Latest Distribution Articles

Stratus Technologies has announced their fastest, most reliable generation of ftServers yet, with more processing power…

Stratus Technologies has announced their fastest, most reliable generation of ftServers yet, with more processing power and better reliability for use in managing automation systems in manufacturing.

There are many different kinds of electric motors used for industrial power transfer, but there are also hydraulic and…

There are many different kinds of electric motors used for industrial power transfer, but there are also hydraulic and pneumatic motors that can lend advantages in some situations.

Converting thermal energy into electrical signals, temperature sensors such as RTDs and thermocouples are fundamental in…

Converting thermal energy into electrical signals, temperature sensors such as RTDs and thermocouples are fundamental in the maintenance and operation of industrial environments and equipment.

Motor control is accomplished by circuit devices from simple contactors to complex frequency drive systems. Rockwell…

Motor control is accomplished by circuit devices from simple contactors to complex frequency drive systems. Rockwell Automation recently added a host of new features and upgrades to common product lines.

Calibration can be a time-consuming process requiring expensive traceable tools, but high-accuracy signals result in…

Calibration can be a time-consuming process requiring expensive traceable tools, but high-accuracy signals result in higher-quality products, better customer satisfaction, and, ultimately, greater returns.

Operating just outside the visible light spectrum, infrared energy emits from anything with heat stored in it. Detecting…

Operating just outside the visible light spectrum, infrared energy emits from anything with heat stored in it. Detecting this energy, infrared sensors find use in applications from proximity detection to temperature measurement.

Arduino’s Opta mini PLC platform is supported by the new PLC IDE. Learn to create and download your first program and…

Arduino’s Opta mini PLC platform is supported by the new PLC IDE. Learn to create and download your first program and take advantage of built-in I/O for an easy introduction to the platform.

No more IIoT buzzwords! This article aims to walk through an implementation of MQTT using the paho-mqtt library using…

No more IIoT buzzwords! This article aims to walk through an implementation of MQTT using the paho-mqtt library using nothing more than your local machine and some simple Python programming.

Siemens announces its newly-formed vertical market for Intralogistics to help manufacturers in the US introduce and…

Siemens announces its newly-formed vertical market for Intralogistics to help manufacturers in the US introduce and improve digitalization for increased efficiency and safety in plant processes.

Fischer Connectors has released several new series of heavy-duty cable layouts, allowing reliable fastening of…

Fischer Connectors has released several new series of heavy-duty cable layouts, allowing reliable fastening of single-pair Ethernet (SPE) and USB 3.2, as well as offerings for combined data and fluid connection.

Analytics from data algorithms can predict machine failures and provide diagnostics—but what should we measure? Then,…

Analytics from data algorithms can predict machine failures and provide diagnostics—but what should we measure? Then, once the information has been collected, what trends might point to problems?

One lucky U.S. company could win a fleet of ten Flex autonomous mobile robots as part of ForwardX Robotics’ newly…

One lucky U.S. company could win a fleet of ten Flex autonomous mobile robots as part of ForwardX Robotics’ newly announced competition.

A subset of light is the focused cohesive beams that make up lasers, which can be used in optical sensing. These devices…

A subset of light is the focused cohesive beams that make up lasers, which can be used in optical sensing. These devices provide benefits of greater range, precision, and even mapping for mobile robotics.

ASCII is a familiar acronym, found in applications like Modbus communications and string data types—but what is it, and…

ASCII is a familiar acronym, found in applications like Modbus communications and string data types—but what is it, and what does ASCII mean for automation engineers?

Cybersecurity is all about processes and people. A lot of threats can be mitigated through technology, but only if people…

Cybersecurity is all about processes and people. A lot of threats can be mitigated through technology, but only if people understand how cybersecurity affects control systems and related technology.

ProMat 2023 has come to an end. What technologies made an appearance on the show floor that are helping shape the future…

ProMat 2023 has come to an end. What technologies made an appearance on the show floor that are helping shape the future of smart warehousing, logistics, and manufacturing operations?

Mitsubishi Electric releases a new module that combines IoT asynchronous messaging with deterministic cyclic messaging…

Mitsubishi Electric releases a new module that combines IoT asynchronous messaging with deterministic cyclic messaging typically found in field I/O.

Optical sensors are one of the most popular sensor types in industrial automation. This article covers optical sensor…

Optical sensors are one of the most popular sensor types in industrial automation. This article covers optical sensor basics and commonly used types, including fiber optic, photoelectric, and optical encoders.

ABB has begun the expansion to its North American robotics headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan, strengthening its…

ABB has begun the expansion to its North American robotics headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan, strengthening its commitment to the Americas market and accelerating the development of the "next generation" of robots.