This issue is filled with articles about new products, and interesting advances in technology, such as a new adjustable speed motor concept from DynaMotors, Inc. We cover the burning issue of arc flash, and answer questions about AC motors and drives. We’re also pleased to include an article from guest writer Jack Smith, managing editor of Plant Engineering magazine.
– TJ Johns
Senior Editor
In this issue of the Automation Notebook…
In each issue of the Automation Notebook we feature a section of brainteasers. These are the brainteaser answers from Issue 10, 2008 of the Automation Notebook. The brainteaser questions are repeated in black. The answers to the brainteaser questions are highlighted in red with explanations. You can view the brainteasers from Issue 10, 2008 without the answers…
1. Widget Fidget:A factory owner took a certain number of widgets to a county fair and sold some of them. He took the unsold widgets back to his factory that night and – while he slept – his fully automated factory doubled the number of widgets on hand. He took these to the fair the…
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookFYIIssue 10 – 2008Learning ResourcesMotorsNotebook IssueProductVariable Speed Drives
Motor Questions Answered
FAQS Question: Can IronHorse™ motors be used with a drive? Answer: IronHorse™ motors can be used with drives, but there are some limitations. Depending on your application, there may be good reasons to step up to an inverter-duty motor in your application. Question: What’s the difference between a General Purpose motor and an Inverter Duty motor? Answer: General…
ApplicationApplication StoriesAutomation NotebookEducation/DIYIndustryIssue 10 – 2008Learning ResourcesMachine ControlNotebook IssuePLCProductProgrammable ControlTechnical Review
Urban Challenge 2007
AutomationDirect was pleased to help support two vehicles hoping to compete in the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge. Team Mojavaton, with their “White Knight” (a modified Nissan Xterra), and Insight Racing (fielding a Lotus Elise dubbed the “Lone Wolf”) were both invited to the National Qualification Event held in Victorville, CA, at the end of October…
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookIssue 10 – 2008Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueOperator InterfaceProductTech ThreadWhy HMI
Understanding the Advanced Recipe Function of the C-more® Touch Panel
Recipes are used in a multitude of control applications including batch processing for the food, beverage, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, as well as complex applications such as robotics. Recipes, when used with an HMI, provide a simple and effective way to change the data in a large number of tags with the push of a…
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookFeature StoryIssue 10 – 2008Learning ResourcesMotorsNotebook IssueProduct
Future Adjustable Speed Motor Technology
High pole count motors have existed for years, and are in use today in some specialty industrial applications. They typically provide slower operation (without a drive), but the horsepower is reduced as the pole count increases. A new concept for high pole count motors has recently been patented by DynaMotors, Inc of Cleveland, OH. The…
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookCircuit ProtectionIssue 10 – 2008Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductTechnology Brief
Arc Flash: What’s the big deal?
What is an Arc Flash? The subject of arc flash has become a major concern in electrical safety. What exactly is arc flash and how can it be prevented? Arc flash is high temperature conductive plasma formed when a short circuit fault occurs between at least two energized conductors. It occurs when a phase-to-phase fault…
According to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), industrial control shipments continued to grow throughout 2007. Although measures of confidence among manufacturers slipped in the second half of the year, indicators of the industrial sector’s performance remained in solid shape. Looking ahead, reports from the Manufacturers Alliance (MAPI) indicate that the combination of the credit…
We have added several exciting products since our last edition of the Automation Notebook. Here are some highlights about some of those new products including: Industrial Ethernet Switches, General purpose electrical wire, Fuse Holders now available in single packs, New generation of Industrial LCD Monitors, Expanded PLC protocol support for C-more® Micro-graphic panels, Disconnect enclosures,…
AutomationDirect’s C-more touch panels now support several additional protocols for the Allen-Bradley® PLC brand. New Allen-Bradley Ethernet drivers allow simple connection of multiple panels and/or multiple Allen-Bradley PLCs. ControlLogix® Ethernet/IP Tag Messaging support simplifies tag database migration since no mapping or translation is required. RSLogix™ 5000 L5K files can be imported directly, or with a…
AutomationDirect’s new IronHorse™ general purpose AC motor line includes rolled steel and cast iron styles in the most popular sizes. IronHorse motors are available in single and three-phase models and in one-third to 300 hp sizes; all motors have a base speed of 1800 RPM and are electrically reversible. The MTR series 56C frame motors,…
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookCover StoriesIssue 10 – 2008Learning ResourcesMotorsNotebook IssueProduct
Match The Motor To The Load For Maximum Efficiency
A half-loaded motor uses almost as much energy as one that’s fully loaded. To save energy, optimize motor horsepower to the specific application. When electricity was cheap, efficiency was not necessarily top of mind for many. However, current energy prices force manufacturers to further analyze where they use energy and how they spend their energy…