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PID for Your PLC Using SP and PV. So Many Acronyms, So Little Time

PID for Your PLC Using SP and PV. So Many Acronyms, So Little Time

Implementing PID control in a PLC is far more complicated than textbooks would make it appear. There is more to the process than simply picking gain (k) values and calculating an output value.


Controlling and Troubleshooting Common DC Motors

Controlling and Troubleshooting Common DC Motors

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?


Temperature Profiling: The Process and The Underlying Benefits

Temperature Profiling: The Process and The Underlying Benefits

Temperature profiling is an effective tool to monitor thermal properties in process equipment. This article defines temperature profiling, discusses the process components, and describes the various benefits it offers.


Industrial and Robotic Connectors: Choosing Suitable Contacts for Cable Connections

Industrial and Robotic Connectors: Choosing Suitable Contacts for Cable Connections

Selecting a suitable electrical connector is a process that is based on how you will terminate it to the system. This article provides advice on how to make the right contact selection for your industrial or robotic system.


New Mitsubishi Electric Compact PLC: More I/O Power in a Smaller Size

New Mitsubishi Electric Compact PLC: More I/O Power in a Smaller Size

Mitsubishi Electric Automation expands the iQ-F series of compact PLCs with the powerful and affordable FX5S that uses familiar programming software while increasing the range of I/O and communication.


News Jun 11, 2023 by Shawn Dietrich
Methods and Algorithms in Error Checking for Serial Communications

Methods and Algorithms in Error Checking for Serial Communications

Errors in communications often manifest as a result of electrical noise interrupting the data during the transmission process, leading to various methods for determining whether received data has been damaged.


Phoenix Contact’s New Thermomark E-Series Printers Simplify Wiring

Phoenix Contact’s New Thermomark E-Series Printers Simplify Wiring

Phoenix Contact has announced the release of the new Thermomark E-Series printers to increase the speed of wiring projects and provide a more well-documented future for control cabinet manufacturing.


News Jun 09, 2023 by Seth Price
Hands-on Example: Milling Machine Failure Classification Using Logistic Regression

Hands-on Example: Milling Machine Failure Classification Using Logistic Regression

Learn how to build a machine learning model to predict failure classification based on machine parameters using a synthetic dataset modeled after a milling machine, the same process used in real-world systems.


Siemens Releases a New Virtual PLC, the S7-1500V

Siemens Releases a New Virtual PLC, the S7-1500V

The SIMATIC S7-1500V is Siemens's newest PLC, but it looks completely different than any other PLC… Mainly because it doesn’t physically exist.


News Jun 08, 2023 by Shawn Dietrich
5-Point Guide To Set Up A Lean Production System

5-Point Guide To Set Up A Lean Production System

The Lean process uses a method of implementation focusing only on actions providing value to customers. The following five steps break down the process into discrete modules when introducing efficiency to production.


How To: Using Set/Reset Instructions in Mitsubishi’s MELSEC PLCs

How To: Using Set/Reset Instructions in Mitsubishi’s MELSEC PLCs

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.


Closing the Loop: Feedback, Feedforward, and Adaptive Control

Closing the Loop: Feedback, Feedforward, and Adaptive Control

Process automation relies on precise control systems to operate production equipment for everything from lumber to pastries. Using control algorithms produces stable, accurate, and often delicