Pneumatic actuators are a popular option for parts handling in automated systems. Whether it’s part transfer, positioning or clamping—pneumatics are a cost-effective choice for mechanical motion. However, without proper design, these pneumatic systems can experience problems. Fortunately, there are some simple pneumatic design guidelines to help ensure success. We’ll review some common issues with pneumatic designs,…
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…
Industrial facilities have lots of enclosures housing automation and electrical components, many of which need cooling and heating. We’re going to show you how to pick the right enclosure conditioning system from these leading options: Heaters Fans Heat exchangers Air conditioners Vortex coolers Thermoelectric coolers It’s simpler to heat than cool, so let’s discuss this…
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…
Well, don’t forget to check under the hood and see what the software has to offer. After all, hardware is only half of the equation. So, if you are considering the Productivity series of controllers you should be asking yourself, what is Productivity Suite and what does it offer? To help answer that, the following…
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…
A common function of a control system is detecting the presence of an object. Whether you are detecting the presence of an object passing by on a conveyor, the closure of a gate or the position of a machine part as it goes through its motions, object detection is a staple of the automation industry. There are…
As electricity bills continue to rise due to new government mandates, manufacturing plants and other industrial facilities are making reducing energy consumption a priority. No company can afford to waste money by using machines or processes that consume too much energy. Since pneumatic systems are ubiquitous throughout manufacturing and can consume a large share of a…
The Productivity2000 is AutomationDirect’s newest addition to the Productivity line of industrial controllers. The Productivity2000 is a modular, rack-based system with a full lineup of discrete, analog and specialty I/O modules. The high-performance CPU has 50Mb of user memory, fast scan times and five communication ports for $255. The P2-550 CPU features a 4 line…
This issue of Automation Notebook gives you snapshots of some of our latest products. Some of those new products include: additions to the access control barriers, new miniature circuit breakers and supplementary protectors, as well as, harsh-duty photoelectric sensors, three-phase soft starters and much more.