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.
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.
Learn how to create programs that directly drive a Meca500 robot arm using a Siemens S7 PLC, including adding the…
Learn how to create programs that directly drive a Meca500 robot arm using a Siemens S7 PLC, including adding the hardware and using pre-built function blocks for STEP7 TIA Portal.
Although ‘HMI’ has become synonymous with a durable, rugged touchscreen measuring 7 to 21 inches and mounted in a…
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.
Get a first look at Bosch Rexroth’s ctrlX CORE, an industrial PC that unifies PLC, motion, and HMI through an app-based…
Get a first look at Bosch Rexroth’s ctrlX CORE, an industrial PC that unifies PLC, motion, and HMI through an app-based automation platform.
This guide shows you how to create a simple Inovance HMI project and connect it to a Mitsubishi PLC using serial and…
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.
Cam profiles are a great way of strictly controlling two servo axes to follow a predefined path. Follow along as we dive…
Cam profiles are a great way of strictly controlling two servo axes to follow a predefined path. Follow along as we dive into setting up and programming an electronic cam profile.
Synchronized motion has become an industry standard with robots, gantries, and pick and place automation. Follow along…
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.
A clear overview of industrial power supply types, specs, and design factors for building dependable control cabinet systems.
A clear overview of industrial power supply types, specs, and design factors for building dependable control cabinet systems.
Is it best to ‘controller scope’ or ‘program scope’ your tags? This is the question asked by many new PLC…
Is it best to ‘controller scope’ or ‘program scope’ your tags? This is the question asked by many new PLC programmers, and it often comes down to personal preference.
The stack light has a simple but powerful purpose: to report the status of the equipment. Follow along as we take a deep…
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.
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.
After working with solenoid valves for many years, there are still a few questions: is AD or DC voltage better? Do we…
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.
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.
Learn about OT resilience strategies, including SSH, authentication, port blocking, and MAC address binding, methods that…
Learn about OT resilience strategies, including SSH, authentication, port blocking, and MAC address binding, methods that can be employed to protect network switches.
Finding a good PLC simulator can be challenging. Read an assessment of Factory I/O and learn how it works, how to get…
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.
A well-designed SCADA system can reduce costs, increase throughput, and improve usability. Successful implementation…
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.
Unexpected, false, and fluctuating PLC input signals can cost many hours of debugging, but luckily, there are some quick,…
Unexpected, false, and fluctuating PLC input signals can cost many hours of debugging, but luckily, there are some quick, simple tricks to try before downtime is wasted.
A common field-level protocol for automation is ASi or AS-interface–a method used to convey actuator and sensor data…
A common field-level protocol for automation is ASi or AS-interface–a method used to convey actuator and sensor data and commands between I/O devices and the PLC control system level.
Using an Arduino Opta PLC, a few off-the-shelf electrical components, and the popular OpenPLC software environment,…
Using an Arduino Opta PLC, a few off-the-shelf electrical components, and the popular OpenPLC software environment, automation control concepts can be built on your own test bench.
IO-Link devices can be inputs or outputs, and often a mix of both. In this article, learn how to interpret datasheets…
IO-Link devices can be inputs or outputs, and often a mix of both. In this article, learn how to interpret datasheets that list the indexes and purpose of the bytes to read and write process data.
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