Designing a PLC Ladder Program
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookIssue 12 – 2008Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductProgrammable ControlTech Thread

Designing a PLC Ladder Program

Thinking back on my first Computer Programming course, the instructor was adamant about flow charting, documenting, and using good tools to design the program. I was 18 at the time and thought, “Anyone can write a good program and documentation isn’t needed. Write it correctly and it’s done.” It didn’t take long to see just…
Teaching an Old Dog Some New Tricks
ApplicationApplication StoriesAutomation NotebookDrivesEducation/DIYIndustryIssue 11 – 2008Learning ResourcesMachine ToolNotebook IssueProductTech ThreadVariable Speed Drives

Teaching an Old Dog Some New Tricks

Modernizing The Speed Controls Of Hardinge Turret Lathes Using AutomationDirect GS2 Variable Frequency Drives Just about every machinist in the U.S. has encountered a Hardinge turret lathe during the course of their career. These little machines, commonly referred to as “second operation lathes”, are astoundingly productive pieces of equipment which still have great value in…
FAQs for SureServo AC Servo Drives
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookIssue 8 – 2007Learning ResourcesMotion ControlNotebook IssueProductTech Thread

FAQs for SureServo AC Servo Drives

Since the release of the SureServo AC servo drives, we have compiled a list of questions that are frequently asked by our customers. The following are answers to some of those questions. What power voltages does the SureServo require?  The SureServo requires 220 VAC single-phase to power the smaller drives and 3-phase for larger systems. There…
Welcome PAC: Moving On To The Next Generation Controller
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookIssue 9 – 2007Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductProgrammable ControlTech Thread

Welcome PAC: Moving On To The Next Generation Controller

Log on to any industrial control discussion forum, and you will read passionate debates about the advantages and disadvantages of programmable logic controllers (PLCs) compared to PC-based control. Amongst the PLC/PC debates, there most likely were some threads discussing PACs, which begs the question, “What the heck is a PAC?” PAC, a new acronym, stands…
Sensor Trends
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookDiscrete SensingIssue 7 – 2006Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductTech Thread

Sensor Trends

Because of certain drawbacks of physical contact style sensors and switches such as limit switches and float switches, newer technology non-contact style sensors have become prevalent in industry, performing well in many applications. Proximity, photoelectric and ultrasonic sensors can be used in many applications for which they were previously never considered. These non-contact sensors are…
Answers To Questions About Our New C-more Operator Panel
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookIssue 6 – 2006Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueOperator InterfaceProductTech Thread

Answers To Questions About Our New C-more Operator Panel

AutomationDirect’s new operator panel is packed with lots of features. We’ve compiled a list of questions and answers that address some of these features: Q: Can I use the serial port on my laptop or desktop computer to upload/download programs via the serial port on a C-more panel? A: The C-more panel is designed to communicate with a computer via…
A User's Guide to Configuring Serial Ports for DirectLOGIC PLCs: A Two Part Series
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookIssue 3 – 2005Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductProgrammable ControlTech Thread

A User's Guide to Configuring Serial Ports for DirectLOGIC PLCs: A Two Part Series

The capabilities of Port 2 of the DL06, DL250-1 and DL260 CPUs are often overlooked when designing a process control network. Like Port 1, Port 2 can be used for programming the CPU or connecting other RS-232 devices, such as an operator interface panel, to the PLC. Unlike Port 1, Port 2 supports different types…
Numbering Systems Explained
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookIssue 5 – 2005Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueTech Thread

Numbering Systems Explained

There are several types of numbering systems typically used in automation equipment: Binary, Hexadecimal, Octal, BCD and Floating Point (Real). How to use them can be confusing. This article, from our Technical Support web page, explains the different numbering systems.  Binary Numbers Computers, including PLCs, use the Base 2 numbering system called Binary or Boolean….
A User's Guide to Configuring Serial Ports for DirectLOGIC PLCs: Part Two
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookIssue 4 – 2005Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductProgrammable ControlTech Thread

A User's Guide to Configuring Serial Ports for DirectLOGIC PLCs: Part Two

In the previous issue of Automation Notebook, Winter 2005 Issue 3, we discussed the communications capabilities of Port 2 on the DL06, DL250-1 and DL260 DirectLOGIC CPUs. We covered networking, wiring diagrams and protocols. In this issue we will discuss how to configure the communication port using DirectSOFT programming software while connected to the CPU….
Using Indirect Addressing in a PLC to Scale a Non-linear Analog Input Signal
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookIssue 2 – 2004Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductProgrammable ControlTech Thread

Using Indirect Addressing in a PLC to Scale a Non-linear Analog Input Signal

Indirect addressing, or pointer addressing as it is called with Koyo PLCs, is an addressing mode found in many processors’ instruction sets that specifies a register that contains the effective address. Accessing the operand requires two memory accesses – one to fetch the effective address and another to read or write the actual operand. Indirect…