The CM5 high-performance HMI series provides ample data storage, fast communication with a host of popular protocols (EtherNet/IP, MQTT, etc.), and supports various file types including jpegs.
• Ethernet port included for easy network data sharing
• 16.7M colors and LED backlights
• Models from 4” up to 22” (widescreen) available
• 800MHz or 1.6GHz quad core CPU
• 43MB project memory
• NEMA 4/4X (indoor use only), IP65
• FREE HMI programming software with powerful design tools and a project simulator
Starting at $340.00 (CM5-T4W)
C-more Micro HMI Panels
When cost is the most important consideration, check out the C-more Micro HMIs, loaded with features and available with up to 4” diagonal screens that clearly display text, graphics, and bitmaps to effectively communicate critical data to operators.
• Built-in Ethernet (select models)
• Five function keys with LED indicators (except EA3-T4CL)
• Key functions customizable for each independent screen
• Indicator LEDs can be programmed to display alarms/status
• Software-selectable screen colors (3” panels)
• 32,768 colors with LED backlight (4” panels)
• NEMA 1, NEMA 4/4X indoor ratings
• FREE HMI programming software
Starting at $184.00 (EA3-S3ML-RN)
C-more CM5 Headless HMIs
Harness the power of CM5 HMIs without display size limitations! Easily connect the CM5-RHMI to C-more CTM series monitors, televisions, projectors, and most HDMI display devices of any size to display real-time operational data and messages.
• HDMI video/audio outputs for VGA, SD, HD, and FHD; USB audio adapter (not included)
• (4) USB-A ports for USB HID devices such as USB hub, pen drives, touch screen displays, keyboard, mouse & scanners
18”, 22”, 24”and 27”models
• SD card slot for log files, project memory, or graphic media
• Remote HMI app provides virtual-only functionality for applications that only require remote monitoring
C-more CTM Industrial LCD Flat Panel Monitors
These new CTM series flat panels are rugged monitors that can withstand the rigors of industrial environments. With 10-point PCAP touchscreens, these monitors are super responsive even when wearing gloves.
• Standard analog VGA, HDMI, and USB Type-B inputs
• 16.7 million colors & 1920 x 1080 @ 60Hz video modes
• Ideal for SCADA systems, Andon boards, and for use with C-more CM5-RHMI headless HMI
• IP65 front bezel rating
Starting at $599.00 (CM5-RHMI) XGA,
C-more/C-more Micro Software
C-more/C-more Micro programming software packages are FREE and provide the tools needed to develop simple or very complex projects.
• Includes screen objects such as switches, meters, PID faceplates, and an analog digital clock (depending on HMI series)
• Up to 9999 screens (C-more), 999 (C-more Micro)
• Password protection available for every touch object or screen (depending on HMI series)
• Import bitmaps or bitmap objects
Starting at $827.00 (CTM-22W-M-PM)
• Other features such as alarm functions; data logging (C-more HMIs only); animation objects (C-more HMIs only); project simulation; object grouping; recipes with up to 99 or 100 entries
HMI Accessories
C-more HMI accessories include SD memory cards, USB flash drives, protective overlays, connectors, mounting brackets, and more.
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Vision sensors are smart inspection devices that can be taught to recognize what “good” looks like—whether that’s the correct product shape, a proper fill level, or the right orientation. By comparing trained reference images with real-time production data, these sensors instantly identify conditions such as GOOD/NO GOOD, NO OBJECT, or even subtle anomalies, and trigger the appropriate response.
Datalogic Smart-VS vision sensors are selfcontained systems that make a decision based on a captured image, very useful for applications requiring the presence and/or orientation of an object to be inspected. The Smart-VS sensor series features embedded artificial intelligence technology, but is simple to configure.
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• Machine learning assisted setting
• 2-, 3-, or 6-class classification
• Easy and intuitive web server GUI for maintenance and job setting
• No vision tools or programming experience required
• Models available that support from 6 to 50 stored images
• Up to 400 mm operating distance
• Bright and highly visible red LED pointer
• Powerful white polarized light illuminator
• Easy photosensor-style output interface
• Ethernet communications
ANSWERS
14 | COVER: More than a manual: How technical communication drives quality
18 | Career and salary survey: How do you compare?
22 | PID spotlight, part 29: How to shape PID controller response – self-limiting processes
25 | HMI software empowers operators at the speed of the process
28 | How standardization transforms HMI performance
| CTL+ALT+MFG podcast delivers digital transformation insights with expert guests and hosts Gary Cohen and Stephanie Neil.
8 | NEWS: AI expert explains trends in AI automation integration; quantum computing; Workflow connectivity standard is underway; NIST cybersecurity rules change; Events
| Market Update: Latest automation mergers, April 2026: controls, robotics, system integration; U.S. machine vision market
| Think Again: Advice from State of Industrial Automation survey respondents
32 | Digital twins deliver new capabilities, value for industrial applications
DIGITAL EDITION — EXTRA (after p. 42) Reading paper? www.controleng.com/magazine
D1 | Machine data: The foundation of effective predictive maintenance
D2 | Matching motors and VFDs: What designers need to consider for reliable operation
D6 | Match motor speed to machine needs to save energy
D9 | Machine vision tutorial: How to change from Camera Link to CoaXPress
The latest release of DataHub software from Skkynet provides a new security model for real-time access to process data. Now with LDAP and TOTP support and a new data diode mode, the software makes secure, outbound connections through firewalls, isolating OT networks, fully supporting DMZ architectures, and making secure cloud connections.
INNOVATIONS
36 | New Products for Engineers, www.controleng.com/products
Advanced vision sensors; Control adds modular safety to conveyors; Innovative edge platform; Motor protection and diagnostics; Industrial edge and IT/OT integration; Microdrive network connectivity
> Products of the Year winners, www.controleng.com/product-of-the-year
39 | Back to Basics: Four ways to overcome three edge networking challenges
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INSIGHTS
u Control Engineering Product of the Year winners (A)
u June 30 - How to apply industrial controllers for automation and controls
www.controleng.com/webcasts
Ctrl+Alt+Mfg Podcast: From data silos to smart manufacturing
Manufacturers have invested heavily in connected systems, cloud platforms and artificial intelligence. But when data remains trapped in disconnected systems, much of that value never reaches the plant floor or the balance sheet. That challenge was the focus of a recent Ctrl+Alt+Mfg podcast conversation with John Dyck of CESMII and John Harrington of HighByte. Interoperability is no longer just a technical issue for IT and OT teams. It is becoming a strategic requirement for turning digital initiatives into business value.
For years, manufacturers worked around fragmented data with custom integrations, manual processes and internal experts. But those one-off fixes do not scale, especially as manufacturers pursue broader visibility, cross-functional data use and AI-driven decision support.
“Data integration and data utilization is what's holding companies back,” Harrington said. “It's what's slowing down the adoption.”
Digital tools aren’t the cure
Manufacturing does not lack data. It lacks data that is consistent, usable and shareable. That matters because operational data is now needed far beyond the systems that first collected it. In earlier phases of digitization, many manufacturers focused on getting data into supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) or manufacturing execution system (MES) platforms. Today, the same data may also be needed by quality, maintenance, engineering, supply chain and enterprise systems.
AI is intensifying that demand. Pulling data from one asset or line is manageable. Standardizing, contextualizing and distributing it across hundreds of assets and mul-
tiple plants is much harder. Each new application adds integration burden.
Interoperability
Dyck said part of the challenge stems from how OT environments evolved. On the plant floor, the priority has always been keeping production moving. That led to practical, effective problem solving, but not always standardization. Over time, manufacturers built a patchwork of solutions — some vendor-supported, others created locally — that solved immediate problems but were difficult to govern, repeat or scale. Dyck said that legacy model is reaching its limits.
“That kind of Industry 3.0 approach to building data silos and vendor lock-in is no longer sufficient,” he said.
To address that, CESMII launched the Industrial Information Interoperability Exchange, or i3X, an initiative aimed at creating a standardized, open way for industrial systems and applications to exchange information. Dyck tied the
CESMII’s John Dyck and HighByte’s John Harrington explain why interoperability is becoming a business imperative and could be the missing link between industrial data, AI and real manufacturing value, in a podcast with Control Engineering's Gary Cohen and Stephanie Neil.
effort to CESMII’s broader goal of reducing the time and cost of smart manufacturing implementation by 50%.
“Interoperability and openness has to be part of our mindset,” Dyck said.
He added that manufacturers now face a critical choice: Continue solving new use cases the old way, or build a smarter, more interoperable foundation for the future. ce
The Ctrl+Alt+Mfg Podcast
IN OTHER EPISODES hosts Gary Cohen and Stephanie Neil explore digital transformation insights.
Ep. 9: When cyberattacks go physical, with Ian Bramson of Black & Veatch
Ep. 10: Modernization vs. digital transformation, with Dan Furrow and Luis Atencio of Wesco
Ep. 11: What plant engineers really want, with Amara Rozgus of Plant Engineering
Ep. 12: Why system integrators matter more than ever in the age of AI, with Adrienne Meyer of CSIA
Ep. 13: Bad data, broken maintenance, with Paul Ross of Limble and Ross Fergerson of RBC Bearings
AI expert explains trends in AI automation integration
uWhile artificial intelligence (AI) has been used in automation for more than 20 years, automation and AI are moving to autonomous operations. With simulation and AI combined, automation is moving into a different space, said Jim Chappell, Aveva, vice president, global head of AI, in a discussion with Control Engineering at the 2026 ARC Leadership Forum by ARC Advisory Group, in February. Theme of the 30th Annual ARC Industry Leadership Forum event is “How AI Is Driving the Future of Industrial Operations and Supply Chain.”
AI helps industrial autonomy
AI can help automation’s progression toward more autonomous operations with the ability to apply pseudo-sensors where sensors are limited or hard to apply. Beyond that, it can use cutting-edge AI techniques to predict what the values should be so that operators can make control decisions. Taken further in a closed loop, the system can operate itself under human supervision, Chappell said.
As AI model training advances, more AI
is being applied in industrial applications. At present, physics-based AI applications often include humans in the loop or on the loop, monitoring AI suggestions, Chappell said. High quality, simulated data is often used to train advanced AI models to provide reliable closed-loop operations for quality production with less downtime.
Systematically, reinforcement learning models are being applied to industrial AI and are producing autonomy for some applications at levels 3 or 4 based on the SAE J3016 standard for driving automation systems. It’s not there yet for Level 5, he said.
Industrial AI recommondations
What are recommendations for those interested in industrial AI?
Integrate industrial AI where it makes sense, Chappell said. AI is used across the entire industrial life cycle, from engineering design to operations and optimization with design simulation, to create and improve controls and provide 3D visualization. People are building trust as they use commercially available AI tools
Jim Chappell, Aveva, vice president, global head of AI, discussed industrial AI trends in automation at the 2026 ARC Leadership Forum by ARC Advisory Group. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering
for personal requests on how to do and improve things.
Connected platforms will pull AI together across applications, Chappell said. ce
Mark T. Hoske is editor-in-chief, Control Engineering, WTWH Media, mhoske@wtwhmedia.com.
THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF AUTOMATION (ISA), a professional society for automation, has begun a new ISA113 Standard Committee, an effort to develop a specification for integrating distributed workflow systems across multiple vendor platforms. The ISA113 Standard Committee is being formed to address interoperability challenges among workflow systems used in industrial organizations. Many teams rely on custom integration projects to connect these systems. ISA113 is intended to create a standard that sup-
ports different workflow models, separates workflow logic from execution location, defines action-based integration for operational technology workflows and enables coordination across multiple systems.
A key focus for the committee will be interoperability between orchestrated workflows and choreographed workflows. Orchestrated workflows, such as ISA-88style hierarchical procedures and phases, are commonly used in industrial automation and batch control. Choreographed workflows, common in Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN), manufacturing exe-
cution systems and other business process systems, support distributed and event-driven coordination. As organizations adopt more digital tools, they increasingly use both approaches, requiring better integration.
“The goal of initiating the ISA113 Standard Committee is to help bridge OT/IT workflow styles,” said Steve Ferguson, managing director of standards and technical activities at ISA.
Edited by Puja Mitra, WTWH Media, for Control Engineering, from an ISA news release.
uNIST is revising its process for handling cybersecurity vulnerabilities and exposures, or CVEs, listed in the NIST National Vulnerability Database (NVD). Previously, the NVD program analyzed all CVEs to add details such as severity scores and product information to support vulnerability assessment and remediation. Under the revised process, NIST will enrich CVEs that meet defined criteria. CVEs that do not meet criteria will be listed in the NVD, but they will be assigned lower priority for enrichment and may not be enriched immediately. CVE submissions rose 263% between 2020 and 2025. NIST expects this trend to continue. Submissions in the first three months of 2026 were approximately 33% higher than the same period last year. Processing volume has increased compared with previous years. In 2025, nearly
42,000 CVEs were enriched, 45% more than in any prior year. That higher output is insufficient to match the growth in submissions. NIST is implementing a revised process. The changes are intended to prioritize selected CVEs, provide clarity on current workload management, and support more consistent operations while automated systems and workflow improvements are developed for longterm scalability. ce
For enrichment criteria and more information, see this article online. https://www. controleng.com/cve-processing-shift-newrules-target-rising-submissions
Edited by Puja Mitra, WTWH Media,
for Control Engineering, from a NIST news release.
