Synchronized motion has become an industry standard with robots, gantries, and pick and place automation. Follow along this three-part series as we discuss…
Synchronized motion has become an industry standard with robots, gantries, and pick and place automation. Follow along this three-part series as we discuss methods of synchronizing servo motors.
You’ve seen it a thousand times: 24 volts powering a device or representing a trigger signal, but what makes 24 VDC…
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?
Stacking items on a pallet seems a minor part of the manufacturing process, but it actually requires speed, precision,…
Stacking items on a pallet seems a minor part of the manufacturing process, but it actually requires speed, precision, and flexibility to relieve a heavy burden placed on employees.
Managing the climate inside a building is critical for both people and infrastructure. Managing the climate is the job of…
Managing the climate inside a building is critical for both people and infrastructure. Managing the climate is the job of HVAC control systems, but what’s inside an HVAC system, and how do they work?
Learn how to set up a VFD, from initial unboxing to configuring the network parameters necessary to drive some simple…
Learn how to set up a VFD, from initial unboxing to configuring the network parameters necessary to drive some simple motion from a PLC.
Alignment procedures for pulleys and shafts are a key to preventing costly breakdowns. An effective strategy pairs…
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.
Explore the art of automated palletizing and the different ways you can accelerate the packaging process using PLC and…
Explore the art of automated palletizing and the different ways you can accelerate the packaging process using PLC and robotic controls.
Servo drives interact with hardware axes, but there are many ways to configure the motion. I/O signals allow connections…
Servo drives interact with hardware axes, but there are many ways to configure the motion. I/O signals allow connections of sensors and switches for functions like homing and setting travel limits.
Learn how to use simple ladder logic and discrete outputs to control the e-Actuator series from SMC, an interesting…
Learn how to use simple ladder logic and discrete outputs to control the e-Actuator series from SMC, an interesting electric motion axis designed to operate with only simple discrete signal inputs.
What is the purpose of a variable frequency drive? How do they work? And why would we prefer using VFDs over basic motor…
What is the purpose of a variable frequency drive? How do they work? And why would we prefer using VFDs over basic motor starters for heavy loads?
Alignment is an often overlooked element in operations, leading to both energy efficiency and equipment longevity in…
Alignment is an often overlooked element in operations, leading to both energy efficiency and equipment longevity in rotating machinery.
Motion systems come in many forms. Hydraulic motion brings some unique problems, not seen in electric systems. This…
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.
Learn how electric actuators can replace fluid systems with SMC’s e-Actuator series, offering simple setup, clean…
Learn how electric actuators can replace fluid systems with SMC’s e-Actuator series, offering simple setup, clean operation, and accurate motion contro
In a few short video tutorials, Festo engineers show how fast and easy it can be to design electrical and fluid…
In a few short video tutorials, Festo engineers show how fast and easy it can be to design electrical and fluid automation systems using free online tools.
Take a step back and check out a bit of the history of motors in the mining industry, from driving compressed air to…
Take a step back and check out a bit of the history of motors in the mining industry, from driving compressed air to generating various DC and AC voltages for mineral transportation.
In this article, we continue our tutorial by designing a simple structured text motion program and downloading it to the…
In this article, we continue our tutorial by designing a simple structured text motion program and downloading it to the onboard PLC.
In this article, we’ll explore the SBD drive series from CMZ, including setting up the motor, scaling and testing the…
In this article, we’ll explore the SBD drive series from CMZ, including setting up the motor, scaling and testing the axis, before creating a simple motion program in the onboard PLC.
In this article, we will learn how to set up a Mitsubishi FX PLC to drive a FR-D700 3-phase VFD, including detailed…
In this article, we will learn how to set up a Mitsubishi FX PLC to drive a FR-D700 3-phase VFD, including detailed parameter settings, wiring, and HMI integration.
H-bridge circuits are commonly used to provide current switching capabilities to different electrical components in…
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.
In this article, we’ll connect a Festo CMMT to a Rockwell CompactLogix PLC, and as a bonus, we’ll add an HMI to…
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.