People's Choice for a Cost-Effective and Energy-Efficient Solar-Powered Home
ApplicationApplication StoriesAutomation NotebookAutomationDirect SpotlightDrivesEducation/DIYEnergy/UtilitiesHMIIndustryIssue 29 - 2014Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueOperator InterfacePLCProcess ControlProductProgrammable ControlStudent SpotlightStudent SpotlightVariable Speed Drives

People's Choice for a Cost-Effective and Energy-Efficient Solar-Powered Home

UrbanEden, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s entry to the Solar Decathlon 2013, is a concept home consisting of four connected indoor and outdoor spaces that create a unique
Automation System Retrofit Transforms 175-ton Hydraulic Forming Press
ApplicationApplication StoriesAutomation NotebookIndustryIssue 29 - 2014Learning ResourcesManufacturingNotebook IssueOperator InterfacePLCProcess ControlProductProgrammable ControlUser Solutions

Automation System Retrofit Transforms 175-ton Hydraulic Forming Press

In less than one month, a rebuild automated press operations to increase production rates and improve quality. Southern Manufacturing Group (SMG) located in Morrison, Tennessee, was founded in 1993. The company makes automotive components and industrial valves. In the fall of 2012, the automation system for its 175-ton hydraulic forming press received electrical damage resulting from a lightning strike…
Gas Turbine Repurposed With PLCs
ApplicationApplication StoriesAutomation NotebookAutomationDirect SpotlightData CollectionData System MonitoringEducation/DIYEnergy/UtilitiesHMIIndustryIssue 24 - 2012Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueOperator InterfacePLCProductProgrammable ControlStudent SpotlightStudent Spotlight

Gas Turbine Repurposed With PLCs

The Midwest Propulsion Group is a jet engine club dedicated to increasing the engineering knowledge and experience base of students by providing real-world engineering tasks related to gas turbine restoration and performance analysis, as well as finding vehicular applications for such engines.
C-more Remote Access for iPhone®, iPad®, and iPod touch®
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookIssue 21 – 2011Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueOperator InterfaceProduct

C-more Remote Access for iPhone®, iPad®, and iPod touch®

In late 2009, AutomationDirect released the Remote Access and Control feature for the C-more operator interface product line. This feature allowed users to connect to a C-more panel via the Internet and remotely view and control the panel application as if they were on site. The primary objective was to add remote accessibility without requiring…
C-more HMI With Enhanced Allen-Bradley PLC Driver Support
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookIssue 12 – 2008Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueTechnical ReviewWhy HMI

C-more HMI With Enhanced Allen-Bradley PLC Driver Support

With the growing popularity of the C-more Operator Interface line, we have had many requests to add PLC protocol drivers. These drivers allow customers with different PLC brands to standardize on the C-more HMI product. This article takes a look at C-more’s PLC drivers and demonstrates how to import/export tags and optimize communication. Due to the abundance…
Sunlight Efficiency Detector (SLED) Chosen as Finalist in Freescale Semiconductor Contest
ApplicationData CollectionEnergy/UtilitiesIndustryIssue 11 – 2008Notebook IssueOperator InterfaceProductProgrammable ControlTechnology Brief

Sunlight Efficiency Detector (SLED) Chosen as Finalist in Freescale Semiconductor Contest

Announced in October 2007, Freescale’s first FTF Design Challenge encouraged embedded systems designers worldwide to “go green”. A team of engineers from FACTS Engineering, including Tom Moulton and Eric Wilhelmson, took up the challenge with their design for a SunLight Efficiency Detector or SLED. FACTS is a federation partner of AutomationDirect, and the supplier of…