AUTOMATION EVENTS
• Find Robotics Summit coverage at https:// www.therobotreport.com and https://www. automatedwarehouseonline.com
• Realize Live Americas, Siemens, June 1-3, Detroit https://events.sw.siemens.com/ en-US/realizelive/americas/
• 2026 Honeywell User Group (HUG) Conference, June 8-10, Phoenix, https://automation.honeywell.com/us/en/about-us/ honeywell-users-group
• Automate, A3, June 22-25, Chicago www.automateshow.com
• Ynow2026 – Yokogawa, Sept. 1-3, New Orleans www.yokogawa.com/ynow2026
• Automation Fair (Rockwell Automation), Nov. 16-19, Boston www.automationfair.com
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Latest automation mergers, April 2026: controls, robotics, system integration
uAutomation mergers, acquisitions and investments include industrial automation, flow control, PLC programming, robotics, system integration and other technologies and services. Bundy Group, an investment bank and advisory firm that specializes in the automation segment, provided an April 2024 update of 14 mergers, acquisitions and capital placement activities, involving Agile Robotics, MartinCSI and Yaskawa America, among other companies.
uAgile Robots acquired thyssenkrupp Automation Engineering in Europe, North America, April 1 Agile Robots acquired thyssenkrupp Automation Engineering assets in Europe and North America on April 1, 2026. The business continues as Krause Automation
under Agile Robots, combining AI-powered robotics with more than 75 years of automated production systems expertise for automotive, e-mobility, consumer electronics, medical technology, and logistics. The Automation Engineering sale, according to thyssenkrupp, is part of the repositioning of thyssenkrupp Automotive Technology begun in 2025 to focus on four core areas: chassis, components, aftermarket and forging.
uMagic Software Americas and Axiom Systems acquired MartinCSI, April 2 Magic Software Americas and Axiom Systems have acquired MartinCSI, an Inductive Automation Premier Integrator specializing in industrial automation, machine safety systems and robotics deployment. MartinCSI is a prior Control
Engineering and Plant Engineering System Integrator of the Year.
uYaskawa America acquired Variadores SAS, March 18
Yaskawa America has acquired Variadores SAS, a variable speed drive supplier in Colombia since 1987.
Clint Bundy is managing director, Bundy Group. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, editor-inchief, Control Engineering, WTWH Media, mhoske@wtwhmedia.com.
controleng.com
Latest-automation-mergers-april-2026-controlsrobotics-system-integration/ Search on Bundy at www.controleng.com for more merger and acquisition news.
Will the U.S. machine vision market become more concentrated?
THE US MACHINE VISION MARKET appears concentrated, with the top three vendors accounting for nearly half of total revenue. However, the market also includes a large number of smaller vendors with relatively limited market shares. This analysis examines the reasons for this structure and whether market concentration is likely to increase or decrease over time. To address this, it is necessary to examine two issues: how vendor concentration varies by sector and the sector composition of the machine vision market.
The US machine vision market, valued at $980M in 2025, includes a small number of leading vendors and a large number of smaller suppliers. The top three vendors account for approximately 45% of the market, which is typical of a concentrated market structure. These vendors are particularly active in logistics and automotive, two of the largest machine vision sectors.
The market also includes many smaller vendors, each often focused on specific sectors and offering sector-specific equipment. These specializations can create competitive advantages and make entry more difficult for new competitors. As a result, vendor concentration is also strong within individual sectors. If many sectors are concentrated, the large number of smaller vendors at the overall market level can be explained by the sector composition of the US market.
Proportion of revenue by industry in 2025 of total US machine vision market
U.S. machine vision use is spread widely across many industries, according to Interact Analysis. Courtesy: Interact Analysis
Read more at https://www.controleng.com/ will-the-us-machine-vision-market-become-more-concentrated/ Edited by Puja Mitra, WTWH Media, for Control Engineering.
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* If the content meets criteria noted in guidelines, expect to see it first on the website. Content for enewsletters comes from content already available on the website. All content for print also will be online. All content that appears in the print magazine will appear as space permits, and we will indicate in print if more content from that article is available online.
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State of Industrial Automation advice from survey respondents
Continue to learn about automation and controls, communicate carefully as part of automation project management, and invest in cybersecurity were among advice from respondents to the 2026 State of Industrial Automation survey.
The State of Industrial Automation research for 2026 asked survey respondents, “What advice would you like to share with peers on these topics?” Sorted into topics, most advice was on continuous learning followed by project management and cybersecurity. Think again about subscribers’ automation advice that follows.
Continuous learning, controls
Controls engineers should focus on continuous learning, developing strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and gaining diverse technical knowledge in areas like networking, scripting, and various automation platforms. Emphasizing clear communication, meticulous documentation and robust testing is also crucial for project success and reliability.
Educate, learn and implement.
Focus on strengthening foundational systems before tackling bigger initiatives. Standardize training, document key processes and make work easier and more consistent for operators. Lean out your flow before adding new technology. Strengthen supplier communication early for material traceability and compliance, as these demands will only grow. Use real data to guide improvements instead of assumptions. Small, disciplined systems create resilience and help navigate workforce shortages, rising costs and increasing regulatory pressures. Keep pace with innovations. Promote and partner with your local tech schools and recruiting agencies to fill in and meet the gaps in the necessary experienced
labor skills.
Read instructions.
Train existing personnel and add personnel needed.
Project management
Don’t rush into too many areas all at once. Make sure you have the right people, tools and materials that will give you “the bang for your bucks” that you must spend in each area.
• Involve in-house experts and have them lead the process.
• It’s very difficult to communicate technical matters to financial stakeholders.
• Make contingency plans.
• Rely less on programming.
• Strengthen justification for projects.
Cybersecurity
Out sourcing is increasing data breaches. Implement solutions with accountability with severe punishments within hours not years.
Security risks include radio frequency identification (RFID), remote monitoring and safety-disruption by lack of response to controls.
Hacking is a possibility. Staying current is an expense a company needs to stay competitive.
Robotics
I see artificial intelligence and humanoid robots becoming a reality in manufacturing in the next 5 years. I would like to implement humanoid robots as soon as possible. ce
Mark T. Hoske is editor-in-chief, Control Engineering, WTWH Media, mhoske@wtwhmedia.com.
Mark T. Hoske Control Engineering
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ANSWERS
Ryan Schaal, Yaskawa America Inc.
More than a manual: How technical communication drives quality
In AC drive development, the quality of the product instructions is tied to an engineering discipline that impacts safety, commissioning and the end-user experience. Technical communicators need to work with hardware and firmware engineering teams to close the gap between engineering designs and real-world operations.
IOnline controleng.com
KEYWORDS: Automation documentation, AC drive documentation, VFD ease of use
CONSIDER THIS
How can AC drive documentation improve design, installation and operation of automation?
ONLINE
Servo drive safety integrated functions: How to maximize fail-safe behavior
t’s probably not uncommon for engineers to only think about product documentation at the worst possible times: at the least forgiving moments when the production line needs certification, or when the bills of material are ready and it’s time to start manufacturing units. In these moments, the product instructions must be correct, compliant, usable, and ready to put in the box with the product. If the manuals are unclear, incomplete, or difficult to navigate, they are judged harshly and quickly labeled as a necessary evil created at the tail end of development. That perception is understandable, but it is also incomplete.
In the AC drives industry, effective technical communication is not an afterthought. It is a key function in the product development lifecycle that operates alongside hardware and firmware design, translating engineering specifications into end-user instructions that directly affect safety, troubleshooting efficiency, customer satisfaction, and long-term production uptime.
Useful technical communication and product instructions extend beyond a necessary box-checking task to preserve compliance. Automation documentation is a cross-functional disci-
pline in AC drive development that can influence engineering outcomes.
Unlike design tools, programming environments or testing equipment, product documentation is rarely part of an engineer’s daily workflow. Engineers usually interact with the documentation under a time constraint when something must be installed, configured, or fixed. In the AC drives industry these touch points include mechanical and electrical installation, programming, and troubleshooting faults during commissioning and startup. When documentation fails in its job to provide immediate clarity, it’s inevitable that there will be a level of frustration.
This dynamic shapes how users (including customers) remember documentation and their experience with it. People don’t judge the effectiveness of product instructions based on when those instructions work quietly in the background, but based on when they slow or stop progress under pressure. The commissioning of the product is where the impact of the decisions in the documentation process becomes visible.
Documentation changes with product development
It’s a common misconception that technical communicators wait until the hardware and
‘
Turning
specifications and other raw data into instructions requires interpretation.’
firmware designs are finalized and stable before starting to create the product instructions. From an outsider’s perspective, product instructions appear to be simply a record of the finished product. But, in reality, AC drive development does not typically follow a linear path, and tight production and release deadlines mean that the instructions that are packaged with the product need to be ready when everything else is ready.
By the time an AC drive is installed in the field, countless decisions have already been made about how end users will interact with it. The product instructions describe those decisions and determine how visible, understandable and actionable they are. As a result, technical communications departments in the AC drives industry are frequently involved while the product still only exists as a collection of specifications, and far before it becomes a finished, tangible product.
Much of the work in creating product instructions for AC drives begins before the product is “real,” before there are even beta production units to test or to look at. Instead of using hands-on physical units, technical communicators work from product plans, firmware specifications and descriptions, electrical schematics and wiring diagrams and certification requirements. Engineers generally write these specifications and requirements for internal audiences. These specifications are precise, but not necessarily usable in the field, and certainly not intended to be customer-facing documentation. Turning the specifications and other raw data into instructions requires interpretation from technical communicators.
Technical document communicators represent user interests
At this point in the product development, technical communicators ask questions that can uncover assumptions or flaws in the design. For example, whether a parameter is optional, conditional or
mandatory for an application. Whether there is an expected configuration sequence for the user to follow. How the user is supposed to confirm the correct setup, and what happens when the user misses a step. These questions are not academic and shouldn’t be treated as such. They are necessary and directly influence how the AC drive behaves during commissioning and how easily the user can diagnose and fix problems after installation.
AC drives are products that are defined by their software. The firmware code written to the AC drive defines the control methods, parameter values, communications behavior, diagnostics, and faults. Technical communicators working with software engineers focus on behavior instead of implementation. The goal of the product instructions is to explain how the AC drive responds to user actions, not to describe how the code is structured. This often involves adding clarity to dependencies between settings, explaining what conditions trigger alarms versus faults, and identifying the expected corrective actions.
1: A technician uses Yaskawa drive documentation open in the enclosure for on-site start-up adjustments. All figures courtesy: Yaskawa
FIGURE
ANSWERS
‘Documentation decisions can directly affect field outcomes.’
A wider view than product designers, filling gaps
A firmware specification might state that a parameter “enables torque control under defined conditions.” The documentation must go the extra mile to answer additional questions, such as what prerequisite settings must be configured and how to confirm correct operation. When it is difficult to clearly answer these questions, that often indicates friction in the user experience itself. Technical communicators have the unique opportunity to look at all parts of the product at the same time, combining the output of several disparate engineering groups into one cohesive document, which can uncover inconsistencies or gaps in the information based on a wholistic approach of viewing the data, and the development of the product instructions becomes an informal usability check, with the technical communicator acting as the end user and identifying issues before they reach the field.
Take, for example, a scenario during the commissioning of a general-purpose AC drive. In this scenario, a control method feature is enabled through one parameter. The specification correctly describes the control algorithm and the conditions under which it operates. However, this feature also depends on several prerequisite settings, such as entering the motor data, making sure that the feedback configuration is compatible with the hardware, and a certain type of communications card is correctly installed during startup. In early documentation drafts, torque control was described in isolation, with prerequisites listed elsewhere in the manual. During review, the technical communications team flagged that a user following the section that describes the feature section step-by-step would likely miss at least one of the prerequisite dependencies.
It is here where technical communicators can positively impact the product, the user experience and engineering. Working with firmware engineering, a joint decision can be made to revise the documentation to explicitly list the prerequisites at the start of the procedure, cross-reference the required
parameters and add a verification step to confirm that the torque control was active. This didn’t change the product design nor the firmware, but it did measurably improve the commissioning time and eliminate any support calls related a “nonfunctional” feature on the product after release. This is a small example, but it illustrates how documentation decisions can directly affect field outcomes.
On the hardware side, technical communicators work closely with electrical and mechanical engineers to make sure that installation instructions reflect real-world practices. This includes identifying wiring terminals and their locations, providing guidance for grounding and shielding, and defining the environmental and thermal requirements and limitations.
Safety considerations in automation documentation
Hardware documentation is particularly sensitive because it is used by technicians working directly with energized equipment. The hardware instructions must be accurate, unambiguous, and readable under time pressure. A wiring schematic can be technically correct and still increase risk if it is visually dense, poorly organized, or even too small. Technical communicators reconcile schematics, safety analyses and compliance requirements into a single set of instructions and references that installers can follow without the burden of additional interpretation.
Compliance with ever-changing regulations represents one of the more challenging areas of AC drive documentation. Safety messages in AC drive product instructions must align with certified designs and use precise language required by standards organizations. And, at the same time, these messages must remain usable, readable, and understandable during commissioning, when time pressure is highest.
Overly abstract language or too many cross-references to other documents or areas can cause users to skim or bypass critical steps. Technical communicators collaborate closely with all engineering groups to make sure that the product instructions are precise with respect to the regulations, while also making the instructions actionable. The quality of this balance directly affects installation safety and long-term risk.
Perhaps the most important contribution technical communicators make is translation. Not necessarily translation from Spanish to English, but translation from engineering-speak to end-user-speak. Engineering groups tend to use internal languages that are optimized for design and implementation, which makes sense. But end users approach the product with the operational goals of hanging it on the wall or as part of a larger system, getting the motor spinning, and resolving any issues quickly. Technical communicators help to bridge the gap between engineering-speak to end-user-speak by reframing the internal terminologies into operational language, organizing reference information into tasks, clarifying the cause-and-effect relationships, and making the implicit assumptions contained in the specifications explicit.
Technical communication is not just simplifying away complexity; AC drives are inherently complex. The technical communicator's goal is to make that complexity more navigable without hiding risk.
The quality of the documentation is most visible during installation and commissioning. When there are clearly readable and understandable startup sequences, it reduces mistakes at the front end, and well-structured parameter descriptions help users understand what to set and why. When the documentation can anticipate common mistakes and incorrect configurations, and then clarify them and outline the correct perquisites, it reduces troubleshooting during startup. For system integrators and OEMs, this can directly translate into faster commissioning times and more predictable project timelines.
Performance improves with clear documentation, reviews
After startup, the product documentation continues to influence performance. Clear fault descriptions and countermeasures shorten downtime and reduce the need to reverse-engineer behavior during live production. From an operational perspective, documentation becomes part of the system itself.
