Latest Power Articles

As summer heat continues to scorch the northern hemisphere, manufacturers face potential equipment damage and downtime.…

As summer heat continues to scorch the northern hemisphere, manufacturers face potential equipment damage and downtime. Learn about the ways extreme heat can damage automated equipment and systems. 

Today’s digital multimeters (DMMs) are inexpensive, accurate, and easy to use, but sometimes a problem with the circuit…

Today’s digital multimeters (DMMs) are inexpensive, accurate, and easy to use, but sometimes a problem with the circuit or the measurement can cause incorrect readings. Learn to interpret and fix these problems.

Learn about power side and ground side switching and how designing these circuits to have predictable failures from the…

Learn about power side and ground side switching and how designing these circuits to have predictable failures from the beginning helps in system maintenance and troubleshooting.

The CTRL F3 series reviews field studies and failures in the field focused on control fails, fixes, and facts. This…

The CTRL F3 series reviews field studies and failures in the field focused on control fails, fixes, and facts. This article covers an explosion at an industrial sawmill.

DC voltage systems exist to provide controllers and field devices with stable power, but it is not always clear when…

DC voltage systems exist to provide controllers and field devices with stable power, but it is not always clear when these systems should be bonded with the earth ground of the AC line voltage supply.

LiDAR and SLAM enable AMRs and drones to effectively navigate dynamic industrial environments. The right selection of…

LiDAR and SLAM enable AMRs and drones to effectively navigate dynamic industrial environments. The right selection of high-power laser diodes is critical for accurate performance of LiDAR/SLAM systems

Welcome to Control Automation Day 2022—Control.com’s digital-only event for engineers! Here is your guide to…

Welcome to Control Automation Day 2022—Control.com’s digital-only event for engineers! Here is your guide to navigating the keynote addresses, live educational sessions, and exciting giveaways from your favorite manufacturers!

Schaffner introduces its newest electromagnetic compatibility filters for data centers and robotic-automation sectors,…

Schaffner introduces its newest electromagnetic compatibility filters for data centers and robotic-automation sectors, allowing for different connection options and saving on space with a 1U rack-mount design.

Control engineering is integrally woven together with electricity and electrical circuits. Even so, sometimes the most…

Control engineering is integrally woven together with electricity and electrical circuits. Even so, sometimes the most basic scenarios become misunderstood through lack of training or experience.

Power supplies tend to get a reputation as one of the most important power considerations of a DC control circuit - but…

Power supplies tend to get a reputation as one of the most important power considerations of a DC control circuit - but we can’t ignore other key players: power filters, converters, and backup power modules.

SMC announces a new electric actuator series with high-rigidity guide rods, equipped with a battery-less encoder, driven…

SMC announces a new electric actuator series with high-rigidity guide rods, equipped with a battery-less encoder, driven by stepper motor and matching drive compatible with multiple networks.

Control Automation Day 2022 will be on June 21st, focusing on PLC systems, packed with keynote addresses, educational…

Control Automation Day 2022 will be on June 21st, focusing on PLC systems, packed with keynote addresses, educational live sessions, and exciting giveaways from your favorite manufacturers!

In honor of May the 4th, Star Wars Day, we compare the sources and applications of the two most common force-delivery…

In honor of May the 4th, Star Wars Day, we compare the sources and applications of the two most common force-delivery systems - mechanical and hydraulic.

Large DC and AC motor drives often provide terminals for installing a braking resistor. What are these resistors, and how…

Large DC and AC motor drives often provide terminals for installing a braking resistor. What are these resistors, and how do they slow down a machine? What hazards and cautions must be considered?

Beckhoff Automation is advancing the concept of reducing cabinet space and lowering construction time with their recently…

Beckhoff Automation is advancing the concept of reducing cabinet space and lowering construction time with their recently announced MX-System.

Redundancy and safety are often seen together in industrial safety systems. Safety relays monitor emergency devices to…

Redundancy and safety are often seen together in industrial safety systems. Safety relays monitor emergency devices to switch contacts based on status - but what makes them different from normal relays?

AC motors are common throughout industry - easily controlled by VFDs and without the maintenance that comes with DC…

AC motors are common throughout industry - easily controlled by VFDs and without the maintenance that comes with DC brushes. So then, why are DC motors still used in certain applications?

Power delivered to devices can be changed by raising or lowering the voltage and current. But this method does not always…

Power delivered to devices can be changed by raising or lowering the voltage and current. But this method does not always produce intended results. Pulse width modulation (or PWM) can be used to better control variable loads.

The window is closing for submissions to a funding competition - robotics, machine vision, and AI innovations are taking…

The window is closing for submissions to a funding competition - robotics, machine vision, and AI innovations are taking the center stage for a chance at winning $10,000. Are you ready?