While a strict quotation of Gorden Moore, co-founder of Intel, properly refers to the number of transistors deployed in future versions of Intel processors, we have all enjoyed the benefits of this reality. This benefit accrues to the wide range of PCs available for today's industrial automation requirements. It provides the software and network infrastructure to anchor the new generation of IA solutions. There is a wide disparity of control solutions, which characterize the evolving IA market.
Every facility requires some building automation system for security, lighting and environmental.
And there are markets that have traditionally employed general-purpose computers for control rather than PLC or DCS systems, i.e. semiconductor fabrication and electronics manufacturing. Imagine the benefit of a singular distributed system, with a common user interface, a common event and fault man-agement system serving all of these seemingly disparate requirements equally well. Such a system promises, at a minimum, greatly reduced personnel costs, fewer people and far better mobility among human resources. Such a system shall hereafter be referred to as a Universal Control System. Yet, the industrial automation sector has some unique requirements that transcend merely dragging an object down from the Web and plunking it into the middle of a mission critical control environment security and robust, long-term behavior, to name two of the most important.