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…
A truck customization shop expanded their capabilities by offering AutomationDirect PLCs and HMIs to control expansive on-vehicle lighting displays. Just as many car owners like to customize their rides, there is a growing convoy of truck operators who like to do the same as a personal and promotional statement. Dickerson Custom Trucks has been catering…
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…
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…
This resort site uses AutomationDirect VFDs to control waterpark systems, in the process adding the capability to manage and upgrade their own equipment. When the Triple R Camping Resort enhanced their facility to include a waterpark with interactive water features, they also needed to upgrade some behind-the-scenes elements, such as pumps, and the VFDs controlling…
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…
A modern PLC automation platform will keep a classic industrial machine running for years to come. Cotton production originated thousands of years ago, but modern machines, like the cotton gin and the cotton baler (or cotton baling press), have made its processing much more efficient over the past 200 years. These machines can be kept…
The 4-20mA analog current loop is a workhorse of automation, but initial setup and troubleshooting can be challenging, here are some tips to help. For all types of industrial machinery and automation, a basic 4 to 20 milliamp (4-20mA) wiring scheme has been one of the most prominent installation methods for transmitting analog signals. Digital…
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….
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…