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…
By Travis Morris, Safety Administrator, AutomationDirect As we recognize National Safety Month this June 2025, it’s the perfect time to reflect on how industrial safety has evolved alongside technological advancement. At AutomationDirect, we’ve seen firsthand how the safety landscape in manufacturing and logistics continues to advance rapidly, creating both new challenges and unprecedented opportunities for…
Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) are a crucial component in industrial automation, providing precise control over a motor’s speed and torque. Numerous built-in protections and fault indications are provided with modern VFDs, including the commonly seen DC Bus Overvoltage Fault. This fault has several possible causes and this whitepaper explores each one, offering solutions to ensure…
AutomationDirect has a long history of providing high quality industrial automation technology at affordable prices through the convenience of e-commerce. But their company is not just an online catalog retailer of controllers, HMIs, components, instrumentation, wiring solutions, and the like. The AutomationDirect websiteprovides a resource for engineers, offering product comparisons, training, technical support, system integration…
Check out the answers to Brain Teasers from Automation Notebook below: Qualified Distributions Answer Starting with the lead electrician, the starting (and ending) lug quantities must have been 12,10,8,6,4,2,0. To reason this though, start with the last electrician – they must be left with 0 lugs, because the last redistribution is for THAT last electrician…
Learning how to catch and clean a fish, how to change a flat tire, and how to drive a stick shift are some of the many important life lessons I learned over my years. Those lessons have served me well, but at this stage of my life I have found another, equally important lesson and…
The 4-20mA analog current loop is a workhorse of automation, but initial setup and troubleshooting can be challenging, here are some tips to help. For all types of industrial machinery and automation, a basic 4 to 20 milliamp (4-20mA) wiring scheme has been one of the most prominent installation methods for transmitting analog signals. Digital…
The AutomationDirect robotics program and our interns shined brightly at the recent Forsyth County Schools College & Career Development/CTAE (Career, Technical, and Agriculture Education) awards ceremony! At the CTAE Excellence Awards Gala held late last month, AutomationDirect and its interns earned several honors: In addition, Tony Collins, the Forsyth Alliance Chair and AutomationDirect’s main point…
One of the best things about AutomationDirect, in my opinion, is our continuous focus on customer needs. We strive to go above and beyond for our customers, and we always appreciate feedback on how we’re doing and what products we may be lacking. Using surveys, reviews, forum posts, etc., we try to reach out as…