What is Motion Control?
Motion Control

What is Motion Control?

Industrial motion control is used to operate a variety of apparatuses, including gripping, transporting, and moving mechanisms on small machines, plus multi-axis robotics, large web handling systems, and much more. This overview explains the key concepts of motion control systems. In an industrial automation context, the term “motion control” usually refers to using an electric…
Electrical Circuit Protection Essentials: Codes, Faults & Safety Basics
Circuit ProtectionIssue 57, 2025Notebook IssueProduct

Electrical Circuit Protection Essentials: Codes, Faults & Safety Basics

A wide range of products support reliable and safe electrical circuit designs for any application. By Billy Sonnenthal, AutomationDirect Key takeaways Nearly every electrical or control panel—whether destined for a home, office, or busy factory—features an incoming power circuit, internal power distribution, and connections to/from field devices. Careful hardware selection and compliance with electrical codes…
Applying Industrial-Grade Automation to Small-Scale Processes
Application StoriesDrivesHMIOperator InterfacePLCProductProgrammable ControlVariable Speed Drives

Applying Industrial-Grade Automation to Small-Scale Processes

Even desktop- and garage-sized process and manufacturing applications can benefit greatly from automation, but only when the right products are available to help designers easily create a solution. This Control Design October 2025 article titled How to Apply Industrial Control to Small-Batch Distillation: A Case Study in Smart Reflux Automation followed a small team as…
From analog loops to IIoT-ready PLCs: What today’s engineers need to know
Automation NotebookIssue 56, 2025ProductProgrammable Control

From analog loops to IIoT-ready PLCs: What today’s engineers need to know

In process industries like oil and gas, chemical, paper, and water treatment, precision is everything. That’s why PLCs—once simple relay replacers—have evolved into powerful, real-time control hubs capable of enabling intelligent operations across increasingly connected systems. To explore how PLC technology is transforming process control, we spoke with Jeff Payne, Director of Business Development at…
Automation of a Pilot-Scale Distillation Process
Application StoriesAutomation NotebookHMIIssue 56, 2025Operator InterfacePLCProductProgrammable Control

Automation of a Pilot-Scale Distillation Process

Applying large-scale automation concepts and technologies to a small-scale process operation. By Doug Reneker Small-scale distillation processes can take many forms because there are countless possible objectives, but the underlying principles reflect those used by large-scale companies to produce fuel, chemicals, and alcoholic beverages. Boutique and hobbyist practitioners creating products worthy of aging and imbibing…
Why a Single-Loop Process Controller Might Be Your Ideal Control Solution
ApplicationAutomation NotebookIssue 56, 2025Process ControlProcess Sensing & ControlProduct

Why a Single-Loop Process Controller Might Be Your Ideal Control Solution

By: Rin Irvin and Josh Waters It’s an engineering truth that there’s no such thing as a perfect solution, just the best solution for the project at hand. This principle remains true for process control applications. PLCs are powerful and comprehensive control solutions, but not every industrial process needs that level of functionality. For every…
Cooking Up a Partnership
Application StoriesAutomation NotebookCommunicationsEnclosures & AccessoriesHMIIssue 56, 2025Operator InterfacePLCProductProgrammable Control

Cooking Up a Partnership

A system integrator supports their food processing client, implementing industrial automation technologies for a mix of OEM equipment and systems throughout the facility. By Jordan Hulsey, Caldwell Electrical Contractors, Inc. With busy lives and schedules often bursting at the seams, ready-to-eat (RTE) food has become a convenience that many indulge in—and some may even rely…
Dedicated Devices versus a PLC for PID Loop Control
Automation NotebookIssue 56, 2025ProductProgrammable Control

Dedicated Devices versus a PLC for PID Loop Control

Closed-loop PID control is indispensable for a myriad of automation applications, and designers need to know the options for implementing PID using either dedicated devices or automation controllers. Automated regulatory control of characteristics like flow, level, pressure, temperature, and many other types of analog values is essential for countless types of machinery, processing equipment, and…
OEM Standardizes on AutomationDirect HMIs, Realizes Benefits
Operator InterfaceProduct

OEM Standardizes on AutomationDirect HMIs, Realizes Benefits

This OEM systems integrator has standardized on a common touchscreen user interface, improving their ability to create automated equipment for their clients. While automated equipment ideally runs itself, there remains a need for humans to interact with machinery for setup, monitoring, troubleshooting, and more. This role was once fulfilled by buttons, switches, lights, and the…