Todd Walden is a seasoned public relations consultant, technical writer, and industry blogger specializing in industrial automation, AI integration, digital transformation, and process optimization for the manufacturing sector. With a robust background in information technology, control systems, sustainable energy solutions, and reliability engineering, With more than 20 years of technology expertise, Todd contributes insights to Emerson Automation Experts on topics like edge-based AI, zero-trust cybersecurity in OT environments, and modernizing power generation and life sciences/biotechnology. Based in the Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area, he currently helps drive innovation in automation and operational excellence.
Emerson Exchange 2025 is off to a strong start. At the opening keynote, CEO Lal Karsanbhai and CTO for Emerson’s Aspen Technology business, Claudio Fayad, introduced a core component of this year’s gathering, the reveal of Emerson’s Project Beyond. Project Beyond...
Emerson’s AMS Machine Works software continues to advance in the mission to unite the full breadth of condition monitoring and vibration technologies making up the AMS machinery health management lineup—including route-based portables, wireless sensing, edge...
AI seems to be everywhere these days. It’s on our phones, it interacts with us when we need customer service, it’s generating art and entertainment—the list goes on and on. However, one place where AI tools don’t seem to be making an appearance is at the...
Automation in the process manufacturing industry is nearly always complex. Not only must automation technologies carefully orchestrate operations, but they must also monitor safety, reliability, efficiency, and these days, even sustainability. The distributed control...
It has become increasingly obvious that the need for strong cybersecurity is not going to go away. Operational technology (OT) assets have increasingly become targets of both large-scale and small-scale attacks, often with devastating effects. OT teams need to be...
As today’s lean process manufacturing teams look for ways to make the most of their limited resources, many are trying to find a way to limit the impact of having their most expert people spread thin across plants that may be many miles—or even continents—apart. Often...
Sometimes, you really can have too much of a good thing. Everyone knows effective alarms are critical to running a safe, efficient plant. In recent years, digitalization has leveled the playing field on alarms. With modern control systems, alarms are easier and faster...
One of the key reasons power generators are turning to renewable energy sources is that the technology has been stable for quite a long time. Photovoltaic solar and wind turbines are well understood, and quite readily available. Putting the energy they generate on the...
Many things have changed in process manufacturing in recent years. Teams—including reliability and maintenance—have gotten smaller, budgets have shrunk, production expectations have increased, expertise has become rarer, and equipment has gotten more complex. One...
Increasing global dependence on electricity is a given. Every year communities around the world add new technologies aimed at improving everything from communication to transportation to manufacturing. As a result, the need for an increase in renewable power...
It has been interesting to watch the recent shift in the attitude toward simulation technologies over the last five or so years. What used to be a “nice to have” add on to a capital project has become, for many organizations, a go-to technology for business success....
It’s not often that we get a new take on the distributed control system (DCS). After all, the DCS has been a process manufacturing staple for decades, bringing together independent applications and processes for increased stability, and, in the case of the DeltaV™...
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This blog features expert perspectives from Emerson's automation professionals on industry trends, technologies, and best practices. The information shared here is intended to inform and educate our global community of users and partners.