IO-Link modules, sensors, and other automation field devices help designers architect intelligent and cost-effective digital solutions so they can easily connect with industrial edge data for monitoring and controlling equipment. Byline: Kevin Kakascik and Chris Kregoski, AutomationDirect Traditional hardwired input/output (I/O) works well for monitoring and controlling sensors, actuators, and other field-installed devices associated with…
AutomationDirect has the Ethernet devices and installation media needed to future-proof factory and machine networking installations. Consumer- and commercial-grade Ethernet networking has been common since the 1980s, and it has evolved significantly over the decades. Yet, Ethernet for industrial applications generally lagged behind commercial installations. In an Industrial Ethernet Book July/August 2023 article titled Advancing…
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…
CommunicationsData and IIoTData System MonitoringIssue 51 2024Operator 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…
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…
This automated car wash supplier needed a better way to connect with a multitude of remotely-located digital systems, and it found the solution with AutomationDirect StrideLinx. Industrial automation isn’t just for factories, as it surrounds us and provides safe, reliable, and consistent performance for elevators, traffic lights, and even the neighborhood carwash. Aulio Gil is…
By implementing layers of hardware, software, and procedural defenses, industrial automation systems can be made both cybersecure and remote-friendly. Damon Purvis, PLC Product Manager at AutomationDirect, wrote an article for the November/December 2022 issue of InTech. Titled Defending Remote-Friendly Environments from Cyberattacks, this article describes how cyber defenses can be layered, while still delivering usable…
This company is using modern PLCs and HMIs to revamp existing agricultural equipment automation systems, improving efficiency and adding advanced IIoT capabilities. Modern agriculture relies directly and indirectly on automated equipment for growing, processing, and transporting product. Vinny Endres grew up in a farming family and quickly learned how to keep things up and running….
New sensors and connectivity devices supporting digital IO-Link communications let users easily gather extended diagnostic and device data. Chris Kregoski, product engineer for AutomationDirect, authored an article posted August 2022 on the Automation.com website titled A Stronger Link for I/O. Here’s a summary, click on the link above for the full text. A concept called…
IoT cloud connectivity lets experts effectively support increasingly complex HVAC systems, such as refrigerant-side economizers for data centers. Robbie Hyde, owner of Interface Mechanics LLC, wrote a success story article for the July 2022 online version of Smart Industry titled Cloud-Based IoT Supports Complex Control Systems from Anywhere. Here’s a summary, click on the link…