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Understanding PLC Program Commands: Math Instructions

We will show you how to use common math functions from two popular PLC programs—Rockwell Automation Studio 500 and Automation Direct Productivity Suite. 

3 days ago by Jon Peterson

Advanced Scaling Techniques for PLC Analog Quantities

Configuring analog signals into usable digital quantities is accomplished by scaling function inside the PLC, which, along with analog signal wiring, is important to understand.

June 21, 2022 by Antonio Armenta

Understanding PLC Program Commands: Up and Down Counters

Counting up and down are commonly required functions in PLC lagger logic programs for tracking inventories, placement patterns, and gaining informational insights about machine performance statistics.

June 20, 2022 by Jon Peterson

Successful Obsolescence Mitigation

Designing an obsolescence mitigation plan to detect and solve mitigation risks before they occur is key to avoiding costly downtime and a potential catastrophe in control environments. 

June 18, 2022 by Antonio Armenta

Understanding PLC Program Commands: One-Shots

Many PLC commands are well-known to programmers, including contacts, coils, timers, and counters. But a less-common instruction is the one-shot, capable of harnessing the incredible processing speeds in a CPU.

June 16, 2022 by Jon Peterson

Clarifying Misconceptions About Theoretical vs Physical Circuits

Control engineering is integrally woven together with electricity and electrical circuits. Even so, sometimes the most basic scenarios become misunderstood through lack of training or experience.

June 15, 2022 by Seth Price

Obsolescence in Control Systems - Disaster or Opportunity?

One of the most considerable risks in aging control environments is that eventually, spare parts become obsolete and unavailable, and the lack of an upgrade plan can turn a simple failure into a catastrophe.

June 14, 2022 by Antonio Armenta

Allen-Bradley PLCs - A Hardware History

Credited with coining the name ‘PLC’, Allen-Bradley and parent company Rockwell Automation are major players in the world of control systems. Learn how the hardware platforms have evolved into the familiar modern configurations.

June 13, 2022 by Antonio Armenta

Power for Control Circuits: It’s Not Just Power Supplies

Power supplies tend to get a reputation as one of the most important power considerations of a DC control circuit - but we can’t ignore other key players: power filters, converters, and backup power modules.

May 25, 2022 by David Peterson

Contactors versus Relays - Differences and Applications

Although the are similarities in operating theory, relays and contactors are used in industrial circuits for different specific applications, and should not be used interchangeably.

May 13, 2022 by Anish Devasia

The Cat’s Out of the Bag - Demystifying Network Cables

What’s the difference between a Cat 6 and a Cat 6a cable, anyhow? Ethernet cables must meet certain performance standards, and these standards can be quite confusing at first glance.

May 09, 2022 by Seth Price

Comparing Mechanical vs Hydraulic Forces

In honor of May the 4th, Star Wars Day, we compare the sources and applications of the two most common force-delivery systems - mechanical and hydraulic.

May 04, 2022 by David Peterson

Siemens SIMATIC PLCs - Hardware History

In this first of an upcoming series, we investigate Siemens as a major PLC manufacturer, learning about the hardware, software, and key applications of each product lineup.

May 02, 2022 by Antonio Armenta

Industrial Protocol Standards and The IEC

This article covers the prominent IEC 60870 standard for SCADA in electrical power systems, as well as background information on the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the publishing organization.

April 16, 2022 by Antonio Armenta

Web-Based Industrial HMIs: What’s The Difference?

With the increasing appearance of “web-based” HMIs, we investigate these devices, learn how they differ from the graphical HMIs, and see implications for our modern control system architecture.

April 13, 2022 by Anish Devasia

DC Motors - Why Are We Still Using Them?

AC motors are common throughout industry - easily controlled by VFDs and without the maintenance that comes with DC brushes. So then, why are DC motors still used in certain applications?

April 12, 2022 by Shawn Dietrich

How IIoT is Transforming Predictive Maintenance

The objective of predictive maintenance is to foresee potential machine failure with the help of machine learning algorithms provided with vast quantities of data.

April 04, 2022 by Anish Devasia

Methods of Marking and Labeling for Wiring and Tubing

Labels are such a small detail in the world of robotics and automation, they are often given very little attention. However, they play a vital role in proper system function - from installation to troubleshooting.

April 03, 2022 by Damond Goodwin

Info Byte: Preventing Relay Burnout with Flyback Diodes

Inductive loads, such as solenoids and contactors, can cause arcs and failures back into electromechanical switching devices, causing costly downtime. The solution is cheaper than you think.

March 31, 2022 by David Peterson

Combating That Killer of Industrial Pneumatic Systems - Water

Moisture inside industrial pneumatic systems is a major cause for concern, and if the air is not filtered or dried properly, it can lead to serious failures.

March 30, 2022 by Anish Devasia