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INDUSTRIALCONTROLS
Vendors: Please take note
I have used a variety of software platforms in the last decade or so. If you are selling me something, I am fairly confident that it...
Nick
Nov 21, 20231 min read
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Pro-tip: Scoping work
Pro tips exist to help you look more experienced and technically savvy than you have a right to be. If they can help you on your...
Nick
Nov 14, 20232 min read
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TLDR; The High Performance HMI
TLDR is design to save you time in selecting your reading materials. If you are in the controls profession, you have a lot to cover and...
Nick
Nov 7, 20231 min read
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TLDR; Data Science Strategy for Dummies
Reading any For Dummies guide involves enough humility to accept that you do qualify as part of their audience. If you are integrating...
Nick
Oct 31, 20232 min read
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Job title confusion: Engineers at plants
When I got out of school, I had trouble finding what job titles were related to my field. Spoiler alert: my degrees are in chemical...
Nick
Oct 24, 20233 min read
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Entrepreneurship (in controls): Panel building
As far as engineering disciplines go, controls has a relatively low barrier to entry. A few software licenses, a little insurance and a...
Nick
Oct 17, 20233 min read
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Greenfield installations
If you have the luxury of designing a brand-new plant ("greenfield"), you have an opportunity to avoid issues that I have found in the...
Nick
Oct 10, 20232 min read
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Pro-tip: Preventative maintenance on control cabinets
Pro-tips exist to elevate your skillset. Some of this is fairly easy, but it's nearly impossible to know what you should start with, if...
Nick
Oct 3, 20232 min read
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AI takes on... DeviceNet
ChatGPT takes on a protocol that I hope you never encounter: DeviceNet. If you are unaware of DeviceNet, enjoy this quick glimpse into...
Nick
Sep 26, 20234 min read
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AI takes on... Profinet!
We are finally at a protocol that I have (as of writing this article) no hands on experience with. I chose to do it anyway, mostly to...
Nick
Sep 19, 20233 min read
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AI takes on... EtherNet IP!
In light of the coverage AI gets, I thought it would be worth pitting ChatGPT 3 against various industrial controls protocols. Our...
Nick
Sep 12, 20234 min read
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AI takes on... ControlNet!
ChatGPT is back for another round: this time, discussing the joys of ControlNet. If you have programmed Rockwell, you probably have fond...
Nick
Sep 5, 20234 min read
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Artificial Intelligence takes on... Profibus (round 2)!
AI is taking over the world! Or is it? This week, we return for another round of ChatGPT's analysis of a technical topic. As usual, I...
Nick
Aug 29, 20233 min read
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Artificial Intelligence takes on... Profibus!
Everyone is talking about Artificial Intelligence these days, so I decided to incorporate it into the blog. Basically, I want to see how...
Nick
Aug 22, 20235 min read
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PE Controls: Span a level transmitter
A key part of work (and your PE controls exam!) is understanding ranges of equipment. Let's imagine the following tank full of liquid...
Nick
Aug 15, 20232 min read
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PE Controls: Temperature elements
Temperature measurement is a core part of most process industries. Broadly speaking, there are three major tools: thermistors,...
Nick
Aug 8, 20233 min read
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Pro-tip: Ghosts in the machine
Pro-tips are all dedicated to making you a more effective automation professional. A perfect example is "ghost hunting" inside of your...
Nick
Aug 1, 20231 min read
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Pro-tips: Deploying on multiple systems
Pro-tips exist to help you get work done faster, better and with less errors. Many people run into issues with deploying multiple...
Nick
Jul 25, 20233 min read
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Pro-tips: Resistor, capacitor and inductor kits
Pro-tips exist to help you improve your performance at work. Sometimes, improving results is as simple as having the right tools....
Nick
Jul 18, 20232 min read
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TLDR; The First 90 Days
Who has time to read? Obviously, I encourage it, but TLDR exists to help you choose the best materials. The First 90 Days is not a book...
Nick
Jul 11, 20231 min read
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