Control Intelligence

Machine vision has long been used in factory automation for quality inspections, the final checkpoint separating acceptable parts from the rework pile or the scrap bin. Today, vision systems are no longer just inspectors. They are becoming adaptive, data-driven participants in the manufacturing process, capable of influencing outcomes rather than simply recording them.

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Joey Stubbs, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses how artificial intelligence has impacted the reliability and accuracy of vision systems.

There is a growing trend to use laser scanning to create 3D images of the plant floor, of machine locations and of intricate areas that are congested with plant infrastructure to allow integrators to visualize how they can install new equipment or modify old equipment.

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Tobey Strauch, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses how to combine 3D tools with engineering principles.

In this episode of Control Intelligence, editor in chief Mike Bacidore spoke to Robert Little, founder and executive advisor of Robert Little Robotics in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the 2026 application winner of the Joseph F. Engelberger Robotics Award. He will be recognized at the awards dinner during the Automate Show in Chicago the week of June 22.

With more than 40 years of experience in robotics, automation and manufacturing, Little serves as a Robotics Technology Strategy board member of the Association for Advancing Automation.  He co-founded ATI Industrial Automation in 1989 and helped grow the company from approximately $1 million to more than $100 million in revenue. Under his leadership, ATI became a global leader in robotic tool changers, force/torque sensing and other end-effector technologies that expanded the practical use of robots in manufacturing.

Following the acquisition of ATI by Novanta in 2021, Little served as president of Novanta’s ATI business group and later as chief of robotics strategy. He now supports the robotics industry through his advisory firm, Robert Little Robotics, where he advises companies on business strategy focused on robotics and automation markets.

Whether they’re used for position detection on gantries, for detecting parts for assembly or for innumerable other cases, the use of non-contact presence sensors has been a mainstay of industrial controls since the development of the first versions in the 1950s.

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Joey Stubbs, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses non-contact presence sensing technologies.

In this episode of Control Intelligence, editor in chief Mike Bacidore is joined by an important figure in the controls and automation world, Dr. Brian Romano, director of technology development at Arthur G. Russell Company.

With more than four decades of experience in industrial automation and control systems engineering, Romano’s career has centered around innovation, leadership and a forward-looking commitment to advanced technology in manufacturing. He’s played a central role in aligning machine-building with data-enabled systems before Industry 4.0 was a thing. His work includes control systems architecture, enterprise connectivity, digital transformation and predictive analytics, even combining them to offer production-as-a-service capabilities by leveraging remote monitoring capabilities.

Beyond his industry leadership, Romano brings a passion for developing the next generation of engineers, serving as adjunct faculty at both Central Connecticut State University and the University of Hartford. His academic achievements, including a Ph.D. in Technology and Innovation, an MBA in Business and Data Analytics, and multiple national honor societies, complement his work as an entrepreneur, a published researcher and the 2022 Division Leader of Year with the International Society of Automation. He is also an ISA fellow.

Control Design editor in chief Mike Bacidore spoke Mark Arisman, manager of business development for control products at Nord Drivesystems, about Nord's advancements in drive technology and the digital twin.

The space shuttle had three computers and needed a two-of-three voting system to determine if a sensed variable was real or phantom. This would be a good thing regarding a leaking door seal on the capsule. Safety sensing isn’t a new technology, but it seems that understanding what a safety system function is might be lacking a bit.

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Jeremy Pollard, editor in chief Mike Bacidore talks about safety systems.

Controls engineers are surrounded by protocols. Proprietary protocols are less common today than before, but they are still around.

In this episode, written by contributing editor Tobey Strauch, Editor-in-Chief Mike Bacidore discusses how to choose between Ethernet IP and SSI.

In most factory lines, the soft PLC and PAC are commonly based on Industrial PC hardware. It is this hardware platform that has quietly become one of the most important components of a factory line’s control hardware.

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Joey Stubbs, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses fanless controller housings.

In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Tobey Strauch and originally aired in March 2025, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses the similarities and differences between PLCs and PACs.