networking.”

“Abnormal event detection,” says process control engineer Doug Lutz. “If someone or some company can actually make real progress in this area that is repeatable, transferable and reliable, then we have the potential to make a real dent into preventing incidents and therefore prevent more serious loss of process containment in refineries and chemical plants.”

“I expect we’ll see advancement in machine safety,” responded one anonymous reader. “That is, integrating intelligence into motion/drives, and field devices such that the need for separate relays and logic elements separate from machinery control will now become an integral part. This is akin to the movement of integrating motion, process and logic into one integrated platform. Machinery safety is the next integration element in machinery automation on the horizon.”

Finally, an anonymous respondent told us, “I think the trend in my area (DCS) will be the McDonaldization of the product.  Managers don’t like to rely on technical experts.”

Where will be the source of innovations in automation?

When asked where the next wave of automation innovations would come from, your responses were split fairly evenly across Supplier (33), Electronics (47) and Internet (31). There were several write-ins, with Services, Integrators and Owner/Operators getting one vote each while End Users and the Consumer earned two each. (Readers were allowed to vote for more than one option.)

Related Sidebar - Additional Survey Comments on Automation Innovations
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