When and Why to Upgrade HMIs
Operator InterfaceProduct

When and Why to Upgrade HMIs

Intelligent HMI advances can justify upgrades based on significant improvements associated with ease-of-use, cybersecurity, and other advanced features. Consumers are accustomed to rapidly upgrading their personal electronic devices by buying new hardware and updating apps, but the industrial automation world usually works at a slower and more delayed pace in this regard. Greg Philbrook, HMI…
How Calgary Racing Uses Linear Position Sensors
Discrete SensingProduct

How Calgary Racing Uses Linear Position Sensors

UCalgary Racing has been using the Gefran PZ12-A-0050-L for the past 3 years to measure the suspension travel of the car. The potentiometers provide data that enable the team to understand and study the behavior of the vehicle at any given moment. It provides information that when analyzed, reveals how the car responds to road…
An Industrial-Grade Serial Communications Solution
ProductProgrammable Control

An Industrial-Grade Serial Communications Solution

Even though Ethernet is a widely-adopted standard, there remains a great need to connect with commercial, industrial, and laboratory devices using enduring serial RS232/RS485 communication technology. Chris Kregoski, product engineer for AutomationDirect, wrote an article for Industrial Equipment News September/October, titled Making Serial Connectivity Industrial-Grade. Here’s a summary, click on the link above for the…
Selecting Discrete Sensors
Discrete SensingProduct

Selecting Discrete Sensors

By considering these application characteristics, specifiers can identify the best industrial sensor candidates for their applications. Discrete object detection refers to methods used to sense the presence—or the absence—of a target material or product, resulting in an “on” or an “off” signal. There are many options for these types of sensors on the market, so…
VFD Speed Control Versus Torque Control
ProductVariable Speed Drives

VFD Speed Control Versus Torque Control

Speed control is the most common VFD control mode, but many of today’s VFDs can also perform in torque control mode, which is needed for certain applications. Variable frequency drives (VFDs) let designers optimize equipment operating speeds, save energy, and even minimize mechanical wear—but VFDs can play another important role other than standard speed control….
Future-Proof Ethernet Installations
CommunicationsProduct

Future-Proof Ethernet Installations

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…