While not all things get better with time some things do actually improve as they age. Anyone over 40 might argue with that statement, and they might have every reason to do so from a personal and physical standpoint. Even so, just a casual glance around – whether in an academic or an industrial setting – offers signs of progress nearly everywhere. To be sure there’s been plenty of progress here at Control Station.
Since the late 1980s Control Station has supported the educational needs of colleges and universities around the world. The original offering was among the first to incorporate a software utility. The software – also called Control Station – provided a means for introducing process dynamics and exploring Proportional, Integral, Derivative (PID) control. It represented a major improvement over other curricula that were limited to the use of two-dimensional textbooks. Control Station v3.7 and its predecessors brought the subject to life.
In 2005 the software was renamed LOOP-PRO™ and the offering was branded as the LOOP-PRO Trainer Solution for Academics. Today, the offering is licensed annually to over 200 institutions of higher learning. They’re located in over 40 countries and support an estimated 10,000 students. While Control Station v3.7 is no longer available, this new and improved offering includes several notable enhancements, including the following:
Augmented Lecture Materials
Control Station v3.7 was the company’s original academic offering that thoroughly covered process control and the PID controller. That same Practical Process Control curriculum has been augmented through a collaboration with The Hershey Company and others from industry. Materials have been added to the curriculum that explore fundamental aspects of instrumentation and its impact on process control. The core PID content has also been extended with the addition of new instructional materials that delve deeper into important topics.
Expanded Simulation Library
Since reforming in 2004 the company has established itself as the leading provider of process modeling and PID controller tuning solutions. Along the way Control Station has partnered with numerous manufacturers in the expansion of the Case Studies simulations. The Control Station v3.7 simulation library has been upgraded to include interactive models of common industrial processes from Basic Materials, Food & Beverage, Power & Utilities and other sectors. The expanded library enables instructors to examine important topics in the context of processes that are used by potential employers.
Additional Lab Exercises
A key component of the Control Station v3.7 offering was the portfolio of exercises that were included. The exercises remain a central part of our current offering. Exercises align with the Practical Process Control curriculum and they can be used to satisfy a college course’s testing and lab requirements. The current solution for academics provides instructors with a wider array of options – nearly 30 structured exercises are now included.
The current and upgraded version of Control Station v3.7 can be licensed by certified academic institutions at special academic rates. License options exist for installing the software on individual computer workstations and for accessing it across a university’s IT network. Control Station can even serve as the university bookstore and license directly to students.
If you are looking for Control Station v3.7, then you’re in the right place. Just be aware that the product is no longer available by that name. Details about its improved replacement – LOOP-PRO Trainer Solution for Academics – can be accessed by clicking here.
