Setting Internal Standards for Industrial Automation
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Setting Internal Standards for Industrial Automation

In addition to following industry regulations, internal company standards should be created and adhered to so existing and new plant automation system designs are consistent. These internal standards should help define best practices and provide clear guidelines for system design, and for hardware and software used on the factory floor. If not, you may have…
BRX PLCs – Fortified with American Pride
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BRX PLCs – Fortified with American Pride

What does “Made in the U.S.A.” mean to you? With so many consumer products – iPhones, laptops, toys, clothes, etc. – coming from overseas, does “Made in the U.S.A.” mean anything anymore? Well, companies like HOST Engineering sure think it does. Understanding that manufacturing products in the U.S. is far more than just an advertising…
Even Though You Have Two Eyes…
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Even Though You Have Two Eyes…

It’s a good idea to protect both. OSHA provides clear standards on the use of eye and other personal protective equipment, yet workers often choose to not to follow these rules. Certainly, there are places where protection must always be worn, so it’s best to offer workers comfortable and fashionable choices.
Easy Pickings for Controller Hardware and Programming Software
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Easy Pickings for Controller Hardware and Programming Software

When automating machines or processes, picking the right controller hardware is important, and the application often drives the selection process. However, the programming software can make development, startup and operation easier—and is therefore an important factor in the buying decision. Jeff Payne, the Automation Controls Group Product Manager at AutomationDirect, wrote an article titled How…
BRX PLC Story is the Most-Read Article on Control Design in 2017
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BRX PLC Story is the Most-Read Article on Control Design in 2017

According to Control Design’s e-newsletter of 1/5/18, the most-read article published in their magazine in 2017 was “Arduino vs. PLC for Industrial Control”. This August 2017 cover story pitted an Arduino microcontroller against an AutomationDirect Do-more BRX PLC and asked the question, “Can a $20 micro-controller equal a PLC for a real-world industrial control application?”….
VR Power-Up Field Tour - FIRST Robotics Competition
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VR Power-Up Field Tour - FIRST Robotics Competition

That right … strap on your HTC VIVE or OCULUS RIFT and go play around on the POWER UP field. The lead animator from the recent FRC Game animations (Stronghold, Steamworks and Power-Up) also programs virtual reality games in his spare time. So, he took the assets from the FRC Power-Up Game Animation and dropped…
How to Choose a General Purpose Motor vs. Inverter-Duty Motor
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How to Choose a General Purpose Motor vs. Inverter-Duty Motor

General purpose motors have been around for many years. They are the workhorse of almost every industry. An inverter-duty motor is a much newer concept that became necessary as motors began to be driven by VFDs (inverters or AC drives). An inverter duty motor can withstand the higher voltage spikes produced by all VFDs (amplified…