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Control Intelligence

controldesign

Welcome to Control Intelligence, a ControlDesign.com podcast that goes deep inside the automation and technology that machine builders, system integrators and end users rely on to keep production humming efficiently

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  • 29 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 20 min
  • English

Episodes 29

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  • #148
    May 4 · 43 min

    2026 Joseph F. Engelberger Robotics Award application winner Robert Little tells all

    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.

  • #147
    April 20 · 7 min

    Inductive, capacitive and passive IR sensors: what’s the difference?

    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.

  • #146
    April 6 · 50 min

    Brian Romano's 45 years of industry leadership

    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.

  • #145
    March 27 · 36 min

    Drive technology: servo motors, inverters and more

    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.

  • #144
    March 16 · 6 min

    Balancing safety and throughput

    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.

  • #142
    March 2 · 7 min

    Choosing the right enclosure material for fanless industrial PCs

    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.

  • #141
    February 23 · 6 min

    PACs vs. PLCs: What’s the difference?

    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.

  • #140
    February 16 · 8 min

    When is it time to upgrade your control system?

    It’s the beginning of the new year, and everyone’s capital budget is going to be reset and revised. People will come out with their five-year and 10-year and 20-year plans, and once again plant management will ask the question: “Can we upgrade the control systems?” In this episode of Control Intelligence, written by contributing editor Tobey Strauch, editor in chief Mike Bacidore discusses when to upgrade control systems.

Showing 21–29 of 29 episodes