Currently the use of distributed intelligence with microprocessors that communicate through optical fibers and the use of personal computers as human-machine interfaces is common. Therefore new developments are constantly being made in this area and as a result costs are reduced and performance is improved. In addition more trained personnel are familiar with this new technology. The heavily centralized top-down systems used in the 1960s and 1970s are no longer appropriate as decentralized systems can more easily adapt to future changes than centralized systems. In addition different generations of equipment made by different manufacturers can be easily combined in them. Updating or expanding such a distributed system is simple. For example in the following a comparison between a common electric high pressure post and a fully automatic high pressure post using digital technology has been made.