Control instrumentation-a survey of current practice and some future trends

The technological advances that have taken place in microelectronics, telecommunication and computer technologies have revolutionised the instrumentation used for measurement and control in today´s industries. These applications being largely nonelectrical in nature, the impact has been even more tremendous. Mechanical and chemical engineers have suddenly to grapple with advanced electronic technologies in terms of communications, electronic hardware and computer software developments. On the other hand electrical engineers have to contend with ingenious ways of integrating modem semiconductor and communications technology into designs for instruments which are primarily mechanical in the front end and purpose. With the tremendous size of the market in the industrial measurement and control sector, the momentum given by the advances in electronics and communications is even more felt in this sector than in many other sectors. The impact of all these factors is to make the field of instrumentation for measurement and control ever more interdisciplinary and with endless challenges thrown open especially by the developments in microelectronics, computer software and the ever increasing demand of industrial processes