Here’s our annual list of Top Ten Trends, with six new items for 2016 in areas ranging from data visualization to 3D printing. Four holdovers remain from 2015, with each gathering steam and media coverage as detailed below.
Many control systems these days need a way to interact with the process or machine operator. Legacy systems might present a whole panel full of pushbuttons, lights and switches; the development of electronic HMI (Human Machine Interface) devices made operator control and monitoring operations much more flexible, presenting text, graphics and even video to help…
The most magical time of the year is finally here… AND it’s never a bad time to celebrate with Star Wars. So we at AutomationDirect thought what better way to wish someone season’s greetings than with a Star Wars themed holiday card that has a touch of industrial automation worked in. We hope you enjoy…
Most control systems have to make things move, and that usually involves motors. Lifting, pumping, robotics, conveyors, fans – pretty much everything uses a motor of some kind. General purpose one- or three-phase AC motors are great for simple on/off systems; Inverter-duty motors are specifically designed for operation with variable frequency drives or VFDs. General…
We all like the convenience of having things near us – a short drive to work, family and friends nearby, and the services we need close to home. RUKO Precision Tools uses that same philosophy in providing great service to its customers. RUKO stays close to its customers as well as its employees to ensure…
We asked you to submit a photo showing us why you could use more Productivity in your life for a chance to win a free Productivity2000 PLC starter kit. You could’ve shown us how PLC programming was getting in the way of your sleep, how you were spending too much time troubleshooting when you needed…
The decision to replace existing motors with newer premium efficiency motors can be difficult. And, a common mistake made is thinking that buying any new premium efficiency motor will deliver optimal efficiency. This paper discusses how to determine whether to rewind or replace a motor, and how to find the right motor size for the…
With the number of new and existing PLCs available on the market, it’s pretty difficult to stand out and get noticed. So what do you do? Well, you do what they can’t! And our latest industrial controller, the Productivity2000, delivers what the competition won’t – high performance at a lower cost. So what do I…
We’ve heard it said, “There is no ‘I’ in ‘team’.” This is especially true when it comes to quality industrial control suppliers. Not only must the products you need be in stock, there has to be a dependable sales staff to assist you in finding the right items for your application. There must also be a…
Object detection is sensing if an object is in proximity or not – that’s it, you get an ON or an OFF signal. A more advanced object detection function involves measuring the actual distance of an object from the sensing point. Ultrasonic sensors and laser distance sensors are commonly used to measure how far away…