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The article from Control Engineering magazine discusses the ongoing evolution and importance of programmable logic controllers (PLCs) in industrial automation. Despite being around for almost 50 years, PLCs remain essential due to their ability to provide deterministic control and reliable monitoring of physical field devices. Advancements in communication protocols and connectivity have further improved their capabilities, including integrating robotics and vision systems. While AI and machine learning have potential future applications, their current role is primarily in providing data and implementing actions based on algorithms. PLCs will continue to evolve based on available technologies and user demand, enhancing programming and connectivity functions to improve the user experience and project delivery speed. The article suggests that integrating PLCs with various technologies could lead to more efficient automation processes, benefiting industries that rely on control engineering. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the importance of considering the features and typical applications of industrial controllers in understanding the type of appropriate controllers for each application. It offers a comparison of the features of programmable logic controller (PLC), programmable automation controller (PAC) and industrial PC (IPC).

The article discusses the future trends concerning the programmable logic controllers (PLC). Topics covered include the evolutions for industrial automation applications as well as the increase in the speed of the Ethernet. Also mentioned is the plans concerning the expansion of the memory and size of the PLC.

The article presents the survey on the most popular programming method for programmable logic controllers (PLCs). It states that ladder logic remains the preferred programming method for PLC. It notes that standard programming languages could save programmers time and money. It mentions that the difficulty in code transportability may be an issue.

The article discusses how the convergence of industrial personal computers (IPC), programmable automation controllers (PAC) and programmable logic controllers (PLC) is expressed among industrial controllers. Topics covered include the industrial-control spectrum, the human-machine interface/supervisory control and data acquisition (HMI/SCADA), and the database enterprise resource planning (ERP) software.

The article discusses several issues to consider when choosing between a programmable logic controller (PLC) and a programmable automation controller (PAC) for a particular application. It is said that PLCs have been best fitted for machine control, both simple and high speed. It was noted that a PAC is geared more toward complicated automation system architectures with personal computer-based applications. Expansion of PLC beyond its original capabilities is said to have been proven difficult.

The article reports on the factory automation which needs families of controllers such as programmable logic controller, programmable automation controller and industrial personal computer for its operation. It states that factories should also use a programming software platform which is as important as selecting the right hardware.

The article discusses the method of dependable remote access to human machine interfaces (HMIs) and operator interface terminals (OITs) that is being employed by manufacturing companies to reduce costs and improve operations. Topics include the introduction of PC-based HMIs, OITs and web browsers, the arrival and expansion of various free or very low-cost applications (apps) for customers, and the advantages of using the HTML5 markup language to speed and standardize app development.