Control Intelligence
Welcome to Control Intelligence, a ControlDesign.com podcast that goes deep inside the automation and technology that machine builders, system integrators and end users rely on to keep production humming efficiently
Episodes
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, but the safety chassis is becoming a mainstay.
In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Tobey Strauch, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses CIP Safety and FSoE.
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's the Solution?” in December 2023. It showed that the United States is facing a massive shortage of engineers.
In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Joey Stubbs, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses IEC 61131-3 language portability.
In this episode of Control Intelligence, managing editor Anna Townshend shares machine builder and system integrator news highlights from the month of July.
The landscape of industry is undergoing a profound transformation, largely driven by the increasing integration of robotics. Once confined to the realm of science fiction, industrial robots are now an indispensable part of manufacturing and production processes worldwide.
In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Charles Palmer, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses robotics.
Many times, in industrial automation we hear the term “safe speed” in motion conversations. It’s important to define safe speed and how it applies to control design, in relationship to functional safety.
In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Tobey Strauch, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses how smart control design implements safe speed principles.
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 discussion, popularity and implementation of both continue to rise.
Aaron Rothmeyer, manager, market product manager, at SICK, explains why in this episode of Control Intelligence.
Industrial panel displays have undergone significant advancements in recent years, driven by the growing demand for better performance, durability and functionality. In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Charles Palmer, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses displays.
Commissioning a stand-alone machine project based on control with a programmable logic controller (PLC) and a human-machine interface (HMI) has many facets to the successful implementation of the equipment that the control system is controlling.
In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Jeremy Pollard, Mike Bacidore discusses machine commissioning steps.
A programmable logic controller (PLC) is essentially a term used for any controller these days. A programmable automation controller (PAC) is the alternative. It could be looked at as a flip phone vs. a smart phone. However, there are distinguishing characteristics.
In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Tobey Strauch, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses PLCs, PACs and code.
In the world of motor encoders, there are two main types – incremental and absolute. Incremental encoders do not retain their actual position upon power-up, whereas absolute encoders do. They both give position feedback, which the motion controller can use to calculate velocity, acceleration and jerk. These parameters are necessary for a fully capable motion control system.
In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by Joey S...
Managing editor Anna Townshend spoke with two team members at BioMADE, which is one of nine different Manufacturing Innovation Institutes started by the Department of Defense. This particular group is focused on building the U.S. bioindustrial economy. There are many companies and scientists doing great work using chemical waste products to create new products that we often lack a domestic supply chain for, and the organization is ...
In this episode of Control Intelligence, managing editor Anna Townshend shares machine builder and system integrator news highlights from the month of May.
This week’s guest on Control Intelligence is Patrick Bunn, owner of Bunn Automation Consulting in Birmingham, Alabama. Bunn’s career has included valuable experience with CMC Steel Alabama, Revere Control Systems, EC&S, Hargrove Controls & Automation and Enercon, as well as his volunteer work with younger people in technology, engineering and automation.
He will be one of the presenters at OT SCADA CON this July in Houston,...
This week’s guest on Control Intelligence is Stu Shepherd, co-founder and president of Shepherd Solutions. Shepherd was selected as the winner of the 2025 Joseph F. Engelberger Robotics Award for Leadership. He will be recognized at the awards dinner during the Automate Show in Detroit the week of May 12.
Shepherd is nearing 50 years of transforming manufacturing in the Americas through robotic automation and capital equipment-rela...
The decentralized MX-System achieves completely cabinet-free automation of machines and systems. Beckhoff has bundled more than four decades of automation expertise into the MX-System, which performs all of the tasks and gives individual externally mounted components the protection of a classic control cabinet.
In this episode of Control Intelligence, editor in chief Mike Bacidore talks with Brandon Snell, MX-System Product Manager...
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, but that was just a touchstone along a career that continues to move robotics and automation forward.
Gemma serves on the board of directors for the Association for Advancing Automation, A3, which hosts the annual Automate Show, this year taking place in Detroit the week of May 12. He...
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 Intelligence, written by contributing editor Tobey Strauch, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses MQTT and how it is used in different industries.
Manufacturing is wrought with safety devices. As we progress further along with cobots and mixing humans and automation together, presence sensing becomes more important, not only for operations, but for functional safety.
In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Tobey Strauch, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses machine safety, specifically presence-sensing technologies.
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 chief Mike Bacidore shares two of his favorite upcoming automation events—Automate and the CSIA Conference—and what attendees can expect.
In this episode of Control Intelligence, managing editor Anna Townshend shares machine builder and system integrator news highlights from the month of March.
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