Latest Motors & Motion Controls Technical Articles

Industrial communication channels often contain terms such as ‘Modbus over RS485’ or ‘CIP Safety over Ethernet’.…

Industrial communication channels often contain terms such as ‘Modbus over RS485’ or ‘CIP Safety over Ethernet’. What does it mean to send one network over another, and how does it work to your advantage?

Total laboratory automation (TLA) helps in workforce utilization, reduced costs, and management of routine testing. Learn…

Total laboratory automation (TLA) helps in workforce utilization, reduced costs, and management of routine testing. Learn about what TLA is, its components, and what to consider before replacing a traditional laboratory.

Variable frequency drive units can be found inside tons of control cabinets, but what happens if you disassemble one to…

Variable frequency drive units can be found inside tons of control cabinets, but what happens if you disassemble one to see what’s inside and how it works? We did just that. The results might surprise you.

Connecting a new motor without knowing the phase rotation of the electrical supply can cause damage to expensive…

Connecting a new motor without knowing the phase rotation of the electrical supply can cause damage to expensive equipment. By using a 3-phase rotation meter, you can save yourself time and money.

With precise control abilities to manage speed, torque, and direction, variable frequency drives remain one of the most…

With precise control abilities to manage speed, torque, and direction, variable frequency drives remain one of the most common methods of driving 3-phase industrial motors. Below, we introduce a few leading VFD manufacturers.

Safety is one of the most critical aspects of machine design. Today, with network connections between different machines…

Safety is one of the most critical aspects of machine design. Today, with network connections between different machines and control centers, safety signals must be shared logically and reliably across networks.

Learn about proportional gain and proportional band, two key proportional control concepts, to better understand the most…

Learn about proportional gain and proportional band, two key proportional control concepts, to better understand the most popular control system method in industrial automation.

Fatigue failures in amorphous materials have long been a bit of a mystery in the engineering and scientific fields, but…

Fatigue failures in amorphous materials have long been a bit of a mystery in the engineering and scientific fields, but new research is removing some of the mystery and may open up new applications for amorphous materials.

Tracking the position of a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder is often accomplished at a basic precision level, detecting…

Tracking the position of a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder is often accomplished at a basic precision level, detecting only end stop limits with discrete digital values… But what methods accomplish this?

Programming languages often include sine and cosine functions. They simplify programming, but consume valuable memory…

Programming languages often include sine and cosine functions. They simplify programming, but consume valuable memory space and computation time. This can be overcome using simple approximations.

Explore the design of a servo pick and place sample case using B&R Automation Studio, from the project creation to the…

Explore the design of a servo pick and place sample case using B&R Automation Studio, from the project creation to the configuration of the controller, drives, and motion axes. 

An EOAT, located at the end of an industrial or collaborative robot arm, is entirely customizable with nearly unlimited…

An EOAT, located at the end of an industrial or collaborative robot arm, is entirely customizable with nearly unlimited possibilities. Learn about the five main methods of how EOATs are powered and the sensors that they use.

In this article, we will take a look at the differences between synchronous and induction motors, as well as the two…

In this article, we will take a look at the differences between synchronous and induction motors, as well as the two types of induction motors: squirrel cage and wound rotor.

B&R is a control system manufacturer less heard of than some of its bigger competitors, Rockwell and Siemens, however…

B&R is a control system manufacturer less heard of than some of its bigger competitors, Rockwell and Siemens, however their PLCs, lineup of motors, and product offerings with Automation Studio make B&R a leader in industrial innovation.

Any machine can become a source of elevated temperature, even under regular operation. We cannot assume that temperature…

Any machine can become a source of elevated temperature, even under regular operation. We cannot assume that temperature problems occur only based on climate conditions, and mitigation steps must be employed.

The diverse power terms in electrical generation systems include active, reactive, and apparent power, all of which lead…

The diverse power terms in electrical generation systems include active, reactive, and apparent power, all of which lead to the introduction of ‘power factor’ effectiveness in an AC circuit.

​​​​​​​Arduinos have been a staple in the community of makers, students, and project innovators for many…

​​​​​​​Arduinos have been a staple in the community of makers, students, and project innovators for many years. For many using Arduino’s IDE, there can be difficulties in translating between PLC ladder rungs and text programming.

The CTRL F3 series reviews field studies and failures in the field focused on control fails, fixes, and facts. This…

The CTRL F3 series reviews field studies and failures in the field focused on control fails, fixes, and facts. This article covers an explosion at an industrial sawmill.

Electrical signal analysis has come to the forefront of predictive maintenance, helping to reduce downtime in industrial…

Electrical signal analysis has come to the forefront of predictive maintenance, helping to reduce downtime in industrial manufacturing by remotely identifying problems with electric motors and generators.