http://www.isa.org/ InTech provides the most thought-provoking and authoritative coverage of automation technologies, applications, and strategies to enhance automation professionals’ on-the-job success. en-us Sat, 06 Apr 2013 15:47:42 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=92912 Do you remember the movies in the 1980s where the scientist Emmett “Doc” Brown invents a DeLorean time machine? Doc and his young friend Marty travel back and forth through time, recognizing the same basic people, places, events, and artifacts. In each era those things have a different form, and a few new characters are introduced along the way. Looking back through the evolution of modern day industrial control systems (ICSs), one can picture a similar sort of tale. For the sake of simplicity, let us follow the evolution of the ICS by broadly categorizing the dominant architectures of each decade. Fri, 05 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=92912 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=92270 Hollifield: I have had a typical 37-year engineering career that I have thoroughly enjoyed, split between project engineering, production, production management, and consulting. I was recently asked for some general advice, from a nephew beginning an engineering education. Here is my reply: Thu, 07 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=92270 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=91319 Paul Galeski's acceptance speech when he received the Excellence in Leadership Award during the 50th Annual ISA Honors and Awards Gala, 24 September 2012, at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=91319 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=90802 Over the last 10 years, more security solutions are available, and more industrial end users have implemented them to protect their businesses. Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=90802 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=90165 Sharing technology with the automation community is important for improving all of industry and the profession. Mon, 06 Aug 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=90165 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=89687 With the increased demand for automation professionals over the past year, many of you might be considering a job change ... Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=89687 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=89192 The dawn of 2012 provided an appropriate time to look closely at the EN ISO 13849-1 standard. Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=89192 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=88563 I realize the importance of acronyms and jargon. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=88563 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=87848 Process plants require operational procedures to produce products. Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=87848 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=87295 It takes a lot of effort to attain "good control." Certainly, loop tuning is taught at ISA, but few control/instrument engineers actually practice loop tuning. Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=87295 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=86968 I am an engineer. There are traits common to many of this profession. I always pick vertically striped wallpaper. Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=86968 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=86260 Most of us in the automation industry have recovered from the economic crisis of the last few years, but many factories have not yet hired new personnel to meet the growing demands. Thu, 02 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=86260 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=85582 In today's highly connected world, office and industrial networks are more interconnected than ever before. In the not-too-distant past, the Information Technology (IT) department bore the sole responsibility for protecting the network and guaranteeing secure, reliable communications. Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=85582 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=85104 The automation profession has clearly suffered from a lack of leadership in the decades leading up to the 2000s. Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=85104 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=84346 A note about temperature standards: Which do you choose Thu, 09 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=84346 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=83596 Standards: Laying the groundwork for innovation, security Tue, 28 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=83596 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=83089 The cost of economic recovery Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=83089 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=82311 Cost savings realized with Energy Management Software Fri, 04 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=82311 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=81686 Engineering automation? ... Just mash the button Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=81686 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=81098 Leveraging predictive maintenance to achieve greener field operations Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=81098 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=80597 Joseph Alford: Our plant operators need HELP Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=80597 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=79966 Nagappan Muthiah: Insight into real-world process control Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=79966 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=79617 The sun causes global warming, not people Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=79617 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=79007 Embracing cost-effective measures in the face of the economic downturn Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=79007 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=78453 Geoengineering to the rescue Sat, 01 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=78453 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=78016 The Rosetta stone of controller tuning Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=78016 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=77010 Tribal knowledge must go real time Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=77010 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=76233 Automation: The pursuit of excellence is the answer Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=76233