Mitsubishi Electric has made a new 120V VFD to help manufacturers that need access to variable-speed motors. They can benefit from these 120V VFDs by eliminating…
Mitsubishi Electric has made a new 120V VFD to help manufacturers that need access to variable-speed motors. They can benefit from these 120V VFDs by eliminating the need for a rotary phase converter.
After an amazing first half in 2023, with site records being broken in many categories, we have you, our viewers, to…
After an amazing first half in 2023, with site records being broken in many categories, we have you, our viewers, to thank! But what content have you been enjoying most? Articles, forums, the textbook?
Stepper motor control can be useful for motion applications. Learn the circuit connection and programming instructions…
Stepper motor control can be useful for motion applications. Learn the circuit connection and programming instructions for implementing stepper motor control using GX Works 2 on MELSEC FX-Series PLCs.
Three-phase motors are a backbone of the modern industrial control landscape. But plenty of applications still rely on…
Three-phase motors are a backbone of the modern industrial control landscape. But plenty of applications still rely on single-phase motors. Can these types of motors be reversed, and if so, how?
Direct current (DC) motors have existed since the late 19th century. What sets these motors apart from AC models, how do…
Direct current (DC) motors have existed since the late 19th century. What sets these motors apart from AC models, how do you control them, and how can you tell when it’s time to repair or replace them?
Setting and resetting a PLC output is essential in establishing a holding circuit for a transducer. Learn how to use…
Setting and resetting a PLC output is essential in establishing a holding circuit for a transducer. Learn how to use set/reset instructions in MELSOFT series GX Works2 to latch and release an output.
Join Control Automation for a review of the show highlights and a special feature of some exciting booths visited on the…
Join Control Automation for a review of the show highlights and a special feature of some exciting booths visited on the last and final day of the Automate trade show. Excited for the next year of innovation!
We usually think of joysticks in terms of video game controllers, but they exist in all kinds of industrial systems:…
We usually think of joysticks in terms of video game controllers, but they exist in all kinds of industrial systems: heavy equipment, overhead cranes, and even some robotic controls. But how do they work?
Variable control allows external conditions, like temperature, to be monitored so the controller can activate devices to…
Variable control allows external conditions, like temperature, to be monitored so the controller can activate devices to heat or cool the system as needed. Simulate a temp controller with low-cost components!
Designing, installing, and maintaining control systems involves a lot of wires. Each wire has a purpose, often indicated…
Designing, installing, and maintaining control systems involves a lot of wires. Each wire has a purpose, often indicated by the color of the insulation. But what are the common colors, and what do they mean?
Many VFDs use digital inputs to control operation, rather than PLC-driven network communications. Learn about 2-wire and…
Many VFDs use digital inputs to control operation, rather than PLC-driven network communications. Learn about 2-wire and 3-wire digital input control schemes for ABB, Omron, Rockwell, and others.
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.
Field-oriented control (FOC), also called vector control, can control 3-phase alternating current motors and brushless DC…
Field-oriented control (FOC), also called vector control, can control 3-phase alternating current motors and brushless DC motors. Read more to learn its advantages, how it works, and its best applications.
Large motors require a circuit to turn on and off. This may be as simple as a single on/off drum-type switch or as…
Large motors require a circuit to turn on and off. This may be as simple as a single on/off drum-type switch or as elaborate as a VFD unit. Learn about some common control circuit designs for typical three-phase motor requirements.
Hosted by IMEngineering West in Anaheim, CA on Feb 7-9, the Automation Technology Expo (ATX) West is quickly approaching.…
Hosted by IMEngineering West in Anaheim, CA on Feb 7-9, the Automation Technology Expo (ATX) West is quickly approaching. Check out some of the innovative factory automation and robotic solutions to be demonstrated on the show floor.
DC motors are an old technology still commonly used in industry. This hands-on article shows how to implement a Count Up…
DC motors are an old technology still commonly used in industry. This hands-on article shows how to implement a Count Up (CTU) counter on an Arduino OpenPLC Simulator to control a low-voltage DC motor.
CUI Devices has expanded its product line of motion and control components, offering a new family of shaft and shaftless…
CUI Devices has expanded its product line of motion and control components, offering a new family of shaft and shaftless potentiometers that come in different varieties with varying resistance ratings.
We are taught that parallel circuits maintain equal voltage across all branch resistors, equally sharing the source…
We are taught that parallel circuits maintain equal voltage across all branch resistors, equally sharing the source voltage. But reality is often far from ideal, and individual devices certainly impact the rest of the circuit.
Programmable Logic Controllers, or PLCs, are designed to receive signals and influence load devices automatically. Learn…
Programmable Logic Controllers, or PLCs, are designed to receive signals and influence load devices automatically. Learn how to connect and program discrete output devices like solenoids, relays, and lights.
Previously, we described how to use the new Arduino PLC IDE to control discrete devices. This tutorial will describe how…
Previously, we described how to use the new Arduino PLC IDE to control discrete devices. This tutorial will describe how to connect various peripheral equipment (VFD and robot) using analog inputs and outputs.
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