My blog

Short and clear: practical notes on control, optimization and digitalization.

Industrial automation engineering workflow

From Tribal Knowledge to Scalable Automation: Why Deployment Toolchains Are the Real Productivity Unlock

Many manufacturers don't lose time because the control algorithm is too hard. They lose time because the path from expert knowledge to deployed engineering is too manual. Deployment toolchains fix that — and Siemens, Beckhoff, Rockwell, and MathWorks are already proving it.

Mar 25, 2026 · 11 min read

APCAutomationSoftware EngineeringMachine BuildingPLCMPC

Neural Networks in Industrial Control: How Many Are Actually Running?

The 'industrial AI revolution' is real — but most of it is analytics, not control. This article counts the confirmed neural-network controllers operating in closed loop on real production assets, explains why that number is small, and identifies who the genuine candidates are.

Mar 23, 2026 · 22 min read

Neural NetworksReinforcement LearningAPCProcess ControlIndustrial AIDeep RL

5 Signs Your Control Loops Are Costing You Money Right Now

Poorly tuned control loops quietly cost many process plants throughput and energy efficiency. Here are the five symptoms to look for — and what each one costs.

Mar 21, 2026 · 5 min read

PIDAPCProcess OptimizationControl LoopEnergy Efficiency

Process engineer reviewing control system

How to Decide if APC Is Worth It: A 15-Minute Self-Assessment

Before spending on a consultant or a commercial APC platform, run through this checklist. It identifies whether your process has the prerequisites for advanced control — and which gaps to fix first.

Mar 21, 2026 · 8 min read

APCMPCFeasibilityROIProcess ControlDecision Framework

Soft Sensor vs. Hard Sensor: When to Use Which

A practical decision framework for choosing between physical analyzers and model-based virtual sensors — with cost ranges, lag times, and the hybrid approach most plants miss.

Mar 21, 2026 · 6 min read

Soft SensorVirtual SensorState EstimationProcess AnalyticsAPC

Google Trends showing synchronized surge in APC/MPC search terms in August 2025

Something Happened to APC in August 2025 — Google Trends Knows It

Google Trends shows a 5–10× synchronized jump in searches for advanced process control, soft sensor, digital twin, and Kalman filter in August 2025. Here is the timeline that likely explains it — and I want to hear what you observed.

Mar 17, 2026 · 13 min read

APCAdvanced Process ControlDigital TwinPhysical AISoft SensorIndustry Trends

Turning 10 Years of Paragliding Data Into Actionable Flight Intelligence

How I built a data pipeline to analyze a decade of XContest cross-country flights across 63 countries, revealing the best places and seasons to fly XC.

Feb 17, 2026 · 5 min read

Data AnalysisPythonParagliding