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Applying Fail-Safe Solutions to Protect Motor Control Systems

Applying Fail-Safe Solutions to Protect Motor Control Systems

Part 2 of a 2-part series. A practical look at how normally closed (NC) power contacts and feedback can drive loads toward a defined safe state under real‑world faults.


Fail‑Safe Motor Circuits: When Loss of Power Moves You Toward Safety

Fail‑Safe Motor Circuits: When Loss of Power Moves You Toward Safety

Part 1 of a 2-part series. A practical look at the failures that plague motor drive systems, even those that are rated to be fail-safe.


Industrial Motor Health Tips | Modern Maintenance Solutions

Industrial Motor Health Tips | Modern Maintenance Solutions

Learn a few tips and solutions to promote long-lasting electric motor health, explaining why some maintenance practices are a better fit for certain devices and situations.


The Spectrum Between Human and Machine: The Industrial HMI

The Spectrum Between Human and Machine: The Industrial HMI

Although ‘HMI’ has become synonymous with a durable, rugged touchscreen measuring 7 to 21 inches and mounted in a control cabinet door, the reality of the interface extends far beyond this device.


Using 2NO/2NC Contacts to Make Motor Starters More Fail‑Safe

Using 2NO/2NC Contacts to Make Motor Starters More Fail‑Safe

A practical look at how 2NO/2NC contactors and auxiliary contacts can clean up command, feedback, and fault logic in motor circuits.


Mitsubishi PLC to VFD Control: RS-485 Communication

Mitsubishi PLC to VFD Control: RS-485 Communication

This guide shows you how to set up RS-485 communication between the FX3U PLC and the FR-D700 inverter with the FX3U-485-BD. You can control speed and monitor the system using ladder logic.


The 100,000-Hour Myth: Decoding Industrial LED Life Cycles

The 100,000-Hour Myth: Decoding Industrial LED Life Cycles

Why do "forever" LEDs fail? A technical guide on L70 standards, multi-voltage IC drivers, and a comparison of industry-leading LED manufacturers.


Data Centers, AI, and the New Control Playbook: Weidmüller’s Perspective

Data Centers, AI, and the New Control Playbook: Weidmüller’s Perspective

Control.com chats with Weidmüller to get some insights about data center automation, learning about security, environmental impacts, regulations, and more.


Methods of Controlling Motor Speed With a VFD

Methods of Controlling Motor Speed With a VFD

Motor speed control can be a tricky process, due to the variety of options. In a VFD, speed can be controlled using fixed values, digital or analog signals, or communication networks.


Explaining the Tech: Common vs. Isolated PLC I/O Modules

Explaining the Tech: Common vs. Isolated PLC I/O Modules

Learn the difference between common and individually isolated PLC I/O modules; how do we know when isolation might be helpful or required for outputs, inputs, and analog signals?


DC Bus Fundamentals in Industrial Motor Drives

DC Bus Fundamentals in Industrial Motor Drives

Learn about precharge circuits, inrush current, and understand why VFD and servo drives may trip during power-up.


How Combustible Dust Hazards Affect Automated Process Control

How Combustible Dust Hazards Affect Automated Process Control

Learn how to integrate fail-safe logic and explosion-proof design to keep your processes running safely and smoothly.


Obtaining System Values in a PLC

Obtaining System Values in a PLC

It’s easy to obtain I/O values for local and remote modules and network nodes. But what about system data that’s built into the PLC? How can we access and use that information?


Analog vs. Fieldbus Systems | Comparisons and Advantages

Analog vs. Fieldbus Systems | Comparisons and Advantages

Learn about electrical signalling systems for process control. What advantages may be provided by choosing analog systems vs. advanced modern fieldbus protocols?


MQTT vs. OPC UA: Protocols From an OEM Perspective

MQTT vs. OPC UA: Protocols From an OEM Perspective

MQTT and OPC UA are very different, but they accomplish essentially the same thing: push data from one device to another. Which method to use relies on understanding how each process is accomplished.


Tutorial: Setting up an Inovance HMI With A Mitsubishi PLC

Tutorial: Setting up an Inovance HMI With A Mitsubishi PLC

This guide shows you how to create a simple Inovance HMI project and connect it to a Mitsubishi PLC using serial and Ethernet methods, including practical setup steps and common mistakes to avoid.


Operator Actions and Interventions In Functional Safety

Operator Actions and Interventions In Functional Safety

Learn how to assess risks and determine SIL by understanding operator actions as initiating events, independent protection layers, or a part of the safety instrumented function loop.


Set Up For Success | Scheduling Tasks in PLC Programs

Set Up For Success | Scheduling Tasks in PLC Programs

When setting up a new program in a Rockwell PLC, task scheduling is an important and often overlooked issue where errors appear as inconsistencies, often incorrectly attributed to random faults.


Introduction to Common Network Protocols in Industrial Automation

Introduction to Common Network Protocols in Industrial Automation

This article provides an overview of the OSI models, IT/OT industrial protocols, and key applications behind the networking capabilities that drive modern industrial and process automation systems.


Automation Questions: Why Do We Choose Certain Control Voltages?

Automation Questions: Why Do We Choose Certain Control Voltages?

You’ve seen it a thousand times: 24 volts powering a device or representing a trigger signal, but what makes 24 VDC such a versatile voltage, and what about the other voltages in control cabinets?