It’s reasonable for engineers to feel that impacting the quality of the product documentation is outside of their direct control. While there may technically be some small truth to that, upstream contributions
from engineering can have outsized effects on the end user instructions. By thoroughly answering questions from the technical communicators and participating in usability and technical reviews, engineers greatly improve the documentation and the product. When the engineering groups work closely with the technical communicators during development, it helps to decrease potential downstream friction and burdens.
In AC drive development, product documentation is the final interface between the intent of the design and real-world operation. It is where hardware, software and safety decisions meet the plant floor. When the documentation works, it is invisible, like an umpire at a baseball game. Commissioning proceeds smoothly, faults are resolved efficiently, and production continues uninterrupted. When the documentation fails, the consequences appear immediately and often at the expense of uptime.
Reframing technical communication as a core part of product development aligns the documentation quality with engineering quality. In the AC drives industry, the two are inseparable. ce
Ryan Schaal is technical communications supervisor, Yaskawa America Inc., www.yaskawa.com Waukegan, Illinois. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, editor-in-chief, Control Engineering, WTWH Media, mhoske@wtwhmedia.com.
FIGURE 2: The Yaskawa GA800, a general application industrial drive, has a 14-step quick setup procedure documentation with a code to scan for video access, detailed diagrams, tables and best-practice recommendations.
Insightsu
Insights on automation documentation
uDocumentation is a core development function and should begin before the product exists, rather than developed as an afterthought uEarly documentation questions can expose design flaws
uEngineering participation directly improves both docs and product quality
Control Engineering Career and Salary Survey, 2026 2026
Benefits and salaries decreased. Artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation application upgrades top the technology list. Lack of skilled workers and the economy are the leading manufacturing business challenges.
Lack of skilled workers, the economy and tariffs are among leading challenges while artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation application upgrades are among leading technologies that will help those resp onding to the 2026 Control Engineering Career and Salary Survey and Report. The full report is available at www.controleng.com/research.
Salaries and benefits decreased for Control Engineering subscribers responding compared to 2025, which isn’t likely to help the automation indus -
try to attract the best and the brightest engineering talent. Salaries decreased to an average $117,395 (Figure 1), 1.9% less than $119,682 for those taking the survey in 2025, but still ahead of $114,771 for the 2024 survey. Even so, most taking the survey expect to receive increases in the coming year. The average of those receiving bonuses decreased to $16,315 (Figures 2, 3), compared to $18,595 reported last year. [U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics said in April the Consumer Price Increase for 12-months was 3.8%.]
Expected change to 2026 bonus
Leading threats (Figure 7) to manufacturing businesses (select up to three, the survey said) was the lack of skilled workers at 42%. The economy at 34% and taxes and tariffs at 28% were in a statistical tie for second, given the 6.6% margin of error for the survey at a 95% confidence rate. In 2024 just 8% said taxes and tariffs were a leading threat. In 2024, the economy was the top threat at 41%, and lack of available skilled workers was 33%.
Automation to resolve challenges
What technologies will be helping in the coming year? (Figure 5) Among a technology list expected to help, artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ ML) at 42% tied with automation applications/upgrades at 38% (within the margin of error). The automation-upgrades category gained 15 percentage points over last year (second only to industrial communications which showed a 22 percentage
Compensation summary 2026
FIGURE 1: 67% of respondents expect a salary increase in 2026.
FIGURE 2: 25% of respondents expect an increase in 2026 bonuses.
FIGURE 3: In 2026, the average salary of respondents is $117,395 down from $119,682 in 2025. Bonuses decreased also.
point gain). [Note that automation upgrades and improved networking can help support AI/ML investments.] Below first place, no technology listed was separated from its neighbor by a percentage greater than the margin of error for the research.
Second place was a tie among process optimization; process design, measurements, optimization; and remote controls, monitoring. Sharing third place in a statistical tie was a group of eight technologies, all within 6.6 percentage points:
24% Automation: Motion control optimization with advanced actuators, drives
24% Automation: Robotics, collaborative robotics, mobile robotics
23% Better HMI and SCADA designs
22% Industrial communications: faster and easier among devices and systems
21% Analytics: Data analytics
20% Industrial internet of things (IoT), such as more interconnected sensors, monitoring, data collection
19% Cybersecurity technologies
18% Advanced process controls (APC) optimization
See graphic for other automation technologies likely to help.
Those were among the 2026 salary and career survey highlights. Below find more results. Download the full report (and other Control Engineering research) at www.controleng.com/research.
Anticipated increases
Automation, controls and instrumentation help manufacturers operate more efficiently and fill the skills gap. Despite a decrease compared to those surveyed last year, automation professionals see themselves as part of the solution with 68% again expecting an increase in base annual salary, similar to the last four years.
Company profitability (49%) and personal performance (47%) remain statistically tied in 2026 as the dominant criteria for bonus compensation. The next seven bonus criteria were tied for second (Figure 4).
Criteria for 2026 bonus compensation
New business, sales increase, commission
Reducing plant costs
Uptime/downtime
Better system integration, information flow
Customer feedback
Energy efficiencies or other sustainability metrics
Successful implementation of AI/ML projects
Application of industry standards
Cybersecurity improvements IT/OT collaboration Increased line flexibility Other
FIGURE 4: In 2026, company profits and personal performance were statistically tied as the leading criteria for non-salary compensation.
What technologies are most likely to help you in the coming year? PERCENT TECHNOLOGY
42% Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)
38%
Automation applications/upgrades 31%
26%
Process optimization
Process design, measurements, optimization
25% Remote controls, monitoring
24%
24%
Automation: Motion control optimization with advanced actuators, drives
Automation: Robotics, collaborative robotics, mobile robotics
23% Better HMI and SCADA designs
22%
21%
20%
19%
18%
16%
16%
16%
Industrial communications: faster and easier among devices and systems
Analytics: Data analytics
Industrial internet of things (IoT), such as more interconnected sensors, monitoring, data collection
Analytics for predictive or prescriptive maintenance
Power quality and reliability
15% Vision system optimization
13%
11%
11%
Industrial communications: Wireless networking
Edge computing
Sustainability metrics, measurements and related optimization
9% Digital twins and simulation
9%
Resilient and redundant designs for critical infrastructure
7% 5G/6G integration
7% Cloud computing
4%
3%
1%
Other
Extended reality (XR) or augmented reality (AR) for industrial applications
Quantum computing applications
FIGURE 5: Artificial intelligence and machine learning and automation upgrades are technologies most likely to help in the coming year.
2026
Factors for job satisfaction
Most important among job satisfaction factors was work-life balance (described as “workload, flexible work hours, ability to work from home, etc.”) and financial compensation. Plenty of other criteria make a career in automation and controls worth considering, such as technical challenge, job security and relationship with colleagues, among a list of 11 double-digit job satisfaction reasons on Figure 6.
Among respondents, 66% performed some work remotely, with the largest grouping, 34% in the 1% to 20% range. Interestingly, 14% performed more than 60% of their work remotely.
Hours worked nearly equaled respondents from 2025 research.
9% worked fewer than 40 hours (9% in 2025, 11% in 2024, 9% in 2023)
46% worked 40 to 44 hours (46% in 2025, 48% in 2024, 42% in 2023)
20% worked 45 to 49 hours (17% in 2025, 19% in 2024, 24% in 2023)
15% worked 50 to 54 hours (13% in 2025, 13% in 2024, 14% in 2023)
3% worked 55 to 59 hours (same in 2024, 2023)
7% worked 60 or more (6% in 2024, 8% in 2023).
Automation, help; methods
Control Engineering subscribers develop, integrate and use a wide diversity of controls, automation and instrumentation. In 2026, survey respondents selected from among 28 technologies when asked: “What technologies are most likely to help you in the coming year? Check all that apply.” Twenty ranked in the double digits. Research for the 2026 Control Engineering Career and Salary Report resulted from an emailed survey to subscribers, producing 218 qualified responses from March 11, 2026, to May 7, 2026, for a margin of error
What 3 factors have the greatest impact on your job satisfaction?
of +/-6.6% at a 95% confidence level. Survey respondents were invited to anonymously provide annual compensation information and opinions on the current state of their facilities and industries and submit advice for peers. (See related article online.)
Engineering salary, bonus details
In Figure 1, 51% expect a salary increase of up to 3% in 2026 (45% in 2025; 42% in 2024; 45% in 2023 and 2022; 51% in 2021; 52% in 2020; 63% in 2019; 56% in 2018); 17% expect an increase of 4% or more (16% in 2025; 18% in 2024; 19% in 2023; 12% in 2022; 14% in 2021; 18% in 2020; 11% in 2019; 19% in 2018); 5% expect more than 6% increase (7% in 2025; 6% in 2024; 7% in 2023; 10% in 2022); 31% expect the same (30% in 2025; 31% in 2024; 28% in 2023; 32% in 2022 and 2021; 30% in 2020; 25% in 2019; 23% in 2018); and 2% expect a salary decrease (2% in 2025; 3% in 2024; 1% in 2023 and 2022; 3% in 2021; 1% in 2020 and 2019; 2% in 2018).
For base salary compensation, the minimum among respondents was $19,500 ($22,080 in 2025; $20,000 in 2024; $22,000 in 2023; $20,000 in 2022; $28,000 in 2021), and the maximum was $252,000 ($350,000 in 2025; $360,000 in 2024; $300,000 in 2023; $266,700 in 2022 and $250,000 in 2021).
For bonus compensation (Figure 2), 18% expect an 1% to 3% increase (13% in 2025; 18% in 2024; 15% in 2023); 4% expect an increase of 4% to 6% (6% in 2025, 2024 and 2023); 3% expect an increase greater than 6% (8% in 2025; 7% in 2024; 8% in 2023); 63% expect about the same (62% in 2025; 59% in 2024; 57% in 2023); and 12% expect less (11% in 2025; 10% in 2024; 14% in 2023). For those receiving bonus compensation (Figure 3), the average received was $16,315, compared to $18,595 in 2025, $16,125 in 2024 and $15,929 in 2023). The average across all respondents is $11,550, compared to $13,765 in 2025 and $11,840 in 2024); 29% received no bonus (25% in 2025 and 2024).
FIGURE
What are the biggest threats to manufacturing
Government/political
Inadequate management
Lack of investments for equipment, software upgrade/replacement
Lack of necessary materials, parts
Lack of investments for workflow, manufacturing design upgrades Downsizing Outsourcing,
FIGURE 7: Leading threats to manufacturing businesses (select up to three) was lack of skilled workers, followed by economy and taxes and tariffs; just 8% said taxes/tariffs were a leading threat in 2024.
Engineering bonus criteria
Two leading criteria for non-salary compensation were tied: company profitability at 49% (57% in 2025; 51% in 2024; 55% in 2023), and personal performance at 47% (53% in 2025; 51% in 2024; 43% in 2023); see Figure 4. Among other responses were: Product profitability at 21% (14% in 2025); plant or line productivity 17% (8% in 2025); quality metrics at 15% (15% in 2025); safety metrics 14% (7% in 2025); company stock performance at 12% (12% in 2025), new business/sales at 11% (18% in 2025); reducing plant costs 11% (8% in 2025); uptime/downtime 11% (6% in 2025).
Satisfaction, threats shift
As mentioned, work-life balance ranked at 43%, a statistical tie with financial compensation at 36% (finances typically
rank higher during challenging economic years), followed by technical challenge at 28%. See Figure 6 for other criteria. Among manufacturing threats, lack of skilled workers led at 42%, up from 38% in 2025. Second was economy at 34% and taxes and tariffs at 28%. See additional threats in Figure 7.
Older engineers, education
Control Engineering research provides demographics as context, and extra figures in the report provide more information and benchmarking, examining compensation by years, education, years in industry, by hours worked by employees managed, by job function and by facility size.
Among those surveyed last year and this year, age trended older: 75% of respondents were 50 or older, up from
Download the full 2026 Control Engineering Career and Salary Survey and Report to see more details, including benchmarking tables. www.controleng.com/research
Learn more about workforce development. https://www.controleng.com/ workforce-development
See recent Control Engineering magazines: www.controleng.com/magazine
61% in 2025. Aging demographics and high rate of retirements among baby boomer create more concerns for lack of skilled talent. It also makes trusted information sources more useful for younger engineers seeking answers for questions that mentors may have provided in the past.
Years working for current employer trended longer, with 30% were 9 years or less, compared to 49% in 2025 and 50% in 2024, 23% at 10 to 19 years, about the same as 2024 at 22%, 26% at 20 to 29 years up from 16% in 2025 and 21% at 30 or more years (13% in 2025).
Years in current industry trended higher, at 6% for 9 or fewer years, 15% in 2025; 18% at 10 to 19 years (18% in 2025); 22% at 20 to 29 years (20% at 2025); 30% at 30 to 39 years (27% in 2025) and 23% at 40 years or more (20% in 2025).
Highest level of education completed were: 5% high school diploma (<1% in 2025), 5% trade/technical school diploma (6% in 2025), 6% associate degree (5% in 2025), 8% college attendance (5% in 2025), 41% had a bachelor’s degree (54% in 2025), 28% had a master’s degree (22% in 2025), 3% dual bachelor’s degrees (5% in 2025) and 4% a doctoral degree (2% in 2025). ce
Mark T. Hoske is editor-in-chief, Control Engineering, WTWH Media, mhoske@wtwhmedia.com. Amanda Pelliccione, marketing research manager, WTWH Media, conducted the research and assembled the related report available online.
Ed Bullerdiek, process control engineer, retired
PID spotlight, part
29:
How to shape PID controller response –self-limiting processes
You need aggressive control to manage disturbances, but when you change setpoint the control response upsets the process. How can you shape the controller response to meet your needs?
FIGURE 1: PID controller tuned for disturbance rejection (9.2:1 lag/deadtime ratio). Tuning constants are K = 10.4, Ti = 0.62 minutes/repeat, Td = 0.12 minutes.
Images courtesy: Ed Bullerdiek, retired control engineer
Tuning prop ortional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers requires that we make tradeoffs. In the case of a lag dominant process the tradeoff is between the controller response to disturbances and controller output movement, especially after setpoint changes.
