Spastic Gasket A robotic applicator needs to extrude a gasket in the above shape without stopping the flow of the gasket mate- rial – or retracing any of the lines. The robotic arm can start and end the extrusion at any position along the path. Can you find the path that will allow a continuous…
Streamline equipment fabrication and installation with cut-to-length cables. Jim Krebs, Technical Marketing Engineer at AutomationDirect, wrote an article for the September 2020 issue of Industrial Equipment News titled Cut to Length Cables Reduce Installation Time and Cost. Here’s a summary, click on the link above for the full text. OEMs use many cable types for…
I always find it interesting to learn where certain idioms originated. Most times we don’t think about the history involved with these phrases when we use them, but some can have noteworthy origins. For instance, “riding shotgun” nowadays means sitting in the passenger seat of an automobile. However, it’s believed to come from the Old…
Gladiator® miniature circuit breakers offer optimum and efficient protection for branch and control circuits up to 63 amps. The Gladiator GMCBU series is available with B, C or D trip characteristics in accordance with UL 489. GMCBU units are DIN rail mountable and can be used in feeder and branch circuit applications. Designed for dual…
Family-owned businesses have long been a staple of the world economy. According to Handelsblatt, a leading German-language business newspaper, over 90% of German companies are family-owned and employ a majority of the country’s workforce. Seifert Systems is among this group of German companies and has the added distinction of leadership being passed down through generations…
Automated industrial equipment often requires linear position sensing, and there are many choices ranging from economical to high precision. Andrew Waugh, Product Manager for Sensor and Safety products at AutomationDirect, wrote an article for the August 2020 issue of Design World titled Lining Up the Right Linear Position Sensing Solution. This article discusses several options…
Our Productivity2000 and Productivity3000 PLCs have been used successfully over the years in many industries, even those that constantly evolve with new standards, techniques, and acceptable practices. One specific industry is the marine or maritime industry which includes yacht construction among other areas. To build a quality-certified vessel, a yacht builder can choose to apply…
Dedicated HMIs can do many of the same things as industrial PCs, often making them the best choice for automation applications. Bill Dehner, technical marketing engineer for AutomationDirect, wrote an article for the August 2020 issue of Control Engineering titled Embedded HMIs Excel in Automation Applications. Here’s a summary, click on the link above for…
Specifying the right electrical enclosure protects personnel and equipment. Jim Krebs, Technical Marketing Engineer at AutomationDirect, wrote an article for the July 2020 issue of Processing titled Specifying the Right Electrical Enclosure. Here is a summary, click on the link above for the full text. Electrical enclosures are ubiquitous throughout public areas, buildings, and industrial…
While we sometimes say things like “safety first” or “safety is no accident”, and I’m sure you’ve heard, “safety is a choice”, there are times when safety details are overlooked. We have the best of intentions but can be negligent regarding full safety protocol. Have you ever bypassed a safety device to save a few…