Latest Control Systems & HMIs Technical Articles

Categories

Securing SCADA Systems from Cyber Attacks

Learn about the many ways cyber-attacks threaten SCADA systems, and what can be done to keep manufacturing and utility plants protected.

July 01, 2020 by Anish Devasia

Digital Twinning and its Use in SCADA Systems

Learn all about Digital Twinning, and how this new technique can change the way we do a number of industrial operations!

June 28, 2020 by Anish Devasia

Replacing Advanced Process Automation Control System (APACS) with Controllogix

A synopsis of a recent control system replacement on replacing APACS with Controllogix.

June 26, 2020 by Dennis Lynch

How Thermal Imaging Can Help Keep Systems Safe

This article looks at thermal imaging equipment and discusses the advantages and applications of thermal imaging in a variety of control systems.

June 22, 2020 by Muhammad Asim Niazi

What is Redundancy in Control Systems?

Learn about redundancy and why it's an important part of protecting control systems and a key part of avoiding costly system failures and malfunctions.

June 17, 2020 by Muhammad Asim Niazi

How is Industrial Machine Vision Transforming the Industry?

Liquid lens and multi-spectral lighting solutions are advancing the manufacturer’s production lines.

June 17, 2020 by Jeff Kerns

Understanding Floating Point Numbers in PLC Programming

There are three main types of values that must be handled by a PLC: boolean, integers, and floating-point numbers. These last floating-point values can create the most confusion for programmers and technicians.

June 15, 2020 by David Peterson

An Introduction to Gray Code for Encoders

This article introduces Gray code, a specialized binary arrangement necessary for absolute encoders to communicate with controllers.

June 10, 2020 by David Peterson

Advanced Control Techniques for Collaborative Manipulators

Learn all about the collaborative robots (cobots) that work alongside humans and the many advanced strategies put in place so they can function efficiently and safely in industrial settings.

June 09, 2020 by Akshay Kumar

Designing and Planning Control System Retrofits

This article discusses the designing and planning of control system retrofits.

June 05, 2020 by Dennis Lynch

SCADA System Usage in the Daily Life of an Engineer

Learn how one engineer's real-world experience showed him the importance and power of SCADA systems for control automation.

May 31, 2020 by Anish Devasia

How to Use a Multimeter to Measure Current

This article will examine and discuss how to measure current with a multimeter, using the standard in-line current measuring method.

May 26, 2020 by David Peterson

How to Measure AC Voltage With a Multimeter

Simple voltage measurements from a multimeter are the most frequently used function in these tools. Some of them are more difficult to understand than others, and this is definitely the case when comparing AC to DC voltage.

May 19, 2020 by David Peterson

The Importance of Multimeters

The voltmeter, or more often the multimeter, is an incredible tool, capable of troubleshooting nearly every electrical system and fault in existence.

May 08, 2020 by David Peterson

An Introduction to Key Algorithms Used in SLAM

The use of algorithms is essential in order to get simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) to work successfully. This article introduces some of the main algorithms used, both common and state-of-the-art.

May 06, 2020 by Akshay Kumar

Utilizing Mapping and Localization in SLAM for Robotics

Mapping and localization are the highly-intertwined building blocks of SLAM and have several different implementations with varying performance and sensor requirements. Learn about them in this article.

May 04, 2020 by Akshay Kumar

A Look Into Rotary Encoder Types: Absolute and Incremental

This article looks at rotary encoders, covering the main types, introducing their characteristics, and introducing their key applications in control systems.

April 28, 2020 by Muhammad Asim Niazi

What’s Really Driving Digital Transformation?

This article discusses some trends in digital transformation in manufacturing, specifically matching real-world data with resources and gaining control in an ever-changing world.

April 28, 2020 by Jeff Kerns

Grounding for Control Transformers

Grounding connections to a transformer presents its own set of challenges. This article addresses these challenges and several common configurations for grounding control transformers.

April 25, 2020 by David Peterson

Fundamentals of Grounding in Automation Control Systems

The subject of grounding in electronics is broad and complex, spanning across a variety of functions and objectives. In this article, we will investigate on a fundamental level the applications and regulation of grounding in automation control systems.

April 20, 2020 by David Peterson