Issue 60, 2026
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Issue 60, 2026

Highlights As industrial automation moves into a digitally-enabled connected era, three conversations that once lived in separate silos — network design, device level security, and control programming — are converging. That merge is resulting in systems that are built to be both open and resilient. This issue of NOTEBOOK explores these three topics — and…
Designing Secure and Effective Industrial Control Networks
CommunicationsIssue 60 - 2026Notebook IssueProductUncategorized

Designing Secure and Effective Industrial Control Networks

The IT/OT convergence is inescapable in the modern industrial market. Here’s how to optimize performance while maintaining a secure network. By: Damon Purvis, Alexander Maercz, and Winn Paulk; AutomationDirect For decades, the operational technology (OT) networks responsible for industrial controls were kept separate from IT networks. The approach protected critical industrial operations from vulnerabilities introduced…
More STRIDE PRO Unmanaged+ Ethernet Switches
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More STRIDE PRO Unmanaged+ Ethernet Switches

July 15, 2026-AutomationDirect has added more STRIDE PRO Unmanaged+ industrial Ethernet switches which are a step up from basic unmanaged switches, adding efficient network optimization with IGMP snooping (traffic prioritization), port monitoring, port alarms, VLAN support, and more. IGMP snooping ends network flooding by transmitting data only to the specific devices requiring it. Port mirroring…
Motion Starts with What Moves It 
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Motion Starts with What Moves It 

Every operation has one machine everyone depends on, the conveyor that never seems to stop, the gantry that positions with precision, the drive system that quietly powers everything behind the scenes. Over time, it becomes clear that even the most advanced systems rely on something simpler: the components that transfer motion.  At first, those components are easy…
Cembre Knockouts & Punching Tools
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Cembre Knockouts & Punching Tools

June 17, 2026-AutomationDirect’s lineup of knockout and punching tools now includes Cembre hydraulic knockout punching tools and accessories that deliver fast, clean, and accurate cutouts in steel, stainless steel, fiberglass, and plastic sheet materials—eliminating the need for any secondary finishing. A puller‑type hydraulic mechanism applies consistent force through the entire punch stroke, producing smooth, burr‑free…
Issue 59, 2026
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Issue 59, 2026

Highlights For the last decade (or more), the manufacturing industry has been adopting Industry 4.0 technology. A mashup of the Internet of Things (IoT), network connectivity, cloud computing, analytics and 3D printing have formed the foundation of what’s been leading us toward widespread digital transformation. It’s been the ultimate automation experiment. Especially when we started…
Issue 58, 2026
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Issue 58, 2026

Highlights With every new year comes the obligatory “top technology predictions” from industry pundits who look into their crystal ball to figure out the future. Well, we’re doing it too. In this issue of NOTEBOOK, we ring in the new year by enlisting the help of Bill Makley, principal at BMC Consulting, who, for over…
Supplier Profile – Datasensing
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Supplier Profile – Datasensing

In industrial automation, detecting the presence, position or quality of objects across production and logistics sectors is critically important. Factory floors and automated warehouses depend on it for safer operations, not to mention better efficiency and process control. Enter Datasensing, which builds on more than 50 years of sensor expertise rooted in Italy’s automation history….
Newsletter Volume 27 Issue 12
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Newsletter Volume 27 Issue 12

16 Tips for an Effective HMI When designing an effective human-machine interface (HMI) system, every screen, button and graphic matters. This article, “16 Tips for an Effective HMI”, offers a clear and practical roadmap—from layout planning and color usage to alarm handling and usability testing—to help you create an HMI that’s intuitive, efficient and reliable….