Latest Distributed I/O Technical Articles

There are a few options when it comes to tracking part data throughout a process or assembly of a machine. Follow along…

There are a few options when it comes to tracking part data throughout a process or assembly of a machine. Follow along as we explain just a few of the more common methods.

I/O mapping is the process of converting raw input and output data into specific tags, but how can we find a method for…

I/O mapping is the process of converting raw input and output data into specific tags, but how can we find a method for mapping I/O that is both efficient and scalable?

Controlling and optimizing plant processes is the goal of most control systems. It can be a challenge to distinguish…

Controlling and optimizing plant processes is the goal of most control systems. It can be a challenge to distinguish between different types of control: a DCS or a high-level SCADA system?

Learn how to use analog I/O devices with AutomationDirect’s Productivity series of PLCs and Productivity Suite…

Learn how to use analog I/O devices with AutomationDirect’s Productivity series of PLCs and Productivity Suite software. Wiring, configuring I/O, and programming will be a part of this tutorial.

Learn how to measure temperature using an RTD and a temperature transmitter to convert resistance into common analog…

Learn how to measure temperature using an RTD and a temperature transmitter to convert resistance into common analog voltage or current values for process control.

Creating custom alarm systems can be complicated and overwhelming, but they can also be very beneficial for equipment…

Creating custom alarm systems can be complicated and overwhelming, but they can also be very beneficial for equipment builders and integrators. Follow along as we build a custom alarm handling system.

Using a Raspberry Pi and the OpenPLC software platform, create a simple PLC that can be programmed in ladder diagrams…

Using a Raspberry Pi and the OpenPLC software platform, create a simple PLC that can be programmed in ladder diagrams with remote access and I/O monitoring dashboards.

Have you ever heard of a relay? Of course you have. There are many different kinds, plus hundreds of different trade…

Have you ever heard of a relay? Of course you have. There are many different kinds, plus hundreds of different trade lingo names. What are some of the most common, and how do we use them?

Storing data long-term for recording and reporting purposes is the job of the utility data warehouse, quite different…

Storing data long-term for recording and reporting purposes is the job of the utility data warehouse, quite different from data-collection processes that optimize systems and predict failures.

A complete diagram for wiring nearly any kind of discrete I/O module, including digital, AC, or relay, including both…

A complete diagram for wiring nearly any kind of discrete I/O module, including digital, AC, or relay, including both sourcing and sinking varieties.

We conclude the data flow project with the step of developing a business intelligence dashboard to present machine data,…

We conclude the data flow project with the step of developing a business intelligence dashboard to present machine data, at a reliable schedule, to a leadership or maintenance team.

It’s important to consider your PLC tag naming convention when using different styles. Learn when and why you might…

It’s important to consider your PLC tag naming convention when using different styles. Learn when and why you might even use more than one, depending on the circumstances and scope of your project.

We begin to wrap up our data flow project with an introduction to visual-based (GUI) tools and dashboards to present the…

We begin to wrap up our data flow project with an introduction to visual-based (GUI) tools and dashboards to present the data ingested from the Google Sheets fault data source.

Rockwell Automation’s Allen-Bradley control hardware catalog has long included many series that start with 17xx, but…

Rockwell Automation’s Allen-Bradley control hardware catalog has long included many series that start with 17xx, but what are these lineups, and what function do they serve?

A flasher can easily be implemented using interlocking timers in a PLC environment on an Arduino Uno using OpenPLC,…

A flasher can easily be implemented using interlocking timers in a PLC environment on an Arduino Uno using OpenPLC, UiFlow Blockly Code, and a programmable HMI-based LCD unit.

In this article, we will explore the inbound integration to the mage.ai pipeline, connecting to the spreadsheet data…

In this article, we will explore the inbound integration to the mage.ai pipeline, connecting to the spreadsheet data source using the Google Sheets API through a JSON credentials file.

When inputs or outputs stop working, the equipment fails to respond and money starts slipping away. Dive into the concept…

When inputs or outputs stop working, the equipment fails to respond and money starts slipping away. Dive into the concept of troubleshooting I/O without ever opening the PLC software.

Learn to develop an actual IoT solution end to end. Create a Mosquitto MQTT broker for the Raspberry Pi client in order…

Learn to develop an actual IoT solution end to end. Create a Mosquitto MQTT broker for the Raspberry Pi client in order to connect and publish Sense HAT sensor data.

Learn to develop an actual IoT solution end to end. This second article explains configuration files, testing the edge…

Learn to develop an actual IoT solution end to end. This second article explains configuration files, testing the edge device publisher script, and viewing the payload using a sandbox subscriber script.