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Types of Actuators: Comparing Pneumatic vs. Electric Actuators

Types of Actuators: Comparing Pneumatic vs. Electric Actuators

Actuators are used to control the motion of manufacturing devices and raw materials. This article will compare electric actuators and several types of fluid-power actuators.


Control System Process Data Archiving: Strategy and Methodology

Control System Process Data Archiving: Strategy and Methodology

Data stored in a historian server is useful for analysis and troubleshooting. Learn about data archiving techniques for control systems, as well as what type of data is stored and the tools to make it happen.


Arduino PLC IDE Tutorial 2: Analog I/O and External Devices

Arduino PLC IDE Tutorial 2: Analog I/O and External Devices

Previously, we described how to use the new Arduino PLC IDE to control discrete devices. This tutorial will describe how to connect various peripheral equipment (VFD and robot) using analog inputs and outputs.


 Reducing Downtime in Energy Management with Latest Industrial Gateways

Reducing Downtime in Energy Management with Latest Industrial Gateways

Moxa’s latest industrial gateways, the AIG-100 Series, aim to simplify remote data transfer between IIoT devices and are especially targeted for increasing communication efficiency in renewable energy systems.


News Jan 03, 2023 by Seth Price
Power Supplies: Understanding the Differences Between Linear and Switching

Power Supplies: Understanding the Differences Between Linear and Switching

Linear and switch-mode power supplies provide direct current to power control components and electrical devices. Learn about the differences between the two power supplies and which one is best for your control system.


Electronic Datasheet (EDS) Files: Why do We Use Them?

Electronic Datasheet (EDS) Files: Why do We Use Them?

Many control product manufacturers offer these downloadable ‘EDS files’ for peripheral equipment, but what exactly is an EDS, and how can they aid in the development of a project?


Teardown: What’s Inside a Timer Relay?

Teardown: What’s Inside a Timer Relay?

PLCs and microprocessors have largely replaced timing functions in control circuits. But these timer relays still hold many necessary tasks. What’s inside these devices might be more complex than you imagined!


How To: Use the Arduino PLC IDE to Build Basic Ladder Diagrams

How To: Use the Arduino PLC IDE to Build Basic Ladder Diagrams

Following the release of the official Arduino PLC IDE, this tutorial will introduce programming and understanding of the function blocks common to all IEC 61131 languages, starting with bit commands, timers, and counters.


Teardown: What’s Inside a 3-Phase Induction Motor?

Teardown: What’s Inside a 3-Phase Induction Motor?

Coil, field winding, rotor, stator, eddy current… When it comes to motors, there are numerous terms that describe the theory of operation, but what is inside a 3-phase motor? Take a look, and learn how they work.


Teardown: What’s Inside a Human-machine Interface (HMI)?

Teardown: What’s Inside a Human-machine Interface (HMI)?

Human-machine interfaces, or HMIs, provide visual process data and allow access to process parameters and diagnostics information. What’s inside these touchscreen displays, and how do they actually work?


PLC Program Commands: Arrays Part 4, Statistics and Sizing

PLC Program Commands: Arrays Part 4, Statistics and Sizing

Learn how to make complex calculations for validating data easily with the STD instruction, and learn how to display array sizes programmatically with the SIZE instruction.


A Dual-powered Protection Relay for Overcurrent and Earth Fault Protection

A Dual-powered Protection Relay for Overcurrent and Earth Fault Protection

Siemens introduces a new addition to the Reyrolle protection product line that is capable of being installed in remote locations with the ability of dual-power sources.


News Dec 08, 2022 by Shawn Dietrich
Teardown: What’s Inside a Pneumatic Solenoid Valve Bank?

Teardown: What’s Inside a Pneumatic Solenoid Valve Bank?

Air power drives a lot of modern equipment. Robot grippers, ejectors, actuators, and rotary tables are just a few of the devices controlled by air. What’s inside those banks of solenoid valves, and how do they work?


ABB Opens the Doors to its Robotics Mega Factory in Shanghai

ABB Opens the Doors to its Robotics Mega Factory in Shanghai

With the growing global robotics market, ABB seeks to capitalize on the growing demands by opening a "state-of-the-art" mega factory in Shanghai for manufacturing next-generation robots.


News Dec 07, 2022 by Seth Price
A Compact and Customizable Generator Circuit Breaker From Siemens

A Compact and Customizable Generator Circuit Breaker From Siemens

Siemens has released a compact, customizable circuit breaker for power generation plants. The circuit breaker is suitable for new installations or retrofits, thanks in part to the customizations available.


News Dec 06, 2022 by Shawn Dietrich
PLC Program Commands: Arrays Part 3, Searching and Sorting

PLC Program Commands: Arrays Part 3, Searching and Sorting

Learn how to streamline your ladder logic by searching and sorting arrays with the FSC and SRT instructions in the Rockwell (Allen-Bradley) Studio 5000 programming software.


Planning for the Future: Productivity, Security, and Automation

Planning for the Future: Productivity, Security, and Automation

Thought leadership from Rockwell Automation execs point to future trends and how to leverage technology and skills to increase productivity and the security of operational technology (OT).


News Dec 01, 2022 by David Peterson
Remote Ambient Air Monitoring with Cost and Size in Mind

Remote Ambient Air Monitoring with Cost and Size in Mind

Managing temperature and humidity is crucial to preventing damage in control cabinets and to manufacturing equipment. Banner has created the S15S sensor for use with cloud monitoring, giving manufacturers more efficient environmental control.


News Nov 29, 2022 by Damond Goodwin
Bridging the Gap Between Ethernet/IP and Modbus Protocols

Bridging the Gap Between Ethernet/IP and Modbus Protocols

Moxa has released new Modbus RTU/ASCII/TCP-to-EtherNet/IP gateways with easy configuration and troubleshooting to bridge the gap between Modbus and Ethernet protocols.


News Nov 24, 2022 by Damond Goodwin
Max Switching Currents Up To 40 A: CUI’s Expanded Power Relay Product Line

Max Switching Currents Up To 40 A: CUI’s Expanded Power Relay Product Line

CUI Devices has further expanded its power relay products. Suited for high-level current switching, the new line of power relays offers max switching currents from 5 A to 40 A.


News Nov 23, 2022 by Damond Goodwin