DataWorx with Do-more PLC support
+Tech TopicsApplicationAutomation NotebookData CollectionIssue 28 - 2014Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductProgrammable ControlTechnology Brief

DataWorx with Do-more PLC support

AutomationDirect has partnered with BizWareDirect for several years, supplying DataWorx data collection and monitoring software for compatible DirectLOGIC programmable logic controllers (PLCs), Productivity3000 and WinPLC controllers. Previously, it had been necessary to purchase an OPC/DDE server and write code, or buy an HMI package, to collect data from AutomationDirect controllers. BizWareDirect’s data collection software makes…
What to Know When Selecting an Enclosure
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookEnclosures & AccessoriesEquipment SafetyIssue 26 – 2013Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductTechnology Brief

What to Know When Selecting an Enclosure

NEMA enclosures house all kinds of electrical components from simple terminal blocks, to industrial automation systems, to high voltage switchgear. In industrial automation systems, NEMA enclosures often house motor controls, drives, PLC/PC control systems, pushbuttons, and termination systems. Some enclosures are shaped to be operator consoles. AutomationDirect offers over 2,200 enclosure part numbers across NEMA…
Encoders Explained
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookDiscrete SensingIssue 25 – 2013Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductTechnology Brief

Encoders Explained

What is an Encoder? An encoder (for industrial controls) is a special sensor that captures position information and relays that data to other devices. The position information can be read in many ways (optically, magnetically, capacitively, etc.). There are two basic geometries for encoders: linear and rotary. A linear encoder typically consists of a scale…
Important Considerations for Replacing and Sizing AC Motors
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookIssue 23 – 2012Learning ResourcesMotorsNotebook IssueProductTechnology Brief

Important Considerations for Replacing and Sizing AC Motors

How to determine whether to rewind or replace a motor, and how to find the right motor size for your application. Every business is trying to conserve energy in the face of high utility costs, so getting the best return on investment (ROI) is critical for maintaining a healthy balance sheet. The decision to replace…
Electrical Arcs (Part 2 of a 2 Part Series)
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookCircuit ProtectionIssue 19 – 2011Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductTechnology Brief

Electrical Arcs (Part 2 of a 2 Part Series)

In Part One of this article we discussed the equipment and procedures used to manage the damaging effects of arcs in electrical equipment. In Part Two, we will discuss some of the basic methods, tools, components and circuits that should be used to operate safely around circuits with high arc potential. Part One can be…
Electrical Arcs (Part 1 of a 2 Part Series)
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookCircuit ProtectionIssue 18 – 2010Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductTechnology Brief

Electrical Arcs (Part 1 of a 2 Part Series)

Those of us who have worked with, or around, electrical equipment have witnessed electrical arcs. At the very least, we’ve seen the sparks produced when a relay or contactor switches off. Similarly, most of us also know that repetitive arcing can be very damaging to contacts over the long term, requiring periodic replacement of relays…
Transformers: Application, Construction and Efficiencies
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookElectrical PowerIssue 15 – 2009Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductTechnology Brief

Transformers: Application, Construction and Efficiencies

Part One of a Two-Part Series Although most of us have encountered transformers in our professional lives, it’s surprising just how little the average designer or technician knows about them. A transformer’s principal function is to “transform” alternating current from an undesirable voltage to a voltage that is appropriate for the circuit at hand. A…
Fuses or Circuit Breakers: Which should you use?
+Tech TopicsAutomation NotebookCircuit ProtectionIssue 14 – 2009Learning ResourcesNotebook IssueProductTechnology Brief

Fuses or Circuit Breakers: Which should you use?

Circuit Protection For most of us who work in the electrical design field, the question of circuit protection is omnipresent in our day-to-day efforts. There are a myriad of circuit protection technologies available that address phenomenon such as high voltage transients, inductive kick-back, capacitive coupling, high inrush currents and ground faults, just to name a…