Many sensors, like prox, optical, and ultrasonic, are familiar to control engineers. More and more modern devices are incorporating advanced motion profiles…
Many sensors, like prox, optical, and ultrasonic, are familiar to control engineers. More and more modern devices are incorporating advanced motion profiles requiring motion sensing in many axes.
Complete wiring guide for 3-phase motor starters with and without overload (OL) relays.
Complete wiring guide for 3-phase motor starters with and without overload (OL) relays.
This article investigates the basic qualities that make up a safety PLC, what distinguishes a safety PLC from a standard…
This article investigates the basic qualities that make up a safety PLC, what distinguishes a safety PLC from a standard model, and the reasons for which a safety PLC may be critical.
In order to trace control system problems to the core, the ability to read and interpret various resources, from…
In order to trace control system problems to the core, the ability to read and interpret various resources, from facility-level diagrams to machine-level wiring layouts, is critical.
Converting different numbering systems is quite common in PLCs and structured text codes. Why? Because people read…
Converting different numbering systems is quite common in PLCs and structured text codes. Why? Because people read decimals. Computers read binary. Processors read sets of bits. Not so simple.
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.
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.
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.
Machine downtime can be very stressful for everybody involved. Next time you face a challenging system failure, try some…
Machine downtime can be very stressful for everybody involved. Next time you face a challenging system failure, try some of these LED troubleshooting techniques to reduce stress.
Power systems rely on meaningful data, as do most other processes. Within SCADA environments, individual data points are…
Power systems rely on meaningful data, as do most other processes. Within SCADA environments, individual data points are tracked, compared to limits, and evaluated to obtain current readings.
Rebooting industrial controllers and computers incurs costs, not only from the downtime but also from cascading effects…
Rebooting industrial controllers and computers incurs costs, not only from the downtime but also from cascading effects of communication with up/downstream controllers. How can this downtime be managed?
Innovation has a single purpose: to create better solutions, meaning more efficient output with faster development and…
Innovation has a single purpose: to create better solutions, meaning more efficient output with faster development and troubleshooting. It starts with the strategies used to program machines.
A PLC can be placed in Run or Stop, or occasionally Program mode, usually through physical or virtual methods. But what…
A PLC can be placed in Run or Stop, or occasionally Program mode, usually through physical or virtual methods. But what do these modes mean, and when should they be used?
If you’re working collaboratively with teams in a corporate industrial setting and require a version control system for…
If you’re working collaboratively with teams in a corporate industrial setting and require a version control system for critical software or documents, Git is a must-have in your skillset.
Function block diagrams can be a useful tool, but they can also add a lot of complexity. Learn about the what, when,…
Function block diagrams can be a useful tool, but they can also add a lot of complexity. Learn about the what, when, where, and why of function block diagram (FBD) programming.
Some controllers and network devices have one port, while others have two. Why is there a difference, and what advantages…
Some controllers and network devices have one port, while others have two. Why is there a difference, and what advantages does having two network ports actually provide?
Sequential function charts (SFCs) are a great tool when processes require sequence control, but things can get…
Sequential function charts (SFCs) are a great tool when processes require sequence control, but things can get complicated fast. Here are some ways to create better SFC programs and applications.
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