What to Know When Selecting an Enclosure
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookEnclosures & AccessoriesEquipment SafetyIssue 26 – 2013Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductTechnology Brief

What to Know When Selecting an Enclosure

NEMA enclosures house all kinds of electrical components from simple terminal blocks, to industrial automation systems, to high voltage switchgear. In industrial automation systems, NEMA enclosures often house motor controls, drives, PLC/PC control systems, pushbuttons, and termination systems. Some enclosures are shaped to be operator consoles. AutomationDirect offers over 2,200 enclosure part numbers across NEMA…
Encoders Explained
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookDiscrete SensingIssue 25 – 2013Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductTechnology Brief

Encoders Explained

What is an Encoder? An encoder (for industrial controls) is a special sensor that captures position information and relays that data to other devices. The position information can be read in many ways (optically, magnetically, capacitively, etc.). There are two basic geometries for encoders: linear and rotary. A linear encoder typically consists of a scale…
Ease of Motion with Do-more PLC and the H2-CTRIO2
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookIssue 24 - 2012Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductProgrammable ControlTechnology Brief

Ease of Motion with Do-more PLC and the H2-CTRIO2

Part of the vision for the Do-more PLC control engine was to make maximum use of Host Engineering’s next generation High Speed Counter and Pulse Output module, the H2-CTRIO2. Pairing this new module with a Do-more CPU creates a solid motion control package that is easier to use than its predecessors while offering more flexible…
Reducing Total Cost of Ownership
+Tech TopicsApplicationApplication StoriesAutomation NotebookCover StoriesEnergy/UtilitiesFacilitiesIndustryIssue 24 - 2012Learning ResourcesManufacturingNotebook IssuePLCProcess ControlProductProgrammable Control

Reducing Total Cost of Ownership

Automation is a key component when developing strategies to help customers reduce their operating costs. Many times when making buying decisions, people look only at the initial price of an item without considering other factors that contribute to the overall cost of owning that product. For example, a certain laptop may seem like a great…
Important Considerations for Replacing and Sizing AC Motors
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookIssue 23 – 2012Learning ResourcesMotorsNotebook IssueProductTechnology Brief

Important Considerations for Replacing and Sizing AC Motors

How to determine whether to rewind or replace a motor, and how to find the right motor size for your application. Every business is trying to conserve energy in the face of high utility costs, so getting the best return on investment (ROI) is critical for maintaining a healthy balance sheet. The decision to replace…
"Starting With Steppers" Part Two of a Two-Part Series
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookIssue 22 – 2012Learning ResourcesMotion ControlNotebook IssueProductProgrammable ControlTech Thread

"Starting With Steppers" Part Two of a Two-Part Series

Part One of this series (in Fall 2011, issue 21) started with a complete reference to the technical information available from AutomationDirect that can help you understand and select components from the SureStep family for an open-loop motion application. It also reviewed the hardware methods for controlling your system, including PLC high-speed I/O or counter…
Cellular Remote Access Gives Companies Competitive Edge
+Tech TopicsApplicationApplication StoriesAutomation NotebookData and IIoTData CollectionData System MonitoringFeature StoryHMIIIoT and DataIssue 22 – 2012Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueOperator InterfaceProduct

Cellular Remote Access Gives Companies Competitive Edge

Internet and cellular technology make monitoring and control easier than ever. The automation world, with its distant and often isolated sites, has long sought reliable remote access to cut costs and improve reliability. Instead of sending technicians to distant locations, operators can now access critical information and control systems quickly and easily.