Getting with the Object-Oriented Program
+Tech TopicsIssue 58 - 2026Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductProgrammable Control

Getting with the Object-Oriented Program

The recent introduction of user defined instructions in AutomationDirect PLCs provides another tool for accelerating PLC and HMI development. By Tim Ensminger, AutomationDirect Many industrial automation products and practices have been developed as more robust versions of commercial-grade technologies. As microprocessors, memory, and communications hardware and software have evolved throughout the information technology (IT) world,…
No Screen, No Problem: Maximizing Visualization Flexibility with Minimum Hassle
Issue 58 - 2026Notebook IssueOperator InterfaceProduct

No Screen, No Problem: Maximizing Visualization Flexibility with Minimum Hassle

Headless HMIs slash costs, simplify installation, and unlock creative display options ranging from handheld tablets to wall-mounted scoreboards. By Bobby Thornton, AutomationDirect On a traditional factory floor, operators usually monitor and control equipment using classic panel-mounted touchscreen human-machine interfaces (HMIs). But to meet the demands of a modern facility, designers need technologies to more effectively…
Small Theatre’s Rotating Stage Gets VFD Controls Upgrade
Application StoriesDrivesIssue 58 - 2026Notebook IssueProductSafetyVariable Speed Drives

Small Theatre’s Rotating Stage Gets VFD Controls Upgrade

After running for decades on its original electro-hydraulic drive, Timber Lake Playhouse’s revolving stage system received significant behind-the-scenes AutomationDirect upgrades in 2007 and 2025. By Ryan Poethke, ShowFab Timber Lake Playhouse (TLP), adjacent to its namesake body of water and surrounded by woods and acres of farmland beyond, has been operating as a professional, non-profit…
Circuit Protection: Fundamental Components for Protecting Equipment and Personnel
Circuit ProtectionContent CollectionsProduct

Circuit Protection: Fundamental Components for Protecting Equipment and Personnel

What is a circuit protection? Industrial circuit protection is a foundational element of every electrical and control system. Whether a panel powers PLCs, sensors, motor starters, or VFDs, each circuit must be safeguarded against overloads, short circuits, and other fault conditions that can damage equipment or put personnel at risk. Proper overcurrent protection ensures that…
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…