabilities wi...

How RFID continues to evolve in industrial applications

05 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Pepperl+Fuchs’ Michael McCabe explains standardized tags, data transfer rates, capabilities, security and integration

July 2024 industry news: certifications, leaders and obituaries

29 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, Anna Townshend shares machine builder and system integrator news highlights from July 2024.

When to consider Arduino, Raspberry Pi and other microcontrollers

22 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Jeremy Pollard, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore explains how new frontiers in ma...

Advances in stepper motors to provide precise motion control

15 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Joey Stubbs, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore discusses what makes stepper motors...

How system integrators are using digital tools

08 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore shares highlights from a panel discussion that took place at the CSIA Exchange....

What are your sensing options in industrial manufacturing?

01 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Charles Palmer, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore discusses lasers and other posit...

June 2024 industry news: new machines, anniversaries and name changes

24 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, managing editor Anna Townshend shares machine builder and system integrator news highlights from June 2024.

The changing role of PLCs in a connected plant

17 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Tobey Strauch, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore discusses the future of PLCs in m...

ANCA talks tech trends affecting machine builders

10 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, managing editor Anna Townshend discusses emerging technology and the introduction of autonomous manufacturing...

What do VFDs bring to the table?

03 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore explains how variable frequency drives provide efficiency, reliability and safe...

May 2024 industry news: expansions, partnerships and Automate

28 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, Anna Townshend shares machine builder and system integrator news highlights from the month of May.

X-ray vision systems in the manufacturing industries

20 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Joey Stubbs, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore discusses how x-ray vision systems ...

Understanding the evolution of I/O technology

13 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Jeremy Pollard, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore discusses the evolution of input...

How humanoid-robot development has impacted hydraulic and electrical actuation

06 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Tobey Strauch, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore discusses the impact of robotic d...

April 2024 industry news: awards, associations and acquisitions

29 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, Anna Townshend shares machine builder and system integrator news highlights from the month of April.

Highlights from Control System Integrators Association Exchange

22 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore, who attended CSIA Exchange in Dallas, shares memorable insights from the event...

Digital twins provide insights for system integrators

15 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by managing editor Anna Townshend, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore recaps the answers to a Control Desi...

E-stops help protect against human error

11 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Jeremy Pollard, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore explains the importance of relia...

How remote HMI connects with machinery in hazardous areas

08 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Joey Stubbs, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore discusses remote human-machine inte...

What are the proper mounting methods for position sensors?

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Charles Palmer, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore talks about four techniques used...

Electronic computer-aided design software to boost your design workflow efficiency

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Shawn Cox, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore discusses eCAD and how it empowers en...

What's new with safety controllers?

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Joey Stubbs, Mike Bacidore discusses what's in and what's out with machine saf...

Why you should choose remote monitoring technology

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Shawn Cox, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore discusses the benefits of remote moni...

Which systems benefit from industrial position sensors

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Charles Palmer, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore talks about the applications of ...

Happy National Engineers Week! Robotics dominate recent news

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore celebrates National Engineers Week and recaps the week that was in news.

How to bounce back from a microchip crisis

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control intelligence, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore discusses what organizations have been doing to recover from the pandemic-relat...

How industrial enclosures are designed and what they protect

05 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Rick Rice, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore discusses industrial enclosures, thei...

Why maintenance is a service that matters

29 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore discusses how machine-mounted sensing and remote monitoring have changed predic...

The three types of proximity switches

22 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Joey Stubbs, editor-in-chief Mike Bacidore discusses proximity switches and th...