By connecting previously stranded data from smart sensors, equipment, and other industrial assets with advanced applications and predictive analytics in the cloud, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is becoming a strategic enabler to improve manufacturing performance. Despite initial concerns, many companies now realize that, when properly implemented, internet and wireless technologies can provide appropriate security and availability of services across multiple plants and facilities. This helps further meld plant floor and enterprise systems, creating an opportunity to transform manufacturing operations through IIoT strategies.

It’s that time of year again, when we are treated to versions of the top 10 everything, from most-viewed cat videos on You Tube to the top 10 list of lists. Not to be left out, we at VALVE Magazine have been compiling our own list for the last few years and share the top 10 web features as chosen by you, our readers.

Dr. Alan Beaulieu is a frequent presenter at VMA events, with an impressive record for accurately predicting economic developments. In a webinar early in December, Beaulieu shared what he and his team at ITR Economics foresee going into 2016 and early 2017.

At this year’s API Tanks, Valves and Piping Conference and Expo in Las Vegas, Oct. 14-15, more than a dozen presenters shared their expertise in the installation, repair and maintenance of valves, pipes and tanks. Those in the valve track delved into the challenges of interpreting and meeting standards for valves while ensuring the safety and profitability of their enterprises. As is the case in most any gathering of valve professionals, the subject of fugitive emissions was uppermost on the minds of many, as was ensuring the safety and profitability of refineries, pipelines and chemical process plants in the face of a challenging economic environment.