Figure 1 displays the dilemma facing us. Disturbance rejection tuning does exactly what it is designed to do; the disturbance is very small and rapidly eliminated. However, a controller gain of 10 causes a large spike of controller output (OP) whenever the setpoint (SP) is changed. We would normally expect to see the process variable (PV) considerably overshoot the new setpoint, but in this case the controller output saturates, which limits the overshoot. If large rapid changes in the controller output can upset other parts of the process we have a potential problem.
One solution, of course, is to slow down the controller tuning. Figure 2 shows the same process with the controller response set to critically damped tuning. The controller output overshoot after a setpoint change is reduced but still substantial. Slower tuning results in a larger and longer lasting disturbance. If the controller output spike is still too large, we could continue to reduce the controller gain, but at the cost of still larger and longer lasting disturbances. Let’s explore how using advanced PID controller features can offer a better approach.
Advanced
PID controller features
We can address the controller output spike problem by using a:
‘If large rapid changes in the controller output can upset other parts of the process, we have a potential problem.’
• Setpoint ramp
• Setpoint filter
• Integral only on setpoint change PID algorithm
These features are available in some control systems, or the first two often can be added through programming. If any of these features are available in your system, please note that there are no industry standards regarding how these features should work. Before applying these features, you should perform tests to see exactly how they work.
Setpoint ramp purpose, application example
A setpoint ramp slowly moves the setpoint of a controller from one value to another at a fixed rate. Depending on the system you either enter a ramp rate (Δ%/minute) or the time for the setpoint to get to its final value.
In Figure 3 a setpoint ramp has been added to the PID disturbance rejection tuning of this process. In this system, the setpoint ramp is programmed as a rate and displayed as a “working setpoint.” The disturbance is still small and rapidly eliminated, but the large controller output (OP) spike that normally follows a setpoint change has been considerably reduced.
There is, however, still a good bit of controller output movement as the controller tries to keep the PV on setpoint (SP) during the ramp. Most of the movement occurs at the start of the ramp when the controller is responding to the gap between PV and SP caused by deadtime and the end of the ramp when the PV overshoots the SP because of deadtime. One way to manage this movement is by slowing down the ramp rate, but the tradeoff is it takes longer to get to setpoint. You may have to experiment with ramp rate to get to an optimal balance.
If the controller output movement is still excessive, we can combine the SP ramp with slower controller tuning (Figure 4). Slowing down the tuning
FIGURE 2: PID controller tuned for critically damped response (9.2:1 lag/deadtime ratio). Tuning constants are K = 4.345, Ti = 1.635 minutes/repeat, Td = 0 minutes.
causes the process variable to trail the setpoint ramp, which isn’t a problem, and it has very little overshoot of the setpoint when the ramp ends. Controller output movement is relatively restrained with the exception of a sharp change in direction when the ramp ends, which is unavoidable. If you need faster PV response to a SP change you can increase the SP ramp rate; a 5%/minute ramp rate still has acceptable response (in my opinion).
Finally, the last word in slowing down controller tuning is shown in figure 5. Minimum controller
FIGURE 3: PID controller tuned for disturbance rejection (9.2:1 lag/ deadtime ratio). Tuning constants are K = 10.4, Ti = 0.62 minutes/ repeat, Td = 0.12 minutes. SP ramp rate is 3%/minute.
ANSWERS
FIGURE 4: PID controller tuned for critically damped response (9.2:1 lag/deadtime ratio). Tuning constants are K = 4.345, Ti = 1.635 minutes/repeat, Td = 0 minutes. SP ramp rate is 3%/minute.
FIGURE 5: PID controller tuned for minimum output movement response (9.2:1 lag/deadtime ratio). Tuning constants are K = 1.049, Ti = 1.877 minutes/ repeat, Td = 0 minutes. SP ramp rate is 3%/minute.
output (OP) movement tuning would only be used on a lag dominant process if the controller is intended for slow optimization. It would make sense to add a setpoint ramp to dampen controller output movement when the setpoint is changed. When setpoint ramping is used the OP mirrors the setpoint ramp. The process variable will considerably trail the setpoint ramp, but this shouldn’t be a concern. Otherwise, controller performance is what we would expect from a controller tuned this slow; when a disturbance occurs output movement is slow, the process variable is allowed to move relatively far from setpoint, and it takes considerable time for the controller to eliminate the disturbance. ce
Ed Bullerdiek is a retired control engineer with 37 years of process control experience in petroleum refining and oil production. Send comments and questions to freerangecontrol@ameritech.net. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, editor-in-chief, Control Engineering, WTWH Media, mhoske@wtwhmedia.com.
Understand setpoint ramps, setpoint filters and the integral only on setpoint change PID algorithm.
Know that these advanced PID features can mitigate excessive controller output movement after a setpoint change, allowing more aggressive controller tuning.
Understand how controller tuning and the setup of an advanced feature work together to shape controller response. Know the basics of how to use and implement these features on different systems.
CONSIDER THIS
PID controllers are often tuned too slow for proper disturbance control due to excessive controller output movement after a setpoint change. Controller output movement can be managed using one of three advanced controller features available on most systems, which will allow you to unlock your controller’s full potential.
ONLINE
See this article online for discussion of setpoint filters and using the integral only on setpoint change PID algorithm.
Link to PID spotlights, parts 1-28 and with this article online, starting with “Three reasons to tune control loops: Safety, profit, energy efficiency.”
HMI software empowers operators at the speed of the process
As operators shoulder more responsibility with fewer resources, modern HMI software delivers adaptable interfaces aligned with industry standards to improve situational awareness, reduce errors and help teams respond faster to process deviations.
Operators working with legacy tools often face significant situational awareness challenges. An operator might be responsible for tracking a process across a chaotic rainbow of cluttered screens, unable to discern the plant’s health through a sea of distracting colors and inconsistent icons. In the absence of hierarchical navigation and contextual cues, identifying a single failing asset may require navigating dozens of screens, consuming valuable time while minor process deviations escalate.
When an alarm finally trips, it is often buried in a flood of low-priority alerts, leaving the operator to guess at the root cause. Compounding this risk, supervisors may be monitoring separate displays with delayed or inconsistent data, creating gaps in shared understanding during abnormal situations. Under these conditions, manual interventions become reactive and uncertain, increasing the likelihood of operational errors and safety incidents. Such challenges are common and serious, but they are also preventable with the right digital tools.
One of the most important tools an operator will rely upon in these situations is the human-machine interface (HMI) of the distributed control system (DCS). According to International Society of Automation (ISA) guidelines, a graphic should make it possible for an operator to know, within a few seconds, if everything is running at an opti-
mum condition, but traditional HMIs often make it challenging for operators to identify process issues quickly. Cluttered displays, complex navigation, inconsistency and poor decision support can all delay operator awareness, potentially leading to unplanned downtime, equipment damage and/or safety incidents.
Fortunately, today’s advanced, modern HMIs offer a profoundly improved operator experience over legacy solutions. Modernizing with HMI software designed to integrate with the DCS provides increased adaptability, along with the tools necessary to easily deliver situational awareness, error reduction and improved response from plant personnel (Figure 1).
More adaptable interfaces
One of the primary challenges teams face in delivering high-quality, effective HMIs comes in the earliest stages: configuration and deployment. Today’s teams are leaner than ever, and expert personnel can be hard to come by. As a result, finding staff who not only have the skills to develop complex graphics and custom interfacing to the control system, but also the time to do so, is extremely rare. Therefore, today’s teams are looking for solutions that quickly enable easy configuration and seamless integration to the DCS out of the box.
Modern HMI software empowers teams to be more agile in their display development. The most
How does your humanmachine interface software reduce risk of operator errors?
ONLINE
Lifecycle-ready AI: unlocking value at every stage of process manufacturing https://www.controleng. com/lifecycle-readyai-unlocking-value-atevery-stage-of-processmanufacturing https://www.controleng. com/control-systems/hmi-oi
ANSWERS
advanced solutions provide a palette of pre-defined and pre-configured graphical elements that designers can use to quickly and easily add new units or operations, or to edit existing ones. The graphical elements are prepopulated with the tags and data operators will need to see, and they can be placed on displays using simple drag-and-drop techniques. Once displays are created or adjusted, editors can publish the updates, and the software will then automatically notify operators that a change is available, empowering them to perform the update when it will not disrupt operations.
to ensure graphics can easily be accessed across different platforms and screen sizes with no additional work required. The software also provides a wide range of theme options to help adjust visibility in differing conditions, such as those present in low-light environments.
Operators also need fast access to effective information to quickly and easily navigate their screens. Instead of the traditional long lists of displays operators must choose from, modern HMI software provides customization capabilities, such as a hierarchical view to let teams build the layouts that perform most efficiently for their workflows. For example, a team might want to organize by different plant areas, or even different display types, for example using a high-level plant key performance indicator (KPI) versus a display drilled down into a distillation column.
Graphical elements in modern HMI software also make it easier for operators to dive deeper into their displays for more information when necessary. Such solutions require fewer actions to gather more information, and they provide tools like always-on-top watchlists, where users can drag and drop important process variables into a dialog box that stays visible no matter where the operator navigates in the HMI.
‘Users can drag and drop important process variables into a dialog box that stays visible no matter where the operator navigates in the HMI.’
Modern HMI software is also designed to integrate seamlessly with the DCS to ensure no complex, custom engineering is necessary, helping reduce setup time, while improving long-term performance and stability.
Improved situational awareness
Another critical advantage of modern HMI software is its ability to improve operator awareness and response time. ISA standards, such as ISA101.01 HMI Usability and Performance, focus heavily on benchmarking, and improving situational awareness and providing teams with software to drive at-a-glance understanding is a key requirement.
First and foremost, operators should be able to easily see and understand the information on the screens in front of them. Modern HMI software leverages the latest technologies, such as HTML5,
The most advanced modern HMIs can even provide users with connectivity to external resources critical to situational awareness via a secure web interface. Web interfaces empower teams to embed connections to content hosted outside of the control system, such as an advanced process control display, directly in the operator graphics rather than on a detached application station with a separate display.
However, it is not just operators who need improved situational awareness. Other critical plant personnel—supervisors, production managers, data analysts and others—need to keep up with what is happening in the plant, even if they are not in the control room. Traditionally, organizations would spend significant capital to recreate graphics outside of the control room, only to end up with a different interface that was unreliable, difficult to update, and challenging to use. Today’s most advanced HMI software includes enterprise view tools that allow any authorized user to connect to a read-only version of the same graphics
FIGURE 1: Modern HMIs are designed to eliminate distraction and help operators take fast, effective action. All figures courtesy: Emerson
from the control room in remote locations, providing real-time access to all the information they need, without the risk of disrupting operations.
HMI design can reduce risk of operator errors
Eliminating operator errors is a critical area of focus for plants trying to increase safety and reduce unplanned downtime. However, as staffing numbers shrink, most operators see their sphere of influence expanding, drawing their attention in several different directions throughout a shift. The more difficult it is to focus on the current operating state, the more likely the chance that an operator will make a mistake.
Modern HMI software helps organizations design operator interfaces with improved intentionality to highlight critical information. Watchlists help teams keep an eye on their most important variables by ensuring they are always in the field of vision, helping eliminate the chance an operator will make a mistake.
In addition, modern HMIs include functionalities such as sequential function chart (SFC) visualization, providing operators with guidance as they perform uncommon and/or challenging tasks. This type of visualization provides step-bystep guidance, drawn directly from the DCS, helping operators know exactly what they should be doing in every given moment of an event.
Faster response times from operators with HMI software
A key part of operating safely and efficiently is making sure operators can see issues nearly instantly, helping them perform rapid response. Modern HMIs provide clear alarm lists with critical alerts visible in multiple locations on the display for fast reference. The software should also be able to roll every alarm in every subsystem up to the top level for easy notification, providing a topdown view of system state that also lets users drill down into individual alarms.
The most effective modern HMIs also provide alarm banners on every window, showing the highest-priority alarms at the bottom of each screen to help users understand their system status and prioritize action. Users can click those alarms and gain more information to support
reasoning and remediation actions—enabled by collaborative tools where users can record probable cause, recommended actions, and other critical information associated with the alarm.
Modern HMI tools are also increasingly incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) to dive deeper into the alarms the system may report. Through an AI advisor dashboard, users can ask the system natural language questions, and the advisor can offer easy-to-understand suggestions backed up by historical data analysis and supporting documentation. With easy-to-access advice from a 24x7 expert advisor, operators of any experience level can respond faster to adverse conditions, helping make every operator the plant’s best (Figure 2).
A path to operational excellence with HMI software
As operations increase in complexity and operator teams decrease in size, organizations need tools that provide users with the fastest, most comprehensible path to action available. Modern HMI software leverages the newest technologies to deliver a streamlined, intuitive interface to critical plant personnel, helping them keep a finger on the pulse of operations to increase safety, reduce unplanned downtime, and drive competitive advantage— even when lean teams must operate with limited resources. ce
Sesh Natarajan serves as director of product marketing for Emerson’s Process Systems and Solutions business. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, editor-in-chief, Control Engineering, WTWH Media, mhoske@wtwhmedia.com.
help guide operator action.
‘Step-by-step guidance from the DCS helps operators know exactly what they should do in every moment of an event.’
FIGURE 2: Modern HMI tools are increasingly incorporating AI and web elements to
ANSWERS
Supreetha Sundararajan, Karthicraja Vellaichamy Munisamy, and Vinoth Upendra Janardhanan, CDM Smith Inc.
Five steps to advance HMI performance with standardization
From fragmented to harmonized: A fivephase process for human-machine interfaces (HMI) modernization begins with discovery and ends with measurable results.
ndustrial human-machine interfaces (HMI) do not remain pristine after commissioning because changes eventually take a toll on the system—incremental updates, new equipment additions and changes to operational requirements occur during years of system growth and development. Most legacy HMIs reflect this gradual evolution. Inconsistent graphical components, varying tag naming conventions, and even basic components used within legacy HMIs (such as digital alarms, analog indicators, motor objects and valve objects) do not have common templates. If left unchecked, these inconsistencies can negatively affect usability, process reliability, operation efficiency and plant safety.
