Latest PLCs & PACs Education

Categories

Concepts and Laws of Probability

Textbook

While the term “probability” may evoke images of…

Vibration Monitoring Hardware

Textbook

The following photograph shows a large air blower in a wastewater…

Introduction to Power System Automation

Textbook

Those familiar with industrial instrumentation will find much within…

How to Teach Yourself PLC Programming

Textbook

Learning PLC programming is a very important skill. If your job…

Policy-based Fortifications

Textbook

These fortifications focus on human behavior rather than system design…

Relating 4 to 20 mA Signals to Instrument Variables

Textbook

A 4 to 20 mA current signal represents some signal along a 0 to 100…

Pressure Sensor Accessories

Textbook

Multiple accessories exist for pressure-sensing devices to function…

Motives for Compromising the Security of an Industrial Control System

Textbook

There are multiple motives for compromising the security of an…

Differential (87) Current Protection

Textbook

One of the fundamental laws of electric circuits is Kirchhoff’s…

Indicators, Recorders, Process Switches and Alarms

Textbook

So far we have just looked at instruments that sense, control, and…

Cascade Control

Textbook

A simple control system drawn in block diagram form looks like this:…

On/off Electric Motor Control Circuits

Textbook

An electric motor is often used as a discrete control element in a…

Feedforward Control

Textbook

“Feedforward” is a rather under-used control strategy…

Teaching Technical Practices (Labwork)

Textbook

Labwork is an essential part of any science-based curriculum. Here,…

Function Block Diagram (FBD) Programming

Textbook

(Will be addressed in future versions of this book)

Electrical Signal and Control Wiring

Textbook

There is much to be said for neatness of assembly in electrical signal…

Boiler Water Level Control System Example

Textbook

Steam boilers are very common in industry, principally because steam…

Design-based Fortifications

Textbook

A design-based fortification is one rooted in technical details of…

Valve Positioners

Textbook

The reason why a pneumatic control valve’s stem position…

Temperature Sensor Accessories

Textbook

One of the most important accessories for any temperature-sensing…

Transformer Basics and Principles of Operation

Textbook

The transformer is one of the most important components in all of AC…

Resistance, Reactance and Impedance

Textbook

Electrical Resistance Resistance (\(R\)) is the dissipative opposition…

Electromagnetism Basics

Textbook

The fundamental principle of electromagnetism is that an electric…

The Concept of Differentiation

Textbook

Suppose we wished to measure the rate of propane gas flow through a…

Fluid Mechanics

Textbook

A fluid is any substance having the ability to flow: to freely change…

Vibration Physics

Textbook

One very convenient feature of waves is that their properties are…

Measuring Electrical Conductivity

Textbook

The electrical conductivity of liquids is an important analytical…

The s Variable: Euler’s Relation and Phasor Expressions of Waveforms

Textbook

A powerful mathematical concept useful for analyzing practically any…

PID Control Terminology

Textbook

PID control can be a confusing concept to understand. Here, a brief…

Radiation Level Measurement

Textbook

Certain types of nuclear radiation easily penetrates the walls of…

Split-range Control

Textbook

There are many process control applications in the industry where it…

Understanding Area, Volume and Common Geometry

Textbook

Area refers to the size of two-dimensional surface. Volume refers to…

Instrument Turndown (Rangedown)

Textbook

An important performance parameter for transmitter instruments is…

Teaching Technical Theory

Textbook

Learning is not merely a process of information transfer. It is first…

Symbolic Versus Numerical Calculus

Textbook

Calculus has a reputation for being difficult to learn, and with good…

Electrical Sources and Electronic Load

Textbook

By definition, a source is a device delivering energy into a system,…

Analog to Digital Conversion and ADCs

Textbook

In order to provide an interface between the internal (digital) world…

Electronic Structure

Textbook

Earlier in this chapter you were shown a model of a nitrogen atom with…

Digital Representation of Text

Textbook

Binary patterns are not just able to represent numerical values. Given…

Logic Programming in PLCs

Textbook

Although it seems each model of PLC has its own idiosyncratic standard…

Teaching Technical Theory

Textbook

Learning is not merely a process of information transfer. It is first…

Ratio Control

Textbook

Most people reading this book have likely had the experience of…

Supervisory Control

Textbook

In a manually-controlled process, a human operator directly actuates…

Proportional-only Control

Textbook

Imagine a liquid-level control system for a vessel, where the position…

FOUNDATION Fieldbus Design Philosophy

Textbook

To understand just how different FOUNDATION Fieldbus is from other…

Vibration Physics

Textbook

One very convenient feature of waves is that their properties are…

Common Control Valve Problems

Textbook

Valves can experience a number of problems, most of them either…

DC Motor Speed Control

Textbook

DC electric motors generate torque by a reaction between two magnetic…

Ions in Liquid Solutions

Textbook

Many liquid substances undergo a process whereby their constituent…

FOUNDATION Fieldbus H1 Protocol Segment Troubleshooting

Textbook

Feedback obtained from industrial users of FF reveal a common pattern:…

Using Manometers for Measuring Pressure

Textbook

A very simple device used to measure pressure is the manometer: a…

P, I, and D Responses Graphed

Textbook

Visualizing the actions of P, I, and D tuning parameters using graphs…

Flow Measurement in Open Channels

Textbook

Measuring the flow rate of liquid through an open channel is not…

The HART Digital/Analog Hybrid Standard

Textbook

A technological advance introduced in the late 1980’s was HART,…

Electrical Sensors: Potential Transformers (PTs) and Current Transformers (CTs)

Textbook

The two “process variables” we rely on most heavily in the…

Learn Fundamental Principles, not Procedures

Textbook

“As to methods there may be a million and then some, but…

Digital Data Communication Theory

Textbook

One of the great benefits of digital technology is the ability to…

Electromagnetism Basics

Textbook

The fundamental principle of electromagnetism is that an electric…

AC Motor Speed Control

Textbook

AC induction motors are based on the principle of a rotating magnetic…

Insertion Flowmeters

Textbook

This section does not describe a particular type of flowmeter, but…