Control.com Readers’ Choice Awards 2025

Is it the year that humanoid robots finally rise? Will ladder logic finally give way to structured text? Will people finally start commenting their code? Will control engineers finally be able to explain their job to distant relatives over the holidays?

Probably not.

But we’re excited to see you, learn about your newest innovations, and share the trade show demos across the globe this new year.

 

Looking forward to the new year! Image used courtesy of ChatGPT, obviously.

 

As we look back on 2025, what were the most impactful articles, as judged by you, our readers? Let's have a look.

 

Top 5 News Articles of 2025

Most news is visible for a few weeks (and you probably see it in your weekly newsletter). We try to pick relevant, interesting topics to give you a pulse on the future of the industry. Here are the biggest announcements this past year.

 

#5: Siemens Releases a New Virtual PLC, the S7-1500V

The first of a top trio of Siemens news, this article debuted in 2023, but it has proven to be an impactful topic. Time will be the judge; is our future destined to be physical or virtual?

 

#4: Siemens Launches TIA Portal Version 20 Focused on Improved Performance

Next up on the top news list is the newest version of TIA portal, launching just before the end of 2024. As the software suite for setting up logic, motion, and visualization, it's no wonder it’s continued to make waves this year!

 

#3: OpenPLC Editor Just Got a Redesign: Check Out the v4.0.0 Beta Release

Want to learn PLCs, but you don’t have a budget for major platform hardware and software? OpenPLC Editor is compatible with most hobby platforms. Since this announcement, it now supports all IEC 61131 languages and much more. As a bonus, we have a tutorial for getting started with OpenPLC on the Raspberry Pi.

 

#2: Siemens Debuts Updated PLC: The S7-1200 G2

Here’s the final Siemens topic to land in our top 5 for the year. Little wonder, since the S7-1200 has been one of the most popular PLCs on the global market for years. The G2 version offers many great updates to a tried-and-true platform. We’ve got Siemens PLC tutorials too.

 

#1: Walmart’s Symbotic Solution: AI-Powered Warehouses Are Here

Always low prices; now it’s always lots of news article views. You probably aren’t going to see AI-powered robots running up and down the aisles of your local supercenter any time soon, but they are working hard behind the scenes to keep our pantries stocked more efficiently than ever before.

 

Robots are used to pack, palletize, and stack products. Image used courtesy of Symbotic

 

Top 5 Technical Articles of 2025

Technical articles are different from news. Our topics address challenges that don’t expire with the turning of a calendar page. Therefore, all of our top 2025 tech topics were published in prior years, and they have withstood the test of time.

 

#5: Understanding the Basics of Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)

PWM has been widely used in DC motor controls for decades, but did you know it’s also the working principle behind 3-phase variable-frequency drives? If not, check it out and learn how they use pulsing DC voltage to create an AC waveform!

 

#4: Wet vs. Dry Contacts: Knowing the Difference

The biggest topics aren’t major earth-shattering revelations. It’s usually the small definitions and explanations of common, but often misunderstood, terminology. Wet contact? I thought we were supposed to keep water far away from electronics!

 

#3: 3-Phase Motor Wiring Infographic

Our bronze medal for readers’ choice technical article wasn’t even an article! This downloadable poster-sized chart explains the wiring layouts for Wye and Delta 3-phase motors, and the internal connections for 3-wire, 6-wire, 9-wire, and even 12-wire motors.

 

#2: Active Power, Reactive Power, Apparent Power, and the Role of Power Factor

This is an interesting article because it applies to much more than just the factory automation industry. Whenever AC power is under consideration, the engineer must understand the relationships among resistive, capacitive, and inductive loading. One mistake, and the consequences can be explosive.

 

#1: How Do You ‘Megger’ a Motor? Understanding Motor Insulation Resistance

“Megger”–is it a brand name, a motor testing method, or a funny word used by electricians? Well, all of them at once, I suppose. If you want to learn about insulation testing in motors, then check out this #1 article on all of Control.com in 2025.

 

An example of a handheld megohmmeter (megger). Image used courtesy of Megger

 

Join Us in 2026

Over the next year, we plan to continue covering all of the newest and most impactful topics. We’ll also be attending MODEX in April, Automate in June, and hopefully more shows later in the year. If you’d like to meet up, drop us a note at [email protected].

We look forward to being the number 1 source for automation learning, community, news, and media coverage for 2026!