Are your machine or robot control systems good enough, or should you make a change? The machines and robots you build work well. You’ve kept up with periodic improvements. Most of your support calls are predictable. Why rock the boat? As a machine or robot builder OEM, you understand the favorable economics of selling machines ... Read More
This is part two of a two-part series on variable frequency drives. In Part One, we discussed how choosing the right variable frequency drive (VFD) can reduce energy consumption, improve realtime control, and lengthen motor life. Here are more expert tips to consider. Select the Proper Control Mode VFD control mode choice greatly depends on ... Read More
In many applications, single loop temperature controllers are sufficient to provide control of heating and cooling. But in some applications, including the one detailed in this article, closely coordinated control among many temperature control loops is needed. In those cases and others, PLC-based temperature control can be the best solution. A meltblown machine, a melted ... Read More
This is part one of a two-part series on variable frequency drives. VFDs can reduce energy consumption, improve real-time control, and lengthen motor life; selecting the right one for your application requires asking the correct questions. Here are some expert tips to consider. Determine if a VFD is right for your application. The primary function of ... Read More
Machine and Robot Builders Look Ahead to the New Decade As a new decade dawns, machine and robot builder OEMs are looking to embrace new trends and put the past behind them. Recent economic travails seem to be lessening, especially in the developing world. The hope is for continued improvement in the world economy, spurring ... Read More
Advanced automation helps Casa Herrera produce tortillas reliably, quickly and precisely. Casa Herrera builds tortilla preparation equipment for the corn and flour tortilla industry, provides equipment for the bakery and snack food industries, and is the preferred supplier to several national brands. We build several varieties of our machines to meet customer specifications, and we ... Read More
Alexander Kern is a member of the Beverley Hills High School MorTorq Robotics team. He contacted AutomationDirect in February of this year with questions about interfacing a C-more touch panel to his high school’s robot. In a few short weeks, Alex and his team built a robot from scratch, interfacing the C-more panel to operate the robot during competition, ... Read More
AA Absolute Automation And Electrical Services, Inc. is an independent control systems and industrial electrical company based in Covington, Georgia. They provide solutions to both end user and OEM clients in many industries including material handling, chemical processing, food and beverage, metals processing, plastics, recycling and general manufacturing. Services offered range from complete turnkey automation ... Read More
A steam generating plant on wheels? That’s right. The DewPoint 6110 hooks up between a large farm tractor and hay balers that make large rectangular bales from 1,500 to 2,000 lb each (Fig. 1). Its purpose is to add moisture to dry hay to prevent mechanical damage to the crop during the baling process. This revolutionary ... Read More
Who: Joseph Michael Blakely (Joe) From: Toledo, OH, USA Attending College: University of Washington (Seattle, WA) Major: M. S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics, graduated December 2008 What first got you interested in your area of focus? I have been deeply fascinated by air and space vehicles for as long as I can remember. When I was a young ... Read More
