Latest PLCs & PACs Articles

Embedded, modular, panel mount, distributed, machine mount, and remote, oh my! What does it all mean, and how are you…

Embedded, modular, panel mount, distributed, machine mount, and remote, oh my! What does it all mean, and how are you supposed to know which one to choose for your application?

If your facility or workplace uses a PLC, it’s almost certainly because it must interface with physical input and…

If your facility or workplace uses a PLC, it’s almost certainly because it must interface with physical input and output devices. What kinds of I/O modules exist, and how can you tell the difference?

Copia Automation has expanded its list of supported automation software for its popular DeviceLink platform, which…

Copia Automation has expanded its list of supported automation software for its popular DeviceLink platform, which monitors factory automation software in real time for code changes and backups.

The quality of our educational content comes from truly understanding our audience. We need your help to give us the best…

The quality of our educational content comes from truly understanding our audience. We need your help to give us the best snapshot of today’s industry, plus a chance to win Amazon gift card prizes!

Yokogawa has added open technology and OPC UA offerings to the OpreX platform, enabling enhanced management, operation,…

Yokogawa has added open technology and OPC UA offerings to the OpreX platform, enabling enhanced management, operation, and control technologies to improve efficiency, safety, and plant operations.

Learn all about the power supply: modular and built-in devices that deliver electricity to the PLC backplane and modules,…

Learn all about the power supply: modular and built-in devices that deliver electricity to the PLC backplane and modules, and learn the difference between control and field device power delivery.

Red Lion has expanded its Sixnet Series of VersaTRAK MIPM industrial remote terminal units (RTUs) with two new devices…

Red Lion has expanded its Sixnet Series of VersaTRAK MIPM industrial remote terminal units (RTUs) with two new devices suitable for rugged environments in process applications.

One of the smallest PLCs on the market, the Millenium Slim by Crouzet, can handle advanced functions with a wireless…

One of the smallest PLCs on the market, the Millenium Slim by Crouzet, can handle advanced functions with a wireless interface and function block (FBD) style IEC 61131 programming.

Some devices, like switches, are non-polar; you can connect them in either direction. What makes diodes so special, and…

Some devices, like switches, are non-polar; you can connect them in either direction. What makes diodes so special, and how can you tell the right way from the wrong way?

Emerson adds WirelessHART capability to the Rosemount I/O device catalog with an 8-channel transmitter to remotely…

Emerson adds WirelessHART capability to the Rosemount I/O device catalog with an 8-channel transmitter to remotely monitor conditions and control outputs like motors, pumps, and valves.

Besides using a Raspberry Pi or an Arduino Uno, a low-cost PLC can be built using the popular ESP32 microcontroller. The…

Besides using a Raspberry Pi or an Arduino Uno, a low-cost PLC can be built using the popular ESP32 microcontroller. The OpenPLC software supports this popular 32-bit platform.

Ladder logic is an industrial control systems legend stemming from electrical line diagrams before the days of PLCs.…

Ladder logic is an industrial control systems legend stemming from electrical line diagrams before the days of PLCs. Although logical, they are difficult to interpret.

Remote control is a risky business for industrial automation, but the ability to remotely monitor, asses failures, and…

Remote control is a risky business for industrial automation, but the ability to remotely monitor, asses failures, and clear faults has been expanded from robotics to PLC systems by Olis Robotics.

Koidra and Nature Fresh Farms have established a trial partnership to test a new way of farming greenhouse environments…

Koidra and Nature Fresh Farms have established a trial partnership to test a new way of farming greenhouse environments using Koidra's AI-powered automation technologies.

In any process industry, transducers are the basic instrumentation unit for continuous monitoring of system variables…

In any process industry, transducers are the basic instrumentation unit for continuous monitoring of system variables that provide inputs for control system algorithms and outputs.

Endress+Hauser's six-decade-old production facility is being updated to meet modern production demands. The modernized…

Endress+Hauser's six-decade-old production facility is being updated to meet modern production demands. The modernized facility is part of the company's Campus 2030+ project focused on sustainability.

Ladder logic is an industrial control systems legend stemming from electrical line diagrams before the days of PLCs.…

Ladder logic is an industrial control systems legend stemming from electrical line diagrams before the days of PLCs. Although logical, they are difficult to interpret.

Scalability, network compatibility, and hot-swappable connections make data acquisition and process control…

Scalability, network compatibility, and hot-swappable connections make data acquisition and process control straightforward with the new modular expansion I/O units from Autonics.

To foster the next generation of skilled labor in advanced manufacturing and industrial automation, FANUC has established…

To foster the next generation of skilled labor in advanced manufacturing and industrial automation, FANUC has established a $1 million endowed scholarship fund in partnership with the SME Education Foundation.