The Control and Automation Technical Network is an established Network led by a group of engineers, from industry and academia, working across a broad range of industrial sectors with a common technology bond.
Envisaged as a home and reference point for the C&A community, we aim to keep members fully informed about all events relevant to members interests and to develop a number of topical, sector-focused seminars, providing a strong link to established headline conferences.
We strive to be the central repository for Control & Automation needs within the IET and beyond, addressing the design, construction, development, analysis, implementation and understanding of control systems in a quite general sense. This includes discussion on instrumentation, on the safety and security of control systems, operations control centres, as well as the underlying algorithms for feedback control, simulation tools and modelling approaches, across all industrial sectors.
Control & Automation is an integral part of engineering and impacts upon all IET sectors and communities, including the Built Environment, Design and Production, Energy, Information and Communications, and Transport. The network is distinctive from but has natural links to other networks including the Manufacturing TPN and the Robotics TPN. The network also coordinates its activities as appropriate with other organisations, including the UK Automatic Control Council and the Institute of Measurement and Control.
A diverse and open community
The C&A community is extremely diverse, as we addressing the design, construction, development, analysis, implementation and understanding of control systems in a quite general sense. This includes discussion on instrumentation, on the safety and security of control systems, operations control centres, as well as the underlying algorithms for feedback control, simulation tools and modelling approaches, across all industrial sectors.
The TPN wants to hear from engineers dealing with problems and opportunities across all of these sectors, as we can learn from one another and share our knowledge.
A place to share problems and solutions
We want to be able to host this site to be a place to share problems, ask question, solutions and ideas as well sharing contacts and approaches to future trends and challenges.
Looking forward to 2021 and beyond, we have big plans, and there are certain hot topics the committee is looking to discuss, but if you have any ideas you want to add for a webinar or looking to our 2022 plans, then please get in touch.
A primary responsibility of the network is to promote greater awareness of emerging issues and technologies for control and automation, and for sharing good practice across different industrial sectors. This principally involves the organisation of events for members/non-members working in control engineering and related disciplines, providing networking opportunities and expert advice, and by the promotion of the subject through the award of prizes and on-line activities.
Planning future events
The TN is currently putting together ideas for the kinds of community activities it aims to put on and would love to hear from others who have suggestions of their own.
Plans include running a programme of low cost, information half and one-day seminars on topical subjects but also keep up our online presence that makes what we do accessible to wider, international audiences.
Supported by experienced IET staff
The network is operated under the charitable remit of the IET and as such is open to everyone - members and non-members of the IET. The TN is also keen to work closely with its friends in other organisations who run events relevant to C&A. The TN is supported by IET staff, who are working closely with the TN management team to facilitate and promote events as well encouraging member communication.
Get involved!
The TN is currently planning several webinars in 2021, however, the committee is keen for other members to get in touch with ideas for future activities and we welcome input from everyone.