Though not many in our machine builder audience are making big changes to their approaches in researching automation products and making purchases, one slowly accelerating change we see is how industry professionals are using the web. For this month's Control Design cover story, Associate Digital Editor Sarah Cechowski talked with machine builders and system integrators to get a better sense of what online tools they're using, not only to research and buy products, but also to solve on-the-job technical challenges. Also in the March issue: See how Jeremy Pollard compares India's automation industry to Western automation of days gone by; take a look back a few years at intrinsic safety (IS) as it was beginning to receive more consideration in North America; and read the debut of a column that follows recent college grads in the automation world.

Read the full issue now.