Industrial automation: PC controls to penetrate deeper

By Staff -- Modern Materials Handling, 8/1/1999

On a worldwide basis, industrial automation will be a growing market that will push up demand for controls as well. Among the three basic types of controls for automated systems, usage of programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and distributed control systems (DCSs) will continue strong. Increasingly, however, a third type of system-PC-based controls-will penetrate the automation market and become a popular form of factory control for machines and processes, much more so than in the recent past.

These conclusions come from a Venture Development Corp. (VDC) study of current and future global demand for distributed/remote I/O products and how these products will be used. Total world demand for these products will climb from $1.9 billion last year to $2.8 billion in 2003 (pie charts), the Natick, Mass. firm says. Growth in total demand will be around 8%. But the share of the pie for the I/O products for PC-based controls will increase significantly, climbing at a 19% compound annual growth rate.

Helping propel this usage of PC controls is the growing familiarity of shop floor operators and maintenance personnel with computers, says VDC.

For more information on the VDC study, call 508-653-9000.

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