The progress of the reaction can be monitored in a number of ways. Let us consider a factory that wishes to produce sodium chloride from HCl and NaOH solutions. A large , possibly 50m³ reactor is used.
First of all, the exact molarity of the NaOH solution and the HCl solution is determined by preliminary laboratory analysis.
From these data the operator will calculate the volumes of both reactants to use.
For example , let us say that he charges all the NaOH solution into the reactor, and that the HCl solution is added slowly, with cooling because of the exothermic nature of the reaction.
The reaction could in theory be left to complete when all the calculated volume of HCl solution has been added.
But it will be found to be better if the process is monitored regularly - this is done by regularly removing a sample of the mix and doing an outside titration in the laboratory. The results enable the operator to constantly calculate the progress of the reaction.
Alternatively, the reactor vessel will be fitted with control equipment such as temperature control, to keep the reaction temperature within some optimum range, and pH which will keep track of the neutralisation of the base by the acid.
Different reactions will require different approaches, but the above simple example is an illustration of what would be done in industry.