Developed by the Modicon company (the original manufacturer of the Programmable Logic Controller, or PLC) in…
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There is much to be said for neatness of assembly in electrical signal wiring. Even though the electrons…
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Labwork is an essential part of any science-based curriculum. Here, much improvement may be made over the…
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An engineer named Bob Metcalfe conceived the idea of Ethernet in 1973, while working for the Xerox research…
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Programmable logic controllers are essentially nothing more than special-purpose, industrial computers. As…
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Some self-powered (4-wire) analog electronic transmitters are designed to behave as electrical loads rather…
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The vast majority of PID controllers in service today are digital in nature. Microprocessors executing PID…
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Light has long been used as a long-range signaling medium. While communication by light through open air is…
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Layer 1 of the OSI Reference Model is where we define the “physical” elements of a digital data…
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A design-based fortification is one rooted in technical details of system architecture and functionality. Some…
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I remember first learning about the world-wide Internet, and wondering what it actually looked like. The first…
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RTDs are completely passive sensing elements, requiring the application of an externally-sourced electric…
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It is possible to convey electrical power and communicate analog information over the same two wires using 4…
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DC electric current signals may also be used to communicate process measurement information from transmitters…
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pH is the measurement of the hydrogen ion activity in a liquid solution. It is one of the most common forms of…
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One of the great benefits of digital technology is the ability to communicate vast amounts of information over…
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Learning PLC programming is a very important skill. If your job involves programming, then you will likely…
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Some of the simplest types of digital communication networks found in industry are defined by the EIA…
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Impedance in a series circuit is the orthogonal sum of resistance and reactance: \[Z = \sqrt{R^2 + (X_L -…
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Some problem-solving techniques are unique to quantitative problems, involving mathematical calculations. In…
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“Feedforward” is a rather under-used control strategy capable of managing a great many types of…
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Disconnect Switches Disconnects are switches designed to isolate sections of a power system in case of damage…
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Visualizing the actions of P, I, and D tuning parameters using graphs is extremely useful in predicting the…
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Non-dispersive analysis, while newer in discovery than dispersive analysis (Isaac Newton’s 17th-century…
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Certain types of nuclear radiation easily penetrates the walls of industrial vessels, but is attenuated by…
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Perhaps the most important rule to obey when using pneumatic instruments is to maintain clean and dry…
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A fundamental limitation of proportional control has to do with its response to changes in setpoint and…
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A sliding-stem valve body is one where the moving parts slide with a linear motion. Some examples of…
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Those familiar with industrial instrumentation will find much within the electric power industry remarkably…
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When I began teaching full-time in 1998, most of what I thought I understood about good teaching was actually…
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There are several different methods useful for causing an AC induction motor to brake, or slow down: DC…
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It is often useful to express the amplitude of an alternating quantity such as voltage or current in terms…
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A variety of problem-solving techniques have been presented for students over the years which are all helpful…
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Imagine a liquid-level control system for a vessel, where the position of a level-sensing float directly sets…
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To show a practical process example, let’s examine three diagrams for a compressor control system,…
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Imagine a liquid-level control system for a vessel, where the position of a level-sensing float sets the…
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There are multiple motives for compromising the security of an industrial control system, some of which…
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Since we often use electricity to convey energy from one location to another, it is important to be able to…
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