Processing's Weekly Mixer: AI transforming industrial control systems, and more

Humans + machine capabilities = optimal performance

Honeywell recently held its 2025 users group meeting in The Hague, Netherlands. And the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in industrial automation was a prominant topic at the event — specifically how AI is elevating the role of control systems from simply executing operator commands to providing expert guidance to human operators.

EndeavorB2B's Keith Larson, who attended the event, had a chance to connect with a pair of experts from Honeywell Process Solutions to discuss that topic and more. The latest episode of the Control Amplified podcast captures his conversation with Honeywell's Jason Urso and Peter Davis. They discuss the company's Digital Cognition program and detail how today's control systems are helping facilities achieve their best performance.

Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board video details 2021 explosion at Yenkin-Majestic

On Chemical Processing, managing editor Amanda Joshi covers the release of a new safety video from the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) that analyzes the 2021 explosion that killed one worker and injured others at the Yenkin-Majestic Paint & Color Corp. resin facility in Columbus, Ohio. Joshi writes: 

According to CSB investigators, the event occurred during a batch resin operation when flammable solvent was inadvertently added to a low-pressure kettle with the agitator off. The solvent stratified over hot resin, vaporized rapidly once agitation resumed, and caused a sudden pressure increase that led to failure of a newly installed manway. A vapor cloud formed and ignited moments later, triggering a facility-wide fire.

Board member Sylvia Johnson states in the video that the manway “was not adequately designed, constructed, or pressure tested,” and that the company lacked engineered safeguards and emergency response planning to mitigate the consequences.

The video outlines three process safety lessons for operators, focusing primarily on mechanical integrity of low-pressure vessels, safeguarding engineered solutions and emergency response readiness. 

Watch the full CSB video below. 

P.I. Process Instrumentation's 10 most-read articles of the year

As 2025 winds down, here is a look at the most-read articles from sister brand P.I. Process Instrumentation this year. 

Using electromagnetic flowmeters for better management of produced water

What is flow rate and how is it measured?

Level transmitter technology options: How to choose

When to specify metallic versus ceramic pressure sensors

Ultrasonic flowmeters: Clamp-on versus in-line for advanced flow measurement

Debunking 4 common myths about liquid flowmeters

This is NOT your grandfather’s orifice plate flowmeter

Precision in high-pressure sour gas flow measurement

Real-world illustrations of how instrumentation diagnostics improve operations

Case study: Optimizing beer production with real-time fermentation monitoring

Here's a recap of the content that appeared on Processing during the past week: 

Articles

Q&A: Identifying an optimal thickening solution for tomorrow’s lubricating greases

Lithium hydroxide has long been the traditional thickening agent for lubricating greases found in countless industrial applications around the world. But amidst supply volatility, grease formulators have been hard at work identifying an ideal alternative. Processing recently discussed the situation with Dr. Gareth Fish, technical fellow for Lubrizol and a veteran of the grease industry, about the challenges of identifying alternatives and the performance characteristics of an optimal solution.

Podcast

Contract chemical processing and packaging with Andrew Neuschaefer

The co-founder and managing partner of NBN Powder Packaging talks with senior editor Nate Todd about trends and challenges in chemical toll processing.