As seasoned staff leave, unwritten rules start to fade. Training new staff is more time-intensive than in the past because every system feels different. Maintenance teams face steeper learning curves, and engineering changes carry a higher risk of unintended consequences. As a result, the operator experience makes diagnostics difficult, slows down responses and increases the cognitive load in the control room.
Taking structured approach to transforming a fragmented HMI helps create a streamlined harmonized system. Standardized clear visuals unify HMI design and help teams respond faster. Furthermore, maintenance is streamlined across sites. Future upgrades are seamless when the ground-
work stays consistent. Though the modernization scope described herein is limited to the HMI layer, a clear understanding of the existing PLC environment is still required. PLC data structures and tag definitions must be reviewed to enable effective and sustainable HMI standardization, even if there are no PLC logic changes to implement.
Taking a five-phased approach to HMI harmonization can improve usability, strengthen maintainability, enhance diagnostic capability and create a scalable foundation for future expansion.
1. Discovery phase: Mapping the maze
A successful transformation starts with a comprehensive audit of the existing HMI and control system infrastructure. Without clear documentation or standards, discovery becomes one of the most critical steps. Reverse-engineering/auditing is time-consuming, but it uncovers underlying logic and identifies improvement opportunities, thereby revealing how the HMI works.
Users respond to the visual presentation on screen. Inconsistent pop-up displays—filled with mismatched icons, different styles and colors— become redundant. Although operators acclimate, such layouts fail to make tasks easier, clearer and faster. The user experience is fragmented when HMI components are created independently without standardized templates.
Tag management often hides problems. Over time, plant upgrades, process changes and expansions introduce hundreds of new tags into PLCs and HMI databases. Without a consistent naming structure and disciplined address management, engineering tasks done during upgrades can become much more demanding, thereby complicating future expansions and making troubleshooting slower and prone to errors.
An important outcome of the discovery phase is prioritizing what matters most. Some flaws carry
more weight than others because risk is not spread evenly. Screens that support critical processes or alarm dense areas require prioritization over seldom used diagnostics. By sorting and classifying issues into groups, the project team can align modernization efforts with operational risk, ensuring that improvements deliver meaningful value.
The discovery phase also requires a detailed analysis of existing PLC data structures. All existing PLC tags are to be inventoried and evaluated against the defined standard to identify inconsistencies, duplicates and unused tags. A detailed analysis enables the development of standardized HMI objects and faceplates that are configured entirely at the HMI layer, allowing consistent visualization and interaction while preserving existing control logic.
Completion of the discovery phase is typically marked by a structured assessment report that documents the existing HMI and control system configuration. Common work products include an inventory of HMI screens and faceplates, a review of tag naming and PLC to HMI mappings, navigation and alarm usage summaries and a list of technical inconsistencies. These findings are often consolidated into a document that forms the technical baseline used to define standards, estimate effort and guide implementation decisions.
2. Define the vision: Harmonized and scalable
Following discovery, the HMI should be defined in terms of its finished form. The goal is to build a layout that is visually consistent and structurally robust and that adapts smoothly to changes, while supporting scalability for longterm needs.
Standardizing graphics, visual elements and tag structure: Standardization begins with developing cohesive graphic criteria. The objective is to make every screen follow the same visual language— create matching styles for each object type (such as motors, valves, alarms, analogs) with its own symbol, fixed colors and set layout. For instance, make alarm pop-ups appear the same way every time, make symbols identical and set a color palette that never changes, thus improving operator responsiveness.
Software tag structure is crucial and is to be treated as a core architectural element. A hierarchical, clear and consistent tag-naming convention
FIGURE 1: Comparison of legacy HMI versus standardized HMI screen provides more at-a-glance understanding in the standard version. All images courtesy: CDM Smith
improves clarity, reduces maintenance time and supports integration with new devices or PLCs.
Designing for scalability and long-term flexibility: Scalability is essential, particularly for facilities that plan to expand and include treatment capacity or advanced equipment. An HMI system that is built around modular blocks and standardized components will easily support expansion needs. When a new device, controller, or process is integrated, changes are smooth and require less rework and fewer interruptions in process flow.
The vision phase establishes guiding design principles that influence every implementation decision. Symbols must look and behave the same way everywhere and every time to maintain consistent user experience. Initially, only broad views are addressed (specifics will be refined later). Clean screens and predictable layouts guide operators
FIGURE 2: Example of tag naming convention is shown. Does yours provide an understandable taxonomy for consistency?
‘
Make every screen follow the same visual language—create matching styles for each object type with its own symbol, fixed colors and set layout.
’
ANSWERS
more efficiently. When each screen builds on a previous version, it elevates confusion. Adapting to a new screen then happens quickly and naturally.
3. Standardization: The strategy
Insightsu
HMI design upgrade
uDiagnose common patterns in legacy HMI systems—including inconsistent graphics, nonstandard tag naming, duplicate mappings and poor documentation— and explain how these conditions increase operator cognitive load, slow diagnostics and elevate operational risk.
uApply a five-phase modernization framework to plan an HMI harmonization effort that prioritizes highrisk areas and delivers improvements beyond cosmetic screen cleanup.
Once the goal is clear, standardization becomes the execution strategy. This phase establishes guidelines for key HMI elements to thereby ensure consistency, efficiency and operator usability.
Graphic standardization: Standard templates are built for common elements. To quickly ascertain equipment status, it is best to establish a set color palette and to decide on the uniform shape and animation of each element.
Dynamic faceplates are typically implemented at the HMI layer for each asset. Existing PLC data are used to present real time process values, control functions and diagnostic information within a single view, thus improving usability and troubleshooting efficiency.
Beyond operator usability, standardized graphics significantly improve engineering efficiency. After validated templates and faceplates are established, new equipment can be integrated with minimal design effort. Template updates can propagate across
all instances—simplifying change management and reducing technical debt over time (Figure 1).
Tag naming and structure: To eliminate inconsistencies, learn how tags are organized, named and used in the HMI. Rather than prescribing one universal tag structure, this step should identify common patterns, constraints and owner-specific requirements that influence tagging. These findings are used to define a consistent tagging strategy and mapping approach that supports standardized HMI graphics and faceplates while respecting owner-required conventions and downstream system dependencies (Figure 2).
Multi-level hierarchical structure for navigation: A multi-level hierarchical screen structure improves navigation and reduces information overload by allowing operators to efficiently move from high-level site context to equipment detail.
• Level 1: Site overview displaying all major systems
• Level 2: Process area overviews focused on specific plant sections
• Level 3: Equipment-level graphics with detailed device information
• Level 4: Faceplates providing interactive real-time visualization and control
This approach ensures that operators access the appropriate level of detail for the task at hand without being overwhelmed (Figure 3).
4. Integration and implementation: Bringing vision to life
5. Results and impact: A system transformed
For details on phases 4 and 5, along with more diagrams, see this article online. ce https://www.controleng.com/five-steps-to-advance-HMI-performance-with-standardization
Supreetha Sundararajan is an automation engineer, Karthicraja Vellaichamy Munisamy is an automation engineer and Vinoth Upendra Janardhanan is a senior automation engineer, CDM Smith Inc. https://www.cdmsmith.com Edited by Mark T. Hoske, editor-in-chief, Control Engineering, WTWH Media, mhoske@wtwhmedia.com.
FIGURE 3: A multi-level HMI navigation hierarchy can provide clear transitions compared to many designs that grow over time.
insights
ANSWERS
Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering
Digital twins deliver new capabilities, value for industrial applications
Digital twins can create a shared reality for operations, as part of an open digital ecosystem, as experts discussed at ARC Leadership Forum, 2026. See recommendations on how to received concrete benefits.
IOnline controleng.com
KEYWORDS: Digital twins, digitalization, digital and physical automation projects
CONSIDER THIS
If digital twins provide metadata with context easily used across applications, does that make them more useful?
ONLINE Control Engineering provides more digital twin information.
ndustrial digital twins offer more value for automation and controls, fueled by better models, computing power, artificial intelligence and best practices from other industries, according to experts and users at the 2026 ARC Leadership Forum by ARC Advisory Group, Feb. 9-12, 2026, Orlando, Florida. Theme of the 30th Annual ARC Industry Leadership Forum event was “How AI Is Driving the Future of Industrial Operations and Supply Chain.”
Shared reality: real, digital worlds
In the session, “Digital twins: creating shared reality for operations,” Peter Reynolds, oil and gas, chemicals industry advisor, ARC Advisory Group (Figure 1), suggested that digital twins are more effective because of the work of the Open Digital Ecosystem (ODE) Working Group, which has three subgroups: P&ID, 3D CAD and Open-knowledge graphics.
• P&ID (piping and instrumentation diagrams) interoperability with drag-and-drop capability among formats without fidelity loss.
• 3D CAD (computer-aided design): Models across industry are developed with inconsistent
content, level of data, metadata and geospatial alignment. Reality capture needs to use vendor-neutral file formats.
• Open knowledge graphs with industrial data ontology, AI-enabled hazard and operability assessment (HAZOP), management of change (MOC) and operator anomaly detection.
Those interested in helping digital twins progress can work to accelerate the open digital ecosystem to create a shared reality, Reynolds said, including sharing consistent messaging with vendors, service providers and standards organization to:
• Provide a framework for asset owners
• Remove inefficiencies from manufacturing operations
• Define guiding opportunities
• Align on key industry challenges, needs and unified standards-based data interoperability
• Outline a vision for a scalable, replicable and sustainable digital twin.
Issues of concern being addressed, Reynolds said, in “Principles of Open Asset Digital Twins V1.2025” (Figure 2) include open, accessible data through non-proprietary interfaces; digital twins to allow plug-and-play and agnostic integration; Data owner must be able to control digital twin data at the data layer; Interoperability by separating data from applications; and transferability, that is, a digital twin built to enable component reuse.
These things build greater trust in data without artificial intelligence (AI)-induced hallucinations. He suggested asking digital technology vendors for easier scaling and growth, faster data interactions, data interoperability, improved accuracy and data access of digital assets, greater competition and sustainable
work processes to support digital transformation within an agnostic ecosystem. (See more from ARC Advisory Group on digital twin software.
Better data management
Karly Ott, EDT solution architect, ConocoPhillips, said her company seeks a more effective digital reality to turn data into information more effectively. Idea is to spend less time looking for data and more time creating value from information. AI is being integrated to create digital reality efficiencies in a visual intelligence platform that can scale across the enterprise, using 360-degree images, CAD, light-detecting and ranging (LiDAR) models and drone imagery to better store, enrich and use information.
Open interoperable standards help future-proof investments to stay competitive, Ott said. With digital reality software, many assets verify with equipment in the field to lower risk, improve decisions and capture and store information. Frameworks have tremendous amounts of data and operate by exception. New use cases emerge when we show people the technologies available, Ott said. Next will be reality-based digital transformation using AI to integrate some automation, part of a scalable, open, digital ecosystem. It helps that costs are falling and accuracy is increasing, she added.
Eight steps to smarter digital twins
Michael Hotaling, technology scouting, innovation and ventures, ExxonMobil, said communication remains a challenge within organizations. How do you refine messages within the aligned vision of an open digital ecosystem? It requires open process automation standards, open secure data, data separator software, plug and play capabilities, rapid innovation and value creation. Workflow shifts from gathering data to validating accuracy of P&IDs working at scale.
Other industries are using these tools, Hotaling said, and our industries also should, with:
1. A reality-first understanding
2. Spatial data management
3. Geospatial tagging with information on where and when it was collected and if data sets are trusted
4. Engineering models
5. Software-defined facility
6. Real-time operations (RTOps)
7. Dynamic simulations
8. Safety and regulatory attributes.
Focus is on reality, Hotaling said. Updating as-built models will become irrelevant. Reality first will be the rule. We’re improving practices to lower risk. Agentic data goes on top of agnostic data sets, and reality capture leads to master data validation. [Agent-based systems (agentic AI) learn, adapt and evolve without frequent reprogramming.]
“Why have look-up tables when you can look at assets in real time?” Hotaling asked. Demand simpler architectures to reduce cognitive load.
How digital twins can help
Shirley Ike, global director of data management consulting, Wood, said that as industrial customers have fewer experienced staff, handing over automation projects from the system integrator to the customer becomes more challenging. One resolution is to work with a main digital contractor (MDC) on projects that create digital asset twins before a project operates as part of digital transformation lifecycle. This helps with digitalization and digitization alongside physical greenfield or brownfield projects.
Ike outlined six projects with return on investment of 3 to 12 months returning $1 million to 10 million in annual value, $2 million to 4 million, and $7.5 million.
Critical to success with digital-twin, automation and control capital projects are design, delivery, testing and commissioning of digital assets in the same way as physical assets, Ike said.
FIGURE 1: Peter Reynolds, oil and gas, chemicals industry advisor, ARC Advisory Group, presented in and moderated the session “Digital twins: creating shared reality for operations,” at the 2026 ARC Industry Leadership Forum in Orlando. Figures courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering
‘Project examples shared returned $1 million to $7.5 million in annual value.
ANSWERS
FIGURE 2: Peter Reynolds, oil and gas, chemicals industry advisor, ARC Advisory Group, touted the usefulness of open asset digital twins, including plug-and-play agnostic integration with other software, at the 2026 ARC Industry Leadership Forum in Orlando.
More answers on digital twins
Question: How is digital twin data maintained to ensure validity and usefulness?
Insightsu
New digital twin advancements and insights
uShared reality between real and digital worlds is among the work of the Open Digital Ecosystem (ODE) Working Group in three subgroups P&ID, 3D CAD and Openknowledge graphics, experts explained at the 2026 ARC Industrial Leadership Forum.
uMost organizations need to improve data management to realize benefits of real-time digital twins.
u A question-and-answer session provided more on digital twin challenges, implementations, lifecycles and benefits.
Hotaling said data can be “ever known, but not evergreen.” With data assets you need to need to know when, where and to what fidelity updates were made. Reality is matched when a rescan provides an update in real time, he said.
