In this month’s issue, we publish the first updated version of Michael Brown’s Loop Signature series of articles, the material that forms the basis for his popular control loop training courses.
Mike began his career in loop tuning and optimisation in 1989 when a friend invited him to the USA to review a basic course which he had put together on the practical aspects of loop control. This had such an impact on him that he decided to sell the trio of control systems companies he had built and embark on a new profession. Since then, he has been going into plants as a consultant to investigate loop problems that left plant personnel baffled, sometimes even for years.
Today, Mike is a walking encyclopaedia of base-layer control knowledge, having worked on loop optimisation in over three hundred plants in Africa, the UK, Europe and USA. His interesting and highly informative Case History series – published bi-monthly in this magazine – has caught the eye of C&I; professionals from around the world, who admire its straight talking style.
His writing exhibits a rarely found balance between theory and practice, and he enjoys teaching his subject and sharing in the enthusiasm of those who gain new insight into loop optimisation through attending his courses. To try and meet the constant demand that he should author a book on practical loop optimisation, Mike intends to publish much of the information dealt with in his courses in this new series of Loop Signature articles, to be featured in SA Instrumentation and Control magazine. Many of the ideas presented in these articles dovetail with the examples discussed in the Case History series, which deals with real-world loop problems encountered in plants around the world. In a nutshell, the Loop Signature series will cover the theory behind control loop optimisation, while the Case Histories will continue to focus on its practicalities. The first Loop Signature article covers the basic terminology and fundamentals of feedback loops.
Digital postage during lockdown
In a bid to slow the spread of the virulent new coronavirus (SARS –CoV-2), the strict lockdown regulations imposed by our government have forced many businesses to close their doors for a while. Unfortunately, since the printer of SA Instrumentation and Control magazine is one of them, it has forced a slight delay in the distribution of the May print issue, although this will still be sent in May. As a workaround to keep readers informed and ensure that our advertisers receive uninterrupted market coverage during these uncertain times, we will be mailing you an advance-copy e-book version of this issue, in advance of your printed copy. We hope this will tide you over until we can distribute your hardcopy issue via the usual delivery channels.
In closure, the team at SA Instrumentation and Control wishes all readers and advertisers the health and strength to overcome the challenges that lie waiting in the months ahead.
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