In February, Control Engineering readers looked for content about cybersecurity, automation and centralized monitoring techniques. These topics were covered by Editor in Chief Mark T. Hoske at ARC Forum and through the PID Spotlight series. The list below highlights some of the best and most-read articles from last month.
1. Cybersecurity practitioners are facing professional and personal angst
A majority of senior cybersecurity professionals at the UK’s largest organizations struggle with feelings of helplessness and professional despair, new research by Green Raven Limited indicates. These negative emotions result from practitioners’ anticipation of eventual, inevitable failure to protect their organization. Most practitioners say these same feelings spill over into and impact their personal lives.
By: Green Raven Limited
2. Anatomy of power monitoring device: How to design automationÂ
Commercially available power metering devices/modules may fit your automation and control application, or you might want something different, which would suit better to your customers’ needs. Several such power monitoring (or transducer) modules/devices have been manufactured and sold, including those from Emerson Electric Co.
By: Peter Galan
3. PID spotlight, part 14: How open loop tuning works in an integrating process
Tuning a new PID controller begins with an open loop step test. What are the steps? What data do I collect? What calculations are required? How well will it work? What problems might I run into?
By: Ed Bullerdiek
4. How to drive visibility through centralized monitoring techniques
Centralized monitoring of process plants can be a critical enabler for operational excellence, but it requires easy access to contextualized data from automation systems.
By: Sean Saul
5. Here are the top five states for engineering jobs
Finding an engineering job is all about location. These five states have the most opportunities for engineers.
By: Sheri Kasprzak
6. PID spotlight, part 12: What does good and bad level controller tuning look like?
Level controllers can be tuned for different objectives. What are these objectives? When tuned properly, what do they look like? How can I tell if a level controller is not tuned properly?
By: Ed Bullerdiek
7. How to mitigate the ongoing Salt Typhoon telecom hack: CISA
ARC Leadership Forum, 2025: CISA expert offers risk mitigation tips in the ongoing Salt Typhoon telecom hack, worst in U.S. history, with other industrial cybersecurity advice.
By: Mark T. Hoske
8. Does AI have you on edge? Save up to 15% in control system updates
Edge, cloud and hybrid architectures will be used to deploy artificial intelligence solutions, so forward-thinking organizations are laying the proper groundwork now to handle upcoming needs. AI for process modernization projects automatically converts up to 70% of configuration for savings up to 15%.
By: Claudio Fayad
9. PID spotlight, part 15: Open loop tuning of near integrating process
Slow, self-limiting processes can be very time-consuming and difficult to tune. However, a self-limiting process with a high lag/deadtime ratio looks a lot like an integrating process. Can we tune these processes as if they are integrating processes, treating them like near-integrating processes? Yes, we can.
By: Ed Bullerdiek
10. How motor controls impact everything from energy efficiency to costs
Modern motor control systems, such as variable-frequency drives (VFDs) and servo drives, bring new levels of efficiency, precision and adaptability, offering clear advantages over traditional motor starters in performance, cost savings and scalability.
By: Michael Blass
Article written by Anna Steingruber, Associate Editor for WTWH Media.
