Industrial Automation News for the Next Generation
Welcome to Library.AutomationDirect.com, where the stacks are filled with tons of industrial automation news & you don’t even need a library card! Here you can read articles from the Automation NOTEBOOK loaded with informative technical articles keeping you on top of what’s happening in the automation industry. Company news, press releases, application stories and more are right here at your fingertips!
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Recent Posts
New Product Giveaway – CHANNELLOCK! Enter your info for a chance to win some of our newest products. This giveaway includes (2) 9.5-in. pliers, (2) 6.5- in. pliers and (2) 6-in. wire strippers. You will also be entered to win 1 of 5 drill bit sets. Contest is open for approximately 3 weeks after the…
Pilot devices are essential operator interface components for most automated equipment and processes. As the industrial age dawned, machinery and equipment were controlled manually by operators pulling levers, turning hand cranks, and making similar actions and adjustments as they saw fit. Industry 1.0 was powered by water and steam, 2.0 relied on electricity and added…
I remember physical education from elementary school back in the 1980s. Phys ed was always a treat as I got to get out of our regular classes and do something besides sit in a classroom. It was almost as if I had a bonus recess that day. Now, that was until third grade when my…
Solving Frequency Signal Conditioner Challenges Frequency signal conditioners—designed to handle high-frequency pulse signals from sensors and convert them into other useful automation signals—are an important industrial automation design component for both new and retrofit applications. High-frequency pulses may be generated from a proximity sensor associated with a spinning sprocket, between digital motion control systems requiring…
Because industrial automation systems often remain in service for decades, it is important to select a hardware/software supplier and integration specialist familiar with performing incremental updates as needed. By: Randy Ames, Ames Electrical Consulting, Inc. Repair or replace: a conundrum familiar to owners of appliances, consumer electronics, cars, homes, and also industrial processing facilities. For…
When you hop on a thrilling amusement park roller coaster, Ferris wheel, or pendulum ride, you probably don’t think about what makes it stop when it’s time to do so. More likely, you are relieved to finally get on the ride after standing in a long line! And chances are good that you don’t wonder…
Many industrial automation end users are not staffed to deploy cutting-edge cybersecurity provisions, but they all will benefit from performing attainable and practical basic steps. By Tim Wheeler, AutomationDirect Albert Einstein said, “Genius is making complex ideas simple, not making simple ideas complex.” Modern cybersecurity is an example of an extremely complex subject, where a…
+Tech TopicsHand Tools &Test EquipmentIssue 55, 2025Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductTech Thread
Outfitting Your Panel Shop to be Safe and Efficient
AutomationDirect has created an extensive portfolio of professional-grade control panel products, tools, and test equipment, all readily available at reasonable cost so that shops can equip their technicians to deliver high-quality results. By Zach Ganster, AutomationDirect The “good/better/best” concept is familiar to most people. When it comes to obtaining anything we use in our daily…
This student team gained valuable STEM experience by developing an underwater remote operated vehicle, and they accelerated their efforts by using commercially available industrial-grade components. By: Geoff Gardener, North Paulding High School Exploration of both the deep sea and of outer space share a lot in common. Both are extremely unforgiving environments where it is…
Press Releases
June 18, 2025 -AutomationDirect has added WAGO lean managed industrial Ethernet switches that provide a cost-effective managed network solution. These switches integrate principles of lean manufacturing into their design and functionality, offering advantages such as waste reduction, improved efficiency, and more. Their web-based interface and easy-to-use diagnostic tools reduce configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting time, and…
June 18, 2025 – AutomationDirect has added Define Instruments Twin Link series point-to-point wireless I/O devices, which provide a cost-effective solution for applications where wiring is difficult or impractical, such as long distances, physical obstacles, or moving equipment. They create a dedicated, bidirectional radio link between a pre-paired set to reliably transmit analog or digital…
Autonics has been making automation easier for almost 50 years. In fact, the slogan “Make Life Easy,” captures what the company is all about: simplifying industrial automation while making the world more convenient. Based in South Korea with a network of 13 global subsidiaries and 100+ offices (including U.S. headquarters in Illinois), Autonics makes a…
June 11, 2025 – AutomationDirect has added Ashcroft B-Series mechanical pressure switches to deliver precise, reliable pressure sensing in a compact and rugged design. Equipped with cost-effective, high-capacity 15A relay outputs, they eliminate the need for external contactors or interposing relays. Select models feature a narrow deadband for highly accurate trip points. With adjustable setpoints, wide…
Readers demonstrate enthusiasm for the CM5-RHMI, a cost-effective and flexible headless HMI with remote connectivity, advanced functionality, and a compact footprint. AutomationDirect’s C-more CM5-RHMI has been announced as the 2025 Silver winner of Control Engineering’s Product of the Year program in the human-machine interface (HMI) category. Check out the award announcement here! Control Engineering subscribers…
May 28, 2025 – AutomationDirect has added CHANNELLOCK tools, which are designed with strength and durability in mind. CHANNELLOCK tools are made in the USA with high-carbon USA steel. The CHANNELLOCK straight jaw pliers feature undercut tongue-and-groove channels to prevent slipping, and Griplock jaw tongue-and-groove pliers have an offset head for greater leverage with patented SAFE-T-STOP® technology to…