Issue 48, 2022
Issue 48 -2022

Issue 48, 2022

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” This is known as the prayer for serenity, and it seems now, more than ever, that this simple prayer holds an immense amount of weight. Currently, there are…
Student Spotlight: OSU Students Save Dying Fish
AutomationDirect SpotlightIssue 48 -2022Notebook IssueStudent SpotlightStudent Spotlight

Student Spotlight: OSU Students Save Dying Fish

A team of engineering students from Oklahoma State emailed Automation Direct last year with a disturbing problem: Fish were dying! These engineering students had been contacted, in turn, by students in the nearby Culinary Arts program who run an aquaponics farm.  Aquaponics combines aquaculture (raising fish and other marine life in tanks) with hydroponics (growing…
Safe Automation Design through a Layered Approach
ProductSafety

Safe Automation Design through a Layered Approach

Industrial automation safety designers should implement a hierarchy of controls. Josh Draa, PLC Product Engineer at AutomationDirect, wrote an article for the August 2022 issue of Applied Automation. The article is titled Implementing a Hierarchy of Automation Safety, and it describes the importance of project and operations. Responsible industrial automation safety design requires a combination…
IO-Link is the Smart Choice for I/O Connectivity
CommunicationsProduct

IO-Link is the Smart Choice for I/O Connectivity

New sensors and connectivity devices supporting digital IO-Link communications let users easily gather extended diagnostic and device data. Chris Kregoski, product engineer for AutomationDirect, authored an article posted August 2022 on the Automation.com website titled A Stronger Link for I/O. Here’s a summary, click on the link above for the full text. A concept called…
Designing Control Panels for Processing Plants
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Designing Control Panels for Processing Plants

Modern processing plants need control panels built in accordance with specific design details. Chris Kregoski, product engineer for AutomationDirect, authored an article for the July 2022 Processing magazine titled Process Control Panel Design Basics. Here’s a summary, click on the link above for the full text. Processing plants typically incorporate extensive automation. The control panels…
Doing More for Small Manufacturers
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Doing More for Small Manufacturers

PLC and HMI automation helps even the smallest manufacturers and home-based businesses enhance efficiency and improve quality. Daniel Oberholtzer, an independent systems integrator consultant, wrote an article for the June 2022 online version of Machine Design titled Automation a Scalable Solution for Smaller Manufacturers. Here’s a summary, click on the link above for the full…
Cloud Connectivity Supports Smart HVAC
CommunicationsProduct

Cloud Connectivity Supports Smart HVAC

IoT cloud connectivity lets experts effectively support increasingly complex HVAC systems, such as refrigerant-side economizers for data centers. Robbie Hyde, owner of Interface Mechanics LLC, wrote a success story article for the July 2022 online version of Smart Industry titled Cloud-Based IoT Supports Complex Control Systems from Anywhere. Here’s a summary, click on the link…
Select the Right Transformer for Your Application | White Paper
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Select the Right Transformer for Your Application | White Paper

Transformers of various types are needed for most automated machinery, so it is important to understand the selection and sizing basics. Power transformers play a key role in any electrical distribution system, and also for end-use equipment like industrial control panels. Although many engineers, designers, and installers encounter transformers during the course of their professional…
Old Reliable Just Got a Little Smarter
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Old Reliable Just Got a Little Smarter

When we think of pneumatics we think of simple, reliable, easy to troubleshoot, easy to fix, and just all-around something that always gets the job done and always works. It is no wonder why either since in manufacturing facilities, compressed air is so widely used that it is often regarded as the fourth utility after…