Finn Boysen, chief revenue officer, NavVis, said data maintenance is a huge issue and not easy to resolve. If data scanning is 10 times faster and cheaper, then you can do so faster and easier, using software to enable data sets with data stamps. Technology is possible in a sustainable way.
Question: How should mobile instrumentation be treated differently than fixed equipment?
Hotaling: Repeatable assets used in the field are stitched together in space and time. A system tag that says FlowControl100 may represent five assets, not one asset. There must be a visible way to look at activities. Failure analysis can be done for specific data sets, unlocking knowledge with AI tools.
Laurent Bourgouin, CEO, Samp, said it helps to align multiple data sets in a consensus graph.
Ott said enterprise resource planning (ERP) software can integrate missing pieces and reverse engineer as needed.
Question: How can data sets be integrated into digital twins?
Hotaling said efforts are looking at open operation data sets to see the significance of data across equipment.
Question: With agentic AI, what workflows are most valuable?
Ike said a project automating document control provided the ability to find needed information in 10 to 30 minutes rather than 2 weeks.
Question: Are priorities given for using industry standards for digital twins?
Hotaling said it’s not a standards problem. Interoperability is key. Focus on what’s most important.
Ott said interoperability is a spectrum, but users need plug-and-play tools that don’t require extra integration.
Question: What is hardest for interoperability as facilities scale up to larger digital transformation and digital twin projects?
Hotaling said management alignment is needed. Ott suggested giving the easiest technology a chance first by starting small.
Ike noted that some organizations are challenged about how to make data integrate using the relationships that AI tools require.
Bourgouin suggested it’s hard to make sense of a mountain of data. Start with something easy. Try a different approach and prove it to convince the rest of the business of the value of digitalization and digital twins. ce
Mark T. Hoske is editor-in-chief, Control Engineering, WTWH Media, mhoske@wtwhmedia.com.
Find more supporting text, images and graphics with this article online.
Remote wireless devices connected to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) run on Tadiran bobbin-type LiSOCl2 batteries.
Our batteries offer a winning combination: a patented hybrid layer capacitor (HLC) that delivers the high pulses required for two-way wireless communications; the widest temperature range of all; and the lowest self-discharge rate (0.7% per year), enabling our cells to last up to 4 times longer than the competition.
Looking to have your remote wireless device complete a 40-year marathon? Then team up with Tadiran batteries that last a lifetime.
Innovations
https://www.controleng.com/product-of-the-year
Innovative edge platform
Emerson released Emerson DeltaV Live Enterprise View, a new application that provides secure, real-time control system visibility outside the control room. The software gives engineering, maintenance, reliability and leadership teams browser-based, read-only access to live plant displays in the same format used by operators. Emerson, www.emerson.com
Motor protection, diagnostics
Advanced vision sensors
AutomationDirect now offer Datalogic Smart-VS vision sensor family models with additional features. The new Smart-VS Plus sensor includes the features of the standard Smart-VS sensor, including Ethernet communication and several I/O points, and adds object classification for a total of three classes to support Good/No Good/No Object tests.
AutomationDirect, www.automationdirect.com
Schneider Electric has launched Schneider TeSys Tera , an intelligent motor management system for industrial environments. TeSys Tera combines protection, control and monitoring in one system. Analog I/O allows the system to connect with sensors to identify operating anomalies and support predictive maintenance, in some cases without more monitoring hardware. Schneider Electric, www.se.com
Robust Ethernet Networks
• Unmanaged 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet switches
• Single mode and multimode ber optic switches and media converters
• Diagnostic switches for network troubleshooting
• PoE switches, mid-span splitters and injectors
• Wired and wireless IP routers for secure remote access
• Custom con gurations and outdoor-rated options available
See more New Products for Engineers www.controleng.com/products
Industrial edge, IT/OT integration
Siemens has announced updates to Siemens Industrial Edge ecosystem, including data and AI integration and updated cybersecurity features. The changes support integration between IT and Operational Technology (OT) environments, improve efficiency and help reduce operational interruptions. It provides infrastructure for deploying industrial AI applications and for scaling and managing AI models across locations. Siemens, www.siemens.com
Microdrive network connectivity
Yaskawa America has introduced Yaskawa GA501 Industrial AC Microdrive with embedded dual-port Ethernet for industrial automation applications. The drive supports multiple industrial Ethernet protocols including EtherNet/IP, Profinet, Modbus TCP/IP, EtherCAT, BACnet/IP and Mechatrolink-4.
Yaskawa America Inc., www.yaskawa.com
Powerful MDR control
The Beckhoff EP741x motor-driven roller (MDR) controllers are designed for automated material handling systems with powered conveyors. The IP54-protected EtherCAT I/O modules are available with or without integrated safety functions for different application requirements.
Beckhoff Automation LLC, www.beckhoff.com
ONLINE Products Include...
HMI links factory, higher-levels - Mitsubishi Electric
If you’re a system integrator with demonstrable industry success, Control Engineering and Plant Engineering urge you to enter the 2027 System Integrator of the Year competition. Past System Integrator of the Year winners—Class of 2026, Class of 2025, and Class of 2024—are not eligible to enter the 2027 System Integrator of the Year program.
What’s in it for the winners?
The chosen System Integrator of the Year winners will receive worldwide recognition from Control Engineering and Plant Engineering . The winners also will be featured as the cover story of the Global System Integrator Report, distributed in December 2026.
How will the competition be judged?
Control Engineering and Plant Engineering ’s panel of judges will conscientiously evaluate all entries. Three general criteria will be considered for the selection of the System Integrator of the Year:
• Business skills
• Technical competence
• Customer satisfaction
For more information on how to enter and proper criteria, visit: www.controleng.com/system-integrator-of-the-year
Submit today!
Entries due August 28, 2026
In order to be considered for the SI Giants program, your company must have a complete, valid listing within the Global System Integrator Database, and the entry form must be completed truthfully and accurately.
more information on how to enter and proper criteria, visit:
Back to Basics
INTERNATIONAL
Four ways to overcome three edge networking challenges
Edge computing in the operational technology (OT) environment has industrial network challenges and solutions, as explained by Control Engineering Europe
In operational technology (OT) environments, edge technology adds a new compute and connectivity layer into operational data paths, increasing the number of connected endpoints, interfaces and traffic flows that need to remain secure and predictable. Network challenges often cluster around reliability and timing behavior, security exposure and interoperability in addition to traffic and bandwidth management.
Three networking challenges, OT edge
Typical network challenges in OT edge computing include.
A. Reliability and predictable timing: Many OT applications depend on consistent timing. Latency, jitter and packet loss can disrupt time-sensitive communication, especially when the edge layer handles monitoring, supervisory control or analytics data paths that operators rely on for decisions. Where control functions are involved, it is generally best practice to keep hard real-time control loops local unless the network and architecture are explicitly engineered for deterministic behavior.
B. Expanded security exposure: Edge computers are often deployed on the factory floor or at remote sites, increasing both cyber and physical exposure. They connect to legacy OT equipment that may rely on protocols and deployments not originally designed for modern authentication and encryption. This can widen the attack surface unless segmentation, access control, secure remote access and patch or update processes are used.
C. Interoperability and bandwidth constraints: Industrial environments typically include a mix of protocols – for example Modbus, Profinet, Profibus and CANopen, along with multiple device generations. Integrating these systems at the edge can require protocol gateways or middleware, adding operational complexity and potential single points of failure. At the same time, high-volume data sources, such as condition monitoring, logs, and sometimes video, can overwhelm uplinks if data is not filtered, aggregated and prioritized.
Four ways
to overcome network challenges
To overcome edge networking challenges, consider:
1. Design for failure with resilient architectures: Build
redundancy into critical paths and use fast recovery mechanisms appropriate to the environment – for example media redundancy protocol (MRP) ring topology, rapid spanning tree protocol (RSTP) ring topology, or multiple spanning tree protocol (MSTP), vendor-specific industrial ring protocols or in context of IEC 64423-3 Industrial communication networks - High availability automation networks - Part 3: Parallel Redundancy Protocol (PRP) and High-availability Seamless Redundancy (HSR). https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/64423. Configure and test recovery so communication can withstand common faults such as a link or switch failure.
2. Segment the network and control trust boundaries: Segmentation should be implemented using zoning and conduits aligned with a Purdue-style model or the site’s security architecture. Place edge systems in an industrial demilitarized zone (IDMZ) where appropriate and enforce least-privilege access with firewalls and well-defined rulesets. Then IT network issues cannot easily propagate into control networks.
3. Prioritize time-critical traffic and engineer for congestion: Apply quality of service (QoS) to protect critical traffic from congestion caused by non-critical flows such as file transfers or software updates. QoS can improve performance under load, but it does not guarantee determinism by itself. Deterministic requirements typically also need segmentation, capacity planning, and in some cases time synchronization and deterministic Ethernet mechanisms such as time-sensitive networking (TSN).
4. Process data locally and only transmit what matters: Configure edge applications to filter, aggregate and analyze data on-site. Send exceptions, summaries, or alerts upstream rather than raw streams. This reduces bandwidth consumption and allows local operation to continue even during WAN outages. ce
Igor Bozovic is IPC product marketing engineer at Moxa Europe GmbH. http://www.moxa-europe.com This appeared in Control Engineering Europe, www.controlengeurope.com on April 20, 2026. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, editor-in-chief, Control Engineering, WTWH Media, mhoske@wtwhmedia.com.
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ANSWERS
Jim Toman, Grantek
Machine data: The foundation of effective predictive maintenance
Machine data enables enables predictive maintenance, required for the complexity and risk tolerance of modern production.
FIGURE: Cloud-based analytic software like TwinThread ingest machine data from existing automation systems and apply AI-driven models to detect subtle performance deviations, predict failure modes and deliver prescriptive recommendations to operators and maintenance teams. Courtesy: Grantek
Food and beverage and pharmaceutical manufacturers know that unplanned downtime is more than an inconvenience. It threatens batch integrity, regulatory compliance, product quality, and customer commitments. Traditional maintenance strategies, whether time-based or reactive, simply cannot keep pace with the complexity and risk tolerance of modern production environments. The shift toward predictive maintenance is well underway; machine data is what makes it possible.
Predictive maintenance works by identifying early warning signs of equipment degradation before a failure occurs. But those signals only become visible when you have the right data, cwollected continuously, from the right sources. Sensors embedded in motors, pumps, conveyors, fillers and mixers generate a constant stream of information about temperature, vibration, pressure, speed and energy consumption. On their own, these readings are raw and noisy. Com-
bined with historical patterns and contextual production data, they become a powerful diagnostic tool.
For food and beverage operations, this means catching a failing bearing before it causes a product recall event. For pharmaceutical manufacturers, it means maintaining the environmental and equipment conditions that are prerequisite to regulatory compliance, catching anomalies in controlled environments before affecting batch records or audit trails.
Data streams, actionable intelligence
The real challenge is not collecting data, it is making sense of data at scale. This is where industrial AI platforms become essential. Cloud-based industrial data analytic platforms that use artificial intelligence are purpose-built for this problem. By ingesting machine data from existing automation systems and applying AI-driven models, software can detect subtle performance deviations, predict failure modes and deliver prescriptive recommendations to operators and maintenance teams. The software helps optimize uptime and examine reliability of assets allow manufacturers to move from insight to action quickly, without requiring deep data science expertise.
Machines that are not instrumented or networked cannot contribute to a predictive program. Ensure PLCs, SCADA systems, and sensors are properly integrated and that data flows reliably from the plant floor to central analytics layer. Data quality matters. Timestamps need to be accurate. Tags need to be consistently named and contextualized. Gaps in historian data or poorly calibrated sensors will undermine even the most sophisticated AI model. Build workflows that connect anomaly detection to maintenance scheduling systems ensures actions follows insights. ce
Jim Toman is MES functional consultant at Grantek. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, editor-in-chief, Control Engineering, WTWH Media, mhoske@wtwhmedia.com.
MOTORS AND DRIVES
Alexander Joss PE, and Heather McCarthy, EIT, CDM Smith
Matching motors and VFDs: What designers need to consider for reliable operation
What should we consider when matching VFDs with their driven load from electrical and instrumentation and control (I&C) perspectives?
Motor-drive system designers: Don’t miss these 16 control, integration and electrical design attributes.
Variable frequency drives (VFDs) are now standard equipment throughout industrial and municipal facilities because they reduce energy use, cut inrush current and provide flexible speed control. VFD performance depends on how well the drive, motor, load, and control architecture are engineered as one system. When these elements are mismatched, engineers often see start-up delays, nuisance trips, overheating or premature equipment failures. Coordination between control and electrical design and client expectations is paramount. Key engineering considerations, based on field experience, can ensure dependable VFD and motor performance in real-world applications.
A variable frequency drive is an electronic device that controls the speed and torque of an alternating current (AC) motor by adjusting the frequency and voltage of the power it receives. By matching motor speed to the actual process demand, a VFD reduces energy use, softens starting conditions, and improves motor efficiency and overall system control. VFDs are widely used in industrial and municipal applications because they provide reliable efficient operation across a broad range of motor loads (Figure 1).
Seven control and integration design essentials for VFDs
When working with motors and VFDs consider seven control and integration design essentials:
Communications, logic, protocols, permissives and interlocks, restart behavior, speed control and control hierarchy.
Balance hardwired, networked control communications
Control engineering typically emphasizes system integration across sensors, logic, networks and actuators. Hardwired signals remain valuable for “run and stop” and for “safety critical permissives,” while industrial networks such as Modbus, Profinet, and Ethernet/IP reduce wiring and improve diagnostic access. A hybrid approach of hardwired signals and networking is often most effective to obtain a wide range of monitoring signals from the VFD and maintain critical signals hardwired for a more resilient system.
Consider vendor logic capabilities
Not every VFD platform supports complex permissive logic. Relying solely on network communication for safety critical functions introduces risk and single points of failure into the system. Hardwiring fundamental permissives and critical signals (such as start, stop, speed control, speed feedback and motor/VFD fault) avoids unsafe run attempts and control system failures.
