Latest Utilities Articles

The United States Department of Commerce has appointed 27 new members to the National AI Advisory Committee (NAIAC).

The United States Department of Commerce has appointed 27 new members to the National AI Advisory Committee (NAIAC).

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?

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?

This article covers the prominent IEC 60870 standard for SCADA in electrical power systems, as well as background…

This article covers the prominent IEC 60870 standard for SCADA in electrical power systems, as well as background information on the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the publishing organization.

With the increasing appearance of “web-based” HMIs, we investigate these devices, learn how they differ from the…

With the increasing appearance of “web-based” HMIs, we investigate these devices, learn how they differ from the graphical HMIs, and see implications for our modern control system architecture.

Commander S series of variable frequency drives from Control Techniques enables parameter upload and download as well as…

Commander S series of variable frequency drives from Control Techniques enables parameter upload and download as well as performance monitoring through secure NFC, app-based communication.

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?

The objective of predictive maintenance is to foresee potential machine failure with the help of machine learning…

The objective of predictive maintenance is to foresee potential machine failure with the help of machine learning algorithms provided with vast quantities of data.

Labels are such a small detail in the world of robotics and automation, they are often given very little attention.…

Labels are such a small detail in the world of robotics and automation, they are often given very little attention. However, they play a vital role in proper system function - from installation to troubleshooting.

Inductive loads, such as solenoids and contactors, can cause arcs and failures back into electromechanical switching…

Inductive loads, such as solenoids and contactors, can cause arcs and failures back into electromechanical switching devices, causing costly downtime. The solution is cheaper than you think.

Moisture inside industrial pneumatic systems is a major cause for concern, and if the air is not filtered or dried…

Moisture inside industrial pneumatic systems is a major cause for concern, and if the air is not filtered or dried properly, it can lead to serious failures.

Failures of I/O systems are a common source of headache for control engineers. Troubleshooting those devices that have…

Failures of I/O systems are a common source of headache for control engineers. Troubleshooting those devices that have polarized connections (source vs sink, and NPN vs PNP) is a technique worth refining.

Autonomous underwater vehicles were used to find Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance, which sank on an exploration mission…

Autonomous underwater vehicles were used to find Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance, which sank on an exploration mission over a century ago into the freezing depths of the Weddell Sea in Antarctica.

The fourth pillar of effective statistical process control (SPC) is the use of designed experiments used to learn as much…

The fourth pillar of effective statistical process control (SPC) is the use of designed experiments used to learn as much as possible from a limited number of experiments, yet remain statistically relevant enough to be useful.

Women in engineering including those in aerospace and manufacturing fields both past and present have been paving the way…

Women in engineering including those in aerospace and manufacturing fields both past and present have been paving the way to industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing operations today.

Phoenix Contact’s new CAPAROC system of low-voltage circuit breakers provides remote reset functions as well as…

Phoenix Contact’s new CAPAROC system of low-voltage circuit breakers provides remote reset functions as well as discrete and networked access to branch circuit data for rapid troubleshooting.

Analog and digital multimeters have both enjoyed popularity in different generations of electrical systems. What is…

Analog and digital multimeters have both enjoyed popularity in different generations of electrical systems. What is unique about the analog meters, and in what situations might they be preferred over their digital counterparts?

Gecko Robotics recently received $73 million in Series C funding to design solutions aimed at protecting critical…

Gecko Robotics recently received $73 million in Series C funding to design solutions aimed at protecting critical infrastructure systems.

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?