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All About The Legendary Stack Light

All About The Legendary Stack Light

The stack light has a simple but powerful purpose: to report the status of the equipment. Follow along as we take a deep dive into the venerable illuminated signal tower.


Methods of Precision Alignment: Mechanical, Laser, and Vibration Analysis

Methods of Precision Alignment: Mechanical, Laser, and Vibration Analysis

Alignment procedures for pulleys and shafts are a key to preventing costly breakdowns. An effective strategy pairs alignment with vibration analysis to both prevent and predict these downtime events.


Control.com Asks the Experts: Serious Questions About Fluid Valves

Control.com Asks the Experts: Serious Questions About Fluid Valves

After working with solenoid valves for many years, there are still a few questions: is AD or DC voltage better? Do we really need lubrication? I turned to an expert for some answers.


Managing and Configuring Switches for Secure SCADA Networks | Part 2

Managing and Configuring Switches for Secure SCADA Networks | Part 2

Learn about OT resilience strategies, including SSH, authentication, port blocking, and MAC address binding, methods that can be employed to protect network switches.


Advantages of Remote I/O Devices With Networking Technologies

Advantages of Remote I/O Devices With Networking Technologies

Networked remote I/O allows machine centers to operate while physically separated from the rest of the system, and often, the solution can drop right into place.


Should I Connect the Commons or Not? Power Supplies Across Systems

Should I Connect the Commons or Not? Power Supplies Across Systems

When dealing with two or more I/O systems, the subject of power supply commons will arise. Sometimes the solution is simple, but it can require creativity to find the best (and safest) solution.


Precision Alignment: The Key to Energy and Cost Reduction

Precision Alignment: The Key to Energy and Cost Reduction

Alignment is an often overlooked element in operations, leading to both energy efficiency and equipment longevity in rotating machinery.


Troubleshooting Linear Hydraulic Motion

Troubleshooting Linear Hydraulic Motion

Motion systems come in many forms. Hydraulic motion brings some unique problems, not seen in electric systems. This article will focus on how to recognize prominent failures quickly and correctly.


Advanced Boolean Logic with FBD PLC Programming

Advanced Boolean Logic with FBD PLC Programming

Learn about more advanced Boolean logic functions, including truth tables, Schmitt triggers, and multiplexers that can be implemented in a PLC function block programming environment.


Questions for the Experts: Industrial Firewalls

Questions for the Experts: Industrial Firewalls

I had some questions about firewalls for industrial networks, topics like selecting, configuring, and updating the software, so I turned to some experts for a little advice.


Factory I/O: A Modern PLC Simulation Tool to Learn the Fundamentals

Factory I/O: A Modern PLC Simulation Tool to Learn the Fundamentals

Finding a good PLC simulator can be challenging. Read an assessment of Factory I/O and learn how it works, how to get started, and how to use it in your automation learning journey.


Using FANUC’s EGD Protocol for Robot-to-Robot Communication

Using FANUC’s EGD Protocol for Robot-to-Robot Communication

Handshaking between robots can be handled in many ways, one of them being GE-FANUC’s protocol called “Ethernet Global Data,” or EGD. Learn how to set up EGD on a pair of FANUC robots.


Introduction to H-Bridges for Industrial Motor Control

Introduction to H-Bridges for Industrial Motor Control

H-bridge circuits are commonly used to provide current switching capabilities to different electrical components in automated systems like motor control circuits, VFDs, and DC/AC current conversions.


Applications for Single Pair Ethernet: Perspectives for Device Manufacturers

Applications for Single Pair Ethernet: Perspectives for Device Manufacturers

Learn how SPE and Power over Data Line are enabling advanced developments in industrial and building automation, robotics, processing, infrastructure, and energy.


Connecting Motion to a PLC: A Complete Project

Connecting Motion to a PLC: A Complete Project

In this article, we’ll connect a Festo CMMT to a Rockwell CompactLogix PLC, and as a bonus, we’ll add an HMI to provide some basic on/off and positional targeting controls.


A New Way to Pneumatic: Industrial Piezo Electric Valves

A New Way to Pneumatic: Industrial Piezo Electric Valves

The term "piezo" refers to a relationship between mechanical deformation and voltage–useful for some sensor processes. Recently, the concept has been employed to upgrade pneumatic valves.


Understanding the Derivative Term in PID Control

Understanding the Derivative Term in PID Control

We know that PID stands for proportional, integral, and derivative, but have you ever seen exactly how the derivative term affects the final output signal in a motion control system?


Remote Industry and the Growing Popularity of Cellular Systems

Remote Industry and the Growing Popularity of Cellular Systems

Previously reserved for personal and commercial deployments, learn how cellular IoT connectivity technologies are influencing industrial trends, organizations, and integrators.


What are Interposing Relays in Control Circuits?

What are Interposing Relays in Control Circuits?

An interposing relay is an interface between a control system and a higher power circuit to provide isolation or amplification of mismatched voltage and current from a control to a load circuit.


Avoiding SCADA Pitfalls: 3 Tips for Operational and Business Advantages

Avoiding SCADA Pitfalls: 3 Tips for Operational and Business Advantages

A well-designed SCADA system can reduce costs, increase throughput, and improve usability. Successful implementation requires consideration from both an operational and a business perspective.