Match communication protocols
VFDS can use different communication protocols, such as Modbus, Ethernet TCP/IP, or Profinet.
FIGURE 1: A CDM Smith project shows a VFD cabinet installed in a water treatment facility for control of pumps. Figures courtesy: CDM Smith
ANSWERS
FIGURE 2: Sample SCADA HMI screen from a water pump station showing speed control options; the left of the image shows a knob where the operator can choose between a manually selected speed set point or one tracked to a specific flow set point using PID loop control (to make the pump operate at the rate the plant needs).
If the VFD protocol does not match the programmable logic controller (PLC) or supervisory control and data acquisitions (SCADA) system, a converter may be required. Engineers must verify scaling, mapping and equipment behavior during communication loss or network segmentation.
Define permissives and interlocks early
FIGURE 3: Control devices: Control features and pilot devices on a VFD cabinet from a CDM Smith project shows a VFD with local speed control, hand-off-auto and various lights indicating running status and fault conditions.
be set to react to inputs such as flow or pressure using a PID feedback loop. Minimum and maximum speeds, acceleration and deceleration rates, and tuning requirements must reflect real process conditions to prevent instability, surge, or water hammer. The VFD can be set to ramp at different speeds to the set point. It is important to consider the location of operational and speed control systems. Determine whether the systems are desired at the motor itself, at the VFD or remotely through SCADA (Figure 2).
Control hierarchy
KEYWORDS: Motor-drive matching, VFD, industrial motor integration
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Valve positions, cooling water, lubrication pressure, seal water and similar signals should be identified during design and included in the process control descriptions and piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) of the equipment. These can be integrated into the VFD control schematic to allow safe operation and shutdowns when equipment fails.
Set clear restart behavior
VFDs have different options regarding how to react after a power loss. VFDs can be configured to remain off after power loss, resume the previous setpoint or run at a predefined safe speed. This behavior must align with operational philosophy and be programmed into the drive.
Speed control strategies
VFDs support local-control remote-SCADA operation and PID-based regulation. The speed can
A clear control hierarchy ensures that the VFD responds consistently to speed commands and start and stop signals. Because a drive can accept input from the keypad, a local speed dial, hardwired switches or a SCADA system, the designer must define which source takes priority, including multi-level design of superseding priority.
Local-Off-Remote switches set the basic mode. In local, the VFD keypad or door-mounted speed dial controls the motor. Off disables operation. Remote allows SCADA or PLC logic to take command according to the facility’s automation strategy.
Hand-off-auto switches add another level of control. Hand runs the motor from a hardwired signal and bypasses automation. Off prevents any start command. Auto enables SCADA or internal VFD programming to manage speed and start and stop behavior.
Documenting these priorities in the control schematic and process narrative prevents conflicting commands and ensures operators know how
‘Constant torque loads require heavy-duty or severe-duty VFDs because of their higher overload capability.’
the motor will behave during mode changes or network communication issues (Figure 3).
Nine VFD electrical design essentials
Consider nine major electrical design essentials when working on motor-VFD system integration: Size, torque, harmonics, protection, PMW stress, cable runs, heat and vibration, other environmental concerns and control coordination.
Size to amperage, not horsepower
Select VFDs based on the motor’s full load amperage, not horsepower. Motors with the same horsepower can vary widely in amperage; therefore, the drive’s continuous and overload ratings must exceed the nameplate. Always confirm the voltage and phase.
Match torque rating to the load
Variable torque loads, such as pumps and fans, typically use normal duty VFDs. Constant torque loads, such as conveyors, mixers, and positive displacement pumps, require heavy-duty or severe-duty VFDs because of their higher overload capability.
Plan for harmonics
All VFDs generate harmonics that can cause transformer heating, nuisance trips, and signal interference. Consider including harmonic mitigation during design using line reactors, passive filters, multi-pulse drives, active front ends or active harmonic filters.
Protect the motor
Modern VFDs with built-in motor protection relays include thermal modeling, phase imbalance detection, and detailed current monitoring that can provide additional protection to the motor.
Manage PWM stress
Pulse width modulation (PWM) output increases dV/dt [AH1.1](voltage change over time) stress on motor windings and can cause bearing currents. Use inverter duty motors and add shaft grounding or insulated bearings for VFD-driven motor applications.
Address long cable runs
Long motor leads increase reflected wave overvoltage. Use dV/dt filters for moderate distances and sine wave filters for longer runs or sensitive equipment. Distance from equipment where a filter is required can depend on the size of the motor and type of cable being used (Figure 4).
Integrate thermal, vibrational feedback
Temperature sensors and components, such as resistance temperature detectors (RTDs) and
FIGURE 4: Interior of a VFD cabinet shows the drive unit and output filters, part of a CDM Smith project.
ANSWERS
FIGURE 5: A sample from a CDM Smith water pumpstation project shows a typical motor load variable frequency drive schematic diagram.
positive temperature coefficient (PTCs), as well as vibration switches, should report to the VFD and/or PLC and be tied into the permissive chain to prevent damage from blocked loads, dry-run events, or cooling issues.
Environmental considerations for VFDs
Insightsu
Insights on matching motors, VFDs
uWhat is a variable frequency drive?
uWhat are critical items to keep in mind when matching a motor to a variable frequency drive from electrical and control designer perspectives?
uThe importance of coordinating operational philosophy, with the procurement of a variable frequency drive.
Place VFDs in conditioned electrical rooms to maximize reliability and prevent a shortened lifespan. Coordinate heat rejection with heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) when multiple drives share a space. In warm, dusty, wet, or corrosive environments, enclosure ratings such as NEMA 12, 4, or 4X may require derating or added cooling. These needs should be determined early in design and clearly stated in the specifications.
Control coordination for VFDs
It is imperative that a schematic design be coordinated between all affected parties. VFD control is rarely isolated to the electrical design; instead, it commonly relies on input from many other perspectives, such as control integration, end user compatibility and equipment processes.
‘VFD control is rarely isolated to the electrical design and often relies on input from control integration, end user compatibility and equipment processes.’
Good coordination also enables installers to accurately price and construct the desired VFD control system and to smoothly integrate it with the client’s system architecture. Communication across design disciplines, as well as alignment with the client’s specific needs, leads to a better control scheme, ease of constructability and optimized system efficiency. A clear coordinated VFD control diagram benefits the entire project team. The typical schematic diagram in Figure 5 shows a VFD-driven pump design with networked controls.
Align elements early for best motor-VFD results
Reliable VFD and motor performance comes from treating the drive, motor, load, and controls as one system. Success depends on coordinating electrical loading and torque needs; planning for harmonics and cable effects; addressing environmental conditions; and defining clear control hierarchy, permissives, and restart behaviors. When these elements are aligned early, VFD systems start smoothly, operate with less risk and deliver long-term reliability. ce
Alexander Joss, PE, is an electrical engineer and Heather McCarthy, EIT, is electrical engineer both with CDM Smith. https://cdmsmith.com Edited by Mark T. Hoske, editor-in-chief, Control Engineering, WTWH Media, mhoske@wtwhmedia.com.
Christopher Parisse, Bosch Rexroth
Match motor speed to machine needs to save energy
Variable-speed pump drives can provide exponential energy savings, noise reduction and predictive maintenance for hydraulic presses and other large machines.
Improved access to data has drastically changed the way industrial automation experts are approaching operations with hydraulic components. Factories have long relied on analog machines with basic digital controls that are now being phased out to make way for advanced control systems.
Today, information between machines and industrial hydraulic components is being communicated and analyzed using fieldbus systems with high-precision sensors alongside emerging technologies like AI. This integration of advanced technology has become the key for facilities to increase machine uptime, performance and energy efficiency.
Variable-speed pump drives (VSDs) are components that control electric motors and aid in energy savings and noise reduction. In fact, retrofitting hydraulic presses with variable-speed pump drives has been proven to cut energy use by up to 80% and reduce noise up to 20 decibels. This technology also greatly improves operational energy efficiency due to the drives’ ability to switch to standby in idle phases, which also reduces the need for cooling.
As adoption of variable speed technology grows, hybrid architectures will be the default for hydraulic applications in the industrial automation industry. This allows for the best of both worlds: marrying a proven reliable technology of hydraulics with the brains and controllability of a VSD.
Machine
integration, digital advantages
When digitally integrated, real-time monitoring of systems through sensors and bus systems offers diagnostic capabilities that help reduce
‘As adoption of variable-speed technology grows, hybrid architectures will integrate reliability of hydraulics with the brains and controllability of a VSD.’
unnecessary downtime and improve machine precision. This is especially impactful for large machines like hydraulic presses that move quickly and require high peak power but can maintain consumption without sacrificing performance. Advanced VSDs are a part of the next phase of the Industry 4.0 revolution centered around data. Engineers can access on-demand data and
ANSWERS
‘Variable-speed drives allow motor speed to be controlled instead of being kept at a constant speed to match the flow, avoiding losses and reducing power consumption.’
information from these essential hydraulic components to better assess wear and tear and other machine working conditions to provide real guidance for improved operational efficiency.
Modern VSDs feature open communication interfaces to integrate condition monitoring and diagnostics that impact how quickly or cohesively data is analyzed. Predictive maintenance monitors aspects of performance such as torque, current and output pressure to predict potential failures, streamlining machine operators’ ability to respond to data and act quickly.
Operators can better understand how a system is behaving when using real-time data connected to their programmable logic controller (PLC) with communications such as Ethernet, Prof -
inet or EtherCAT, to constantly monitor a system’s torque, current and pump output pressure. In addition to simplified data analyzation, these integration capabilities unlock measurable energy savings for operators.
Energy efficiency: Adjust pump speed to supply necessary power
When machines operate at peak efficiency, facilities develop a smaller footprint in response. As industrial hydraulics components continue to improve, machine operations will utilize much less energy with a simple component switch that reduces pump speed to only use necessary power. Variable speed drives allow motor speed to be controlled instead of being kept at a constant speed to match the flow, avoiding losses and reducing power consumption. This also allows the work cycle to avoid overuse and unnecessary emissions.
In addition to these cumulative savings, the space needed is drastically reduced through variability. Less hydraulic fluid is needed, allowing it to be contained in smaller reservoirs, and the temperature reduction from a lower average pump drive speed also requires less space previously
KEYWORDS: Variable-speed drives, motor-drive efficiency, industrial energy efficiency
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Machine design or retrofits that integrate variable-speed pumps for hydraulics save energy and money while reducing downtime and noise.
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FIGURE: Variable-speed drives operate so only the necessary amount of energy is spent, improving energy consumption by 80%. Courtesy: Bosch Rexroth
needed for cooling large head loads. Despite these clear advantages, lingering misconceptions about this technology still need to be overcome to enable more robust implementation.
An example of this technology at work would be in a pressing application that requires the pressing of the part a few times an hour. In this application, the hydraulics would ramp up to meet the maximum speed of the press. Once the press contacts the part, it will slow down and hold tonnage for a predetermined amount of time until the part is finished curing.
If there is no VSD in the application, the motor will continue to spin at the nameplate speed even though there is a low flow requirement. However, if there is a VSD the motor would be slowed down during the curing time since maximum speed is no longer required from the motor to perform the work. This slowing down of the motor can save a significant amount for curing times that take up much of the machine cycle along with less strain on the system.
Barriers to adoption of variable-speed drives
Implementation of variable-speed drive technology has, luckily, become easier in recent years as costs have decreased significantly. In hydraulic applications, when the goal is to reduce the amount of starting current on a motor, soft starters would be used due to the large current spikes that hydraulics can cause from the large moment of inertia. Now, VSDs can be nearly the same cost as soft starters, allowing operators to reap the benefits without going over budget. This has lowered the barrier of entry to implement VSD with hydraulics even if the duty cycles are efficient.
Common misconceptions or outdated understandings of hydraulics have hindered adoption of this technology as well, specifically when it comes to noise. When variable-speed drives are utilized, the system runs much quieter than it used to due to the on-demand power. Whenever a cycle requires pressure or flow, the machine is better able to slow down and idle, decreasing the loud humming associated with large hydraulic systems.
Lastly, the expertise and knowledge required for personnel to operate traditional industrial machinery is becoming more niche. By incorporating
‘Hydraulics will remain essential for applications requiring extreme force, speed or repeatability.’
VSDs—especially ones with hydraulic intelligence built on-board—machine operation is greatly simplified. For example, if a machine operator were trying to control the pressure on a cylinder, they would typically need a motor, pump, a manifold with a proportional valve, and other supporting valving.
With a VSD, these functions can be replicated. Instead of using the valve, the pump can be utilized to control the pressure on the cylinder. This makes the overall machine smaller, easier to maintain and simpler to operate. Simplifying how hydraulic machines function allows a more sustainable way to use this technology with a quickly changing workforce skillset.
Future
of industrial automation, hydraulic advantages
Hydraulics are not going away any time soon. While electrification is a hot-button topic, hydraulics will remain essential for applications requiring extreme force, speed or repeatability. While industrial hydraulics have somewhat fallen behind the curve of advancement due to their more primitive technology, they still maintain their function and are overwhelmingly useful for speed, force and repeatability. This is why total electrification of hydraulics is difficult, giving hybridization the best path forward.
Hybrid hydraulics and electric systems are very likely to continue to be adopted to prioritize energy efficiency and give operators more insight into machines’ inner workings to make informed decisions. The benefits of variable-speed drives in industrial spaces outweigh the upfront costs, especially through helping to make factory floors less noisy and deliver overall cost savings. ce
Christopher Parisse is senior controls product engineer – Bosch Rexroth. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, editor-in-chief, Control Engineering, WTWH Media, mhoske@wtwhmedia.com.
Insightsu
Machine energy saving insights
uUnderstand how variable speed pump drives use real-time data to improve machine uptime, precision, and predictive maintenance.
u Identify how variable speed drives amplify energy savings, reduce noise and cooling demand by matching motor speed to actual machine needs
uLearn how integrated variable speed drives are becoming more practical for industrial automation as hybrid architectures become the default for hydraulic applications.
ANSWERS
Donal Waide, Advantech
Machine vision tutorial: How to change from Camera Link to CoaXPress
CoaXPress migration delivers the bandwidth, resolution and line-rate performance that legacy Camera Link installations can no longer support.
MKEYWORDS: Machine vision communications, Camera Link, CoaXPress
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upgrading Camera Link Base (255MB/S) and Medium (510 MB/S) configurations without requiring multiple cables.
CXP-12 doubles the performance to 12.5 Gbps per connection, yielding roughly 1.56 GB/s per cable. This specification is widely used, balancing performance, cost and ecosystem maturity. Most current camera and frame grabber designs target CXP-12 as their primary specification. For most upgrade scenarios, CXP-12 provides sufficient headroom.
Industrial IoT edge gateway has edge computing capabilities, second-stack expansion
https://www.controleng. com/products/uno-2271gv3-industrial-iot-edgegateway/ Control Engineering provides more on machine vision and industrial networking.
achine vision system integrators face a common challenge: existing Camera Link installations that have served reliably for years struggle to meet evolving performance requirements. Higher resolution cameras, faster line rates and increased inspection complexity demand bandwidth that Camera Link cannot provide. Upgrading to CoaXPress offers a migration path that improves performance and manages costs and complexity.
Transition from Camera Link to CoaXPress typically requires 2-4 weeks of integration effort for straightforward single-camera systems and 6-12 weeks for complex multi-camera configurations with custom preprocessing requirements, representing modest investments given the performance gains explained here.
Understanding CoaXPress
Before planning an upgrade, system integrators working on machine vision systems must navigate the CoaXPress standards ecosystem. Unlike Camera Link, which remained relatively static after its initial release, CoaXPress has evolved through multiple speed grades, each offering progressively higher bandwidth.
CXP-6 represents the baseline CoaXPress specification, delivering 6.25 Gbps per coaxial connection. One CXP-6 cable provides approximately 625 MB/s of usable bandwidth, making it suitable for
A new version of the CoaXPress standard, referred to as CoaXPress v3.0, is in development as of early 2026. It is expected to support higher nominal speeds of 25 Gbps per link, doubling the current maximum to enable faster frame rates, higher resolutions and better performance over longer distances with fiber optics. Integration of CoaXPress over Fiber into the main specification, moves it beyond the current add-on status and is expected to be part of CoaXPress v3.0.
Backward compatibility of CoaXPress
CoaXPress maintains backward compatibility. CXP-12 frame grabbers work with CXP-6 cameras, and vice versa, automatically negotiating the highest common speed. This compatibility simplifies phased upgrades where cameras and frame grabbers might be replaced at different times.
CoaXPress over Fiber: Up to 200km
Standard CoaXPress uses 75-ohm coaxial cable with practical lengths up to 40 meters for both CXP-6 and CXP-12. These distances suffice for most machine vision installations, but certain applications—particularly in semiconductor fabs, largescale food processing facilities and pharmaceutical manufacturing environments—require greater reach or face challenging electrical noise conditions.
CoaXPress over Fiber (CoF) extends CoaXPress transmission across multimode fiber optic cables,
theoretically supporting distances up to 200km while maintaining protocol transparency. From the camera and frame grabber perspective, fiber links appear identical to coaxial connections without special configuration or modified protocols.
CoF delivers additional advantages beyond distance. Fiber optic cables provide complete immunity to electromagnetic interference, crucial in environments with motors, RF equipment, or high-voltage systems. Galvanic isolation protects sensitive electronics from ground loops and voltage transients. Fiber’s smaller diameter and lighter weight simplify cable routing in cramped equipment.
For system integrators, CXPoF adds modest complexity. The downside of the CoF is that power support for the camera is no longer an option. However, being unable to provide power to the camera is a small price to pay with the added distance and flexibility. The cameras are typically 24V, so it’s easy enough in an industrial environment to find a source for this power.
In situations where the camera has a HD BNC (copper) connector, products are available to convert this signal from copper to fiber and bring the signal back to CoF frame grabber. This eliminates the need to convert the signal back to copper and saves a substantial amount of money.
Planning the Camera Link to CoaXPress migration
Successful upgrades begin with a thorough assessment of existing systems. Camera Link installations typically fall into three categories based on configuration:
Camera Link Base systems use one CL cable providing up to 255 MB/s. Typically the cable is either Miniature Delta Ribbon (MDR) or Shrunk Delta Ribbon (SDR), which are interchangeable. These systems upgrade cleanly to single-cable CXP-6 or CXP-12, often without requiring multi-cable frame grabbers. Migration is straightforward, and cost impact remains minimal.
Camera Link Medium configurations employ two cables (MDR or SDR) for 510 MB/s bandwidth. Upgrading to dual-CXP-6 or single-CXP-12 provides comparable or superior performance. Frame grabber selection depends on whether existing systems already use dual-connector frame grabbers.
Camera Link Full systems with two cables delivering 680 MB/s represent the most complex
upgrade scenario. These typically transition to a single CXP-12 configuration, providing substantially more bandwidth (3+ GB/s), which future-proofs installations for next-generation cameras.
Camera Link 80-Bit (aka Deca Mode) systems with two cables was the last speed introduced and allows bandwidths up to 850 MB/S, again on the two-cable scenario. This also can be replaced by one CXP-12 cable.
Control requirements in machine vision
Beyond bandwidth assessment, integrators must evaluate trigger and control requirements. Camera Link provides up to four general-purpose I/O signals and two serial communication channels. CoaXPress offers similar capabilities through its upstream control channel, but implementation differs. Camera control software requires updating to use CoaXPress protocols—typically GenICam-compliant implementations that are well-supported by modern software development kits (SDKs_. While most modern Camera Link cameras are GenICam-compliant, an older camera system may require some massaging to bring it to the CXP control levels. However, all CXP products must be GenICam compliant.
Frame grabber selection and installation
Modern CoaXPress frame grabbers from manufacturers like BitFlow provide multiple configurations to match diverse upgrade scenarios. Single-link models suit Camera Link Base replacements, while quad-CXP-12 designs handle applications requiring multiple high-speed cameras. Installation complexity depends largely on existing infrastructure. CoaXPress frame grabbers universally use PCIe interfaces, typically x4 or x8 connections. If existing systems already use PCIe Camera Link frame grabbers, the physical installation involves simple card replacement.
Onboard processing capabilities vary significantly among frame grabber designs. Entry-level models focus on acquisition and transfer. Midrange options integrate FPGAs for real-time pre-
FIGURE 1: CoaXPress frame grabbers are available with single, dual, quad and fiber connections. For the Advantech BitFlow Claxon CXP-V24 family shown, data rates are 12.5GB/S. (The Claxon CXP12 family handles data rates of up to 5GB/S.) Images courtesy: Advantech
Insightsu
Camera Link to CoaXPress migration insights
uWhy upgrade: Camera Link’s bandwidth limitations make it unable to meet the demands of modern high-resolution, high-speed inspection systems.
uHow to migrate: A successful Camera Linkto-CoaXPress transition requires deliberate frame grabber selection, application-specific planning, and leveraging a mature, standardized ecosystem.
uWhat's possible postupgrade: CoaXPress unlocks next-generation machine vision performance while future-proofing installations — with BitFlow providing the hardware and expertise to get there.
ANSWERS
‘Cables are readily available, competitively priced and easily field-terminated if needed.’
processing: flat-field correction, pixel format conversion and region-of-interest extraction. Highend designs incorporate substantial FPGA resources and even AI accelerators, enabling sophisticated edge processing that can dramatically reduce host processing requirements.
For most upgrades, selecting frame grabbers with robust onboard processing potentially can deliver substantial value. However, the preference and defector solution these days to leave the processing to specifically designed hardware such as GPUs. With Camera Link data processing by the CPU was possible in most vision systems, but CXP’s higher bandwidths demanded a newer approach.
Cable infrastructure considerations
CoaXPress leverages standard 75-ohm coaxial cable with DIN 1.0/2.3 connectors (CXP-6) or HD-BNC connectors (CXP-12), compatible with existing broadcast video infrastructure. This standardization provides advantages: cables are readily available, competitively priced and easily field-terminated if needed. For most installations, pre-made cable assemblies offer the most reliable solution. Quality cables use precision connectors and proper impedance control, ensuring signal integrity across the full CXP-12 bandwidth. Lengths up to 40 meters work reliably without special considerations.
FIGURE 2: CoaXPress over Fiber (CoF) frame grabbers operate with QSFP fiber assemblies and fully support distances well over a kilometer, often reaching up to 10km to 40km or more when using single-mode fiber. Shown is an Advantech BitFlow’s Claxon FXP4 CoaXPress over Fiber frame grabber.
Compared to Camera Link Base's 10m limit, CoaXPress extends reach significantly further. When those distances fall short, repeaters, extenders and CoF provide solutions. Fiber infrastructure costs more than coaxial in cable and required converters but remains far less expensive than relocating processing equipment or redesigning facility layouts.
For semiconductor and pharmaceutical applications where equipment locations are fixed by cleanroom constraints or regulatory requirements, CoF often represents the only viable upgrade path.
Application-specific upgrade benefits
Semiconductor inspection: The semiconductor industry demonstrates the largest CoaXPress advantages. Modern wafer inspection requires
multi-megapixel cameras at hundreds of frames per second. These data rates overwhelm Camera Link’s 850 MB/s ceiling. A dual link CXP-12 frame grabber provides 3+ GB/s bandwidth, accommodating current requirements with headroom for future camera upgrades.
Semiconductor fabs benefit from CoF for remote camera installations on process tools. Cameras mount directly on wafer handling equipment, and frame grabbers reside in climate-controlled equipment racks, sometimes hundreds of meters away. This architecture centralizes processing infrastructure while maintaining deterministic, low-latency acquisition essential for precision inspection.
Food processing: Food inspection systems increasingly employ high-speed line-scan cameras for 100% product inspection. A typical bakery line might run at 600 products per minute, requiring line-scan cameras operating at 100s of kHz. CoaXPress's bandwidth supports higher line rates and increased pixel counts compared to Camera Link, enabling detection of smaller defects and foreign material contamination.
Food processing environments present electrical noise challenges: Motors, mixers, ovens and refrigeration systems create harsh electromagnetic conditions. CoF’s immunity to interference ensures reliable operation where standard coaxial cabling might experience signal degradation. Additionally, food-grade facility designs often require long cable runs that exceed coaxial distance limits. Similar to semiconductors, having the data coming from the factory floor to an industrial PC can allow monitoring in real time on multiple lines from a safe distance.
Pharmaceutical manufacturing: Pharmaceutical applications demand absolute reliability and comprehensive documentation for regulatory compliance. CoaXPress’s standardized, mature ecosystem provides the stable foundation that validation processes require. The standard's built-in error detection ensures that any transmission issues are immediately identified, preventing defective products from escaping detection.
High-speed tablet and capsule inspection represents a particularly demanding application. Systems inspect hundreds of products per second, verifying print quality, checking for cracks and confirming proper fill levels. Multi-camera configurations using quad-link CXP-12 frame grabbers
enable simultaneous top, bottom and side inspection at production speeds that Camera Link systems cannot match.
Pharmaceutical cleanrooms benefit from CoF with less equipment in controlled environments. Fiber enables cameras in ISO Class 5 cleanrooms to connect to frame grabbers and processing systems outside the cleanroom envelope, reducing heat load, simplifying maintenance and maintaining environmental control.
Cost analysis and return on investment
Upgrade costs vary significantly based on system scope. A single-camera replacement (swapping Camera Link Base to CXP-12) might cost a few thousand dollars for camera and frame grabber combined. Multi-camera systems with advanced preprocessing capabilities can be significantly more expensive.
However, cost analysis must consider performance gains and operational benefits. A semiconductor inspection tool upgrade might cost $15,000 but enable 2x throughput improvement, potentially eliminating the need for a second inspection station costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. The return on investment (ROI) becomes compelling quickly.
CoF adds approximately 10% to 20% to project costs compared to standard coaxial implementations: Fiber cables, converters (if you want to use a CXP copper base camera) and associated power supplies increase the bill of materials. For installations requiring remote cameras, CoF typically costs far less than alternatives like moving equipment or installing multiple processing stations.
Machine vision software and integration complexity
Modern CoaXPress ecosystems minimize software migration challenges. Most current machine vision libraries, including open-source options like OpenCV and commercial packages, support CoaXPress through standard GenICam interfaces. Camera vendors provide GenICam-compliant drivers that work seamlessly with standard image acquisition libraries.
BitFlow and other frame grabber manufacturers supply comprehensive SDKs that abstract low-level details, presenting unified interfaces regardless of underlying hardware complexity. For integrators,
this means application code changes often focus on updated camera initialization and configuration rather than complete rewrites. With the BitFlow SDK, the same libraries are used for the CXP and CL image acquisition, so few changes are needed.
Improved machine-vision capabilities
Upgrading from Camera Link to CoaXPress delivers transformative performance improvements that enable next-generation machine vision capabilities. The combination of standardized interfaces, mature ecosystems and flexible configurations—from standard coaxial to fiber optic—provides solutions for virtually any upgrade scenario.
For system integrators, the migration path is well-defined and manageable. Careful planning, appropriate frame grabber selection and attention to application-specific requirements ensure successful deployments that deliver immediate performance benefits while future-proofing installations for continued evolution.
As a frame grabber manufacturer committed to supporting integrators through technology transitions, BitFlow provides the products, technical resources and application expertise that make Camera Link to CoaXPress upgrades straightforward and successful. The performance waiting on the other side of that upgrade makes the journey worthwhile. ce
Donal Waide, is director of business development iSystems, Advantech. Edited by Mark T. Hoske, editor-in-chief, Control Engineering, WTWH Media, mhoske@wtwhmedia.com.
FIGURE 3: The Advantech BitFlow QFi Copper-to-Fiber Converter Module takes standard camera coax cable connections, converts the signal and outputs it on a fiber optic cable. A typical set up is shown of the QFi, allowing copper-based CXP12 cameras to transmit data over fiber back to the industrial PC (IPC)
‘Careful planning, appropriate
frame grabber selection and attention to application-specific requirements ensure successful deployments.
’
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