It’s not just the holiday season. It’s also awards season. In Plant Engineering magazine’s annual Product of the Year competition, AutomationDirect’s Productivity3000 controller with added Ethernet/IP scanner/adapter has been named a finalist. By casting online ballots, you can help decide which products should be named Product of the Year. So, don’t pass up this opportunity…
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Out of the Box - Contest Winners!
What happens to AutomationDirect.com products when they are taken out of the box? We asked you guys to show us what happens when our products leave the box and you get your hands on them. Honestly, the applications that our customers shared with us were amazingly awesome. We had several great videos submitted over the last…
Engineers should be great cooks! Why? Because we are the masters of processes and cooking is just a process. So jump in, roll up your sleeves and volunteer for turkey duty this year. As the newly appointed Turkey engineer, your first hurdle is picking whether you are going to bake, fry or smoke your way…
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Automated DIY Turkey Fryer
A wise man once said, “Why Baketh, when one can Fryeth?” I could be wrong but I believe that was Shakespeare. Ok, actually I just made it up but it’s turkey season and many people will be confronted with that exact question. Now, I’m not sure who started the fried turkey craze but I, for…
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How to Choose a Controller
Choosing the most effective controller for your application depends on a number of factors. The worksheet below serves as a checklist of things to consider when determining programmable controller requirements. It lists the most important areas to consider when choosing a system, as well as, provides space for recording determinations of your system needs. To…
So what do you think, is this glass half full or half empty? For me, that could be a little difficult to answer and could vary based on the day I’m having, but if we are asking about the level, why not let the PLC answer? In fact, why not have the PLC tell us…
When choosing the type of input or output module for your PLC system, it is very important to have a solid understanding of sinking and sourcing concepts. Use of these terms occurs frequently in discussion of input or output circuits. It is the goal of this post to make these concepts easy to understand, so you can make the right choice the first time…
So you found a task that you’d like to automate but you need a way to sort out what pieces are needed and how they fit together. At this phase of development, organization is key. When specifying a project, staying organized can keep you on track and help you see the big picture. Flow charts,…
No single discovery has affected our lives, our culture and our survival more than electricity. Electricity is everywhere; it lights our way, cooks our food and can even brush your teeth. For an example, imagine where the medical field would be without electricity and in that sense how many lives have been saved due to…
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Machine Maintenance Checklist
It is important to develop a routine maintenance schedule for your automated control system. Having a routine schedule for checking critical components and devices in the system will increase the longevity of the system and more importantly, it will help reduce future problems. Set up the schedule based on a monthly or quarterly time period,…