How to Connect 3-wire Sinking & Sourcing Devices to PLC Input Modules
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookIssue 1 – 2004Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductProgrammable ControlTechnical Review

How to Connect 3-wire Sinking & Sourcing Devices to PLC Input Modules

When connecting a 3-wire field device to your PLC system, it is important to have a solid understanding of sinking (NPN) and sourcing (PNP) concepts. Sinking and Sourcing First, sinking and sourcing are only associated with DC circuits. DC circuits can conduct current in one direction only. This means that it is possible to connect…
HMIs and PC Control: Upwardly Mobile With Upscale Connections
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookCommunicationsIssue 1 – 2004Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductProgrammable ControlTechnology Brief

HMIs and PC Control: Upwardly Mobile With Upscale Connections

Remember when you had to be an artist to design HMI faceplates that resembled your process? Remember configuring your HMI software by filling in cryptic addresses and values, something resembling the Microsoft® Windows™ registry? Remember when your HMI was a dedicated system that only connected to a single process? Or when it was cool to…
PLC, PC, or Custom - Which Control Choice Is Right For You?
Automation NotebookCover StoriesIssue 1 – 2004Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductProgrammable Control

PLC, PC, or Custom - Which Control Choice Is Right For You?

Choices and change are the only constants in control system technologies today. Current industrial controller products can no longer be classified by the internal design architecture they possess. More often than not, any type of modern controller uses some portion of Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) technology in its CPU, operating system, memory, or data…