Industrial Enclosure Q+A
Enclosures & AccessoriesProduct

Industrial Enclosure Q+A

An AutomationDirect product manager provides industrial enclosure selection essentials for Control Engineering readers. Industrial enclosures protect essential automation components that otherwise wouldn’t stand a chance in the face of harsh factory and field conditions. As automation technologies are trending toward more instrumentation and greater decentralization, the role of enclosures is adapting. Control Engineering interviewed AutomationDirect’s…
VFD Torque Control Basics
ProductVariable Speed Drives

VFD Torque Control Basics

Modern VFDs can now perform torque control for winding/unwinding and other applications, expanding options for equipment designers. Variable frequency drives (VFDs) are commonly used by automation systems to vary the speed of an AC electric motor, but there is another class of applications where torque control, regardless of speed, is the primary goal. Kevin Kakascik…
Building IIoT with Field-Level Communications
CommunicationsData and IIoTIIoT and Data

Building IIoT with Field-Level Communications

IIoT projects should begin incrementally at the edge, using proven combinations of fieldbuses and controllers. Basic hardwired connectivity has long been typical for automation system designs. However, this approach is shifting as digital transformation and IIoT initiatives are expanding. InTech April 2023 features an article titled Field-Level Comms Improve IIoT Implementations, where Bill Dehner at…
Vacuum Gripper Advantages
PneumaticsProduct

Vacuum Gripper Advantages

Modular gripper system kits provide a versatile way for designers and OEMs to quickly create material handling and robot end-of-arm tooling solutions. Many types of industrial equipment must reliably pick-and-place products, materials, containers, and other objects to perform their functions. Designers now have new options to accelerate creation of these gripping solutions, as explained by…
Modern PLCs Provide Support for Advanced Data Access
CommunicationsData and IIoTData System MonitoringOperator InterfaceProgrammable Control

Modern PLCs Provide Support for Advanced Data Access

Although many think of PLCs as primarily for real-time control, modern versions make it easy to implement extensive data connectivity and analytics. While everyday consumers are familiar with getting things their way, this type of flexibility has often been less available within the industrial manufacturing arena. This is an issue for many end users when…
Finding the Right Balance of Local Automation and Remote Connectivity
ApplicationCommunicationsData and IIoTData CollectionData System Monitoring

Finding the Right Balance of Local Automation and Remote Connectivity

Robust real-time industrial control is essential, and remote connectivity is also becoming indispensable for many users. Here are some considerations for achieving the best of both worlds. Damon Purvis at AutomationDirect wrote an article for the February 2023 issue of Processing. Titled Balancing Local Automation with Remote Connectivity, this article explores some concepts around designing…
Vision Sensing Becomes Practical for More Applications
Discrete SensingProcess Sensing & ControlSensors Automation

Vision Sensing Becomes Practical for More Applications

Smart vision sensors incorporate on-board machine learning, empowering users to deploy them in common applications, without the cost and complexity of traditional products. Common photoelectric (PE) sensors are the most basic type of “vision” device, but traditionally it has required much more advanced technology to capture and analyze actual images for advanced detection. In an…
Linear Actuator Options
Mechanical Power TransmissionMotion ControlProductProgrammable Control

Linear Actuator Options

Linear actuators, driven with servo or stepper motors, are an effective way to implement accurate automated machine motion. Chip McDaniel at AutomationDirect wrote an article for the January 2023 issue of Design World’s Linear Motion Tips. Titled A Straight Line to Effective Linear Motion, this article explains linear actuator technologies, and it shows how they…