Latest Distributed I/O Technical Articles

Showcase, manufacturing, repair, and research: Join Control.com for a recap of our team’s recent visit to the US HQ of…

Showcase, manufacturing, repair, and research: Join Control.com for a recap of our team’s recent visit to the US HQ of Mitsubishi Electric Automation, and see where the magic happens.

Learn the difference between common and individually isolated PLC I/O modules; how do we know when isolation might be…

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?

Working with data is no simple task. It requires a solid understanding of how to acquire the data, process it, and then…

Working with data is no simple task. It requires a solid understanding of how to acquire the data, process it, and then use it to deliver tangible benefits to the operation and the company.

A practical, experience-driven guide to designing and wiring electrical cabinets for machine-tending robotic cells.

A practical, experience-driven guide to designing and wiring electrical cabinets for machine-tending robotic cells.

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.

Networked remote I/O allows machine centers to operate while physically separated from the rest of the system, and often,…

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.

When dealing with two or more I/O systems, the subject of power supply commons will arise. Sometimes the solution is…

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.

IO-Link technology keeps improving, and with the recent introduction of Safe IO-Link, the automation world is going to…

IO-Link technology keeps improving, and with the recent introduction of Safe IO-Link, the automation world is going to get a whole lot more modular.

IO-Link has established itself as a reliable field network that’s constantly evolving with new generations of devices.…

IO-Link has established itself as a reliable field network that’s constantly evolving with new generations of devices. Learn how to configure logic directly on the IO-Link master.

Power and control interruptions are, at best, problematic. In some applications, it’s catastrophic. Learn about…

Power and control interruptions are, at best, problematic. In some applications, it’s catastrophic. Learn about redundancy for the system, power supplies, control devices, and network topologies.

The OPC UA protocol is designed to solve two problems in automation: interoperability between device vendors and…

The OPC UA protocol is designed to solve two problems in automation: interoperability between device vendors and independence from incompatible transport layer differences.

Embedded, modular, panel mount, distributed, machine mount, and remote, oh my! What does it all mean, and how are you…

Embedded, modular, panel mount, distributed, machine mount, and remote, oh my! What does it all mean, and how are you supposed to know which one to choose for your application?

Learn all about the power supply: modular and built-in devices that deliver electricity to the PLC backplane and modules,…

Learn all about the power supply: modular and built-in devices that deliver electricity to the PLC backplane and modules, and learn the difference between control and field device power delivery.

In any process industry, transducers are the basic instrumentation unit for continuous monitoring of system variables…

In any process industry, transducers are the basic instrumentation unit for continuous monitoring of system variables that provide inputs for control system algorithms and outputs.

Logic is critical for industrial control, and it usually looks like ladders, function blocks, or structured text. I/O…

Logic is critical for industrial control, and it usually looks like ladders, function blocks, or structured text. I/O controllers are designed to automate simple logic tasks and data functions.

Learn how to connect analog inputs, either voltage or current, to the Phoenix Contact’s IIoT PLC platform and design…

Learn how to connect analog inputs, either voltage or current, to the Phoenix Contact’s IIoT PLC platform and design simple data processing programs with the PLCnext Engineer IDE.

Learn how to get started with Phoenix Contact’s PLCnext and Engineer software, a platform that ultimately provides a…

Learn how to get started with Phoenix Contact’s PLCnext and Engineer software, a platform that ultimately provides a PLC environment for plant control as well as an OS for more advanced IIoT projects.

Sensor networks with built-in logic functions can save cost and program execution speed, but what are those various logic…

Sensor networks with built-in logic functions can save cost and program execution speed, but what are those various logic functions, and when might they be preferred over normal PLC ladder logic?

Every automated cell requires a ‘brain’ in order to achieve the required tasks. How do you determine the necessary…

Every automated cell requires a ‘brain’ in order to achieve the required tasks. How do you determine the necessary I/O, communication protocols, and processor necessary for controlling your system?