If you are like me, this year has seemed to go by in the blink of an eye. It makes me want to hold on tighter to everything and everyone around me. We have lost many good friends, family members and cultural icons along the way. I learned of the passing of one of those icons, Richard E. “Dick” Morely, on Oct. 17.
An inventor, machinist, technical consultant, author and engineer, Morley was best known as the father of the programmable logic controller (PLC) and was an original founder of Modicon (now part of Schneider). “We had some real problems in the early days of convincing people that a box of software, albeit cased in cast iron, could do the same thing as 50 feet of cabinets, associated relays and wiring,” Morley said in a 2014 interview with Patti Engineering.
Through the years, his peers have acknowledged his contributions with numerous awards including the Franklin Institute’s Howard N. Potts Award and most recently a Control System Integrators Association Lifetime Achievement in 2016.
I never met Morely, however, I’m sure his life’s work has touched many of our readers. He held more than 20 U.S. and foreign patents. Not only was his impact on the process industries profound, but his impact on the lives of others was, too. He and his wife, Shirley, raised 40 foster children at their New Hampshire home.
In the spirit of Morely’s ingenuity, we look forward to announcing the talent and innovation of our 2017 Breakthrough Products awards winners in our December issue and here on this website on Dec. 1.
Sincerely,
