In a Tech Update feature headlined “PLCs and contgrollers are being used as intelligent gateways to IIoT,” we looked at programmable controllers (PLCs), programmable automation controllers (PACs) and to some extent industrial PCs (IPCs), the latter of which can certainly be applied to most any level of control—e.g., discrete, PID, batch, etc. We considered new functionality in today’s controllers, internal operating systems, I/O capabilities, security and networking—both at the fieldbus/controls level (OT) and IT-side connections.
I intentionally didn’t spend a lot of time on PLCs/PACs and their role in IIoT networks for a couple of reasons. First, we covered IIoT in great detail in the January issue of FE, “The connected food plant of the future will be a lean information machine,” and in the July issue, we focused on “How food processors can use IIOT for maintenance activities.” Second, I wanted to spend time looking specifically at controller and I/O functionality—not IIoT—though we tangentially touched on IIoT. With these two articles, I felt like I wrote a book on IIoT, and I’m grateful for all those who provided input on the subject.