Industrializing an Arduino: Making a Single-Board Controller Fit for the Factory
Issue 48 -2022Notebook IssueProductProgrammable Control

Industrializing an Arduino: Making a Single-Board Controller Fit for the Factory

Arduinos and similar devices can be highly versatile but are too delicate for industrial environments. We test a new version designed with a tougher form factor. Byline: Doug Reneker In two previous project articles, we set out to prove that single-board controllers, common to the maker community, can be adapted to industrial applications. Or it…
Issue 48, 2022
Issue 48 -2022

Issue 48, 2022

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” This is known as the prayer for serenity, and it seems now, more than ever, that this simple prayer holds an immense amount of weight. Currently, there are…
Student Spotlight: OSU Students Save Dying Fish
AutomationDirect SpotlightIssue 48 -2022Notebook IssueStudent SpotlightStudent Spotlight

Student Spotlight: OSU Students Save Dying Fish

A team of engineering students from Oklahoma State emailed Automation Direct last year with a disturbing problem: Fish were dying! These engineering students had been contacted, in turn, by students in the nearby Culinary Arts program who run an aquaponics farm.  Aquaponics combines aquaculture (raising fish and other marine life in tanks) with hydroponics (growing…
What is a VFD?
Issue 48 -2022Notebook IssueProductVariable Speed Drives

What is a VFD?

Variable frequency drives are devices for starting, stopping and varying the speed of AC motors to improve control of equipment control and save energy. A variable frequency drive (VFD) is an electronic device used to vary the frequency of an AC voltage to adjust the speed of an AC motor. VFDs also provide start and…
Contrinex Photoelectric Sensors with IO-Link Compatibility from AutomationDirect
Issue 48 -2022NewsNotebook IssuePress ReleasesPress Releases

Contrinex Photoelectric Sensors with IO-Link Compatibility from AutomationDirect

June 1, 2022 – AutomationDirect has expanded their vast offering of discrete sensors by adding Contrinex C23 standard and clear object detection sensors. These Contrinex mini rectangular photoelectric sensors are ideal for limited-space applications and are available in diffuse, diffuse with adjustable background suppression, retroreflective, and through-beam models. Sensor housings have an IP67 enclosure rating…
Saginaw Enviro-Therm® Series Enclosure Air Conditioners from AutomationDirect
Issue 48 -2022NewsNotebook IssuePress ReleasesPress Releases

Saginaw Enviro-Therm® Series Enclosure Air Conditioners from AutomationDirect

April 27, 2022 – AutomationDirect has added a new line of Saginaw enclosure air conditioners designed to efficiently keep the internal temperature of an electrical enclosure at a safe level, protecting the enclosed equipment from overheating and moisture damage. These air conditioners utilize closed-loop cooling to keep contaminants in the ambient air out of the…
The CLICK PLUS PLC is Voted as the 2021 Plant Engineering Magazine Product of the Year Bronze Award in the Control Systems category
Company TopicsIssue 48 -2022News

The CLICK PLUS PLC is Voted as the 2021 Plant Engineering Magazine Product of the Year Bronze Award in the Control Systems category

AutomationDirect’s CLICK PLUS PLC is the next generation platform for delivering reliable and familiar functionality for basic control applications, combined with advanced features like Wi-Fi, data logging, and increased security measures. All starting at just $89! On April 25, 2022 the AutomationDirect CLICK PLUS PLC was announced as the Plant Engineering 2021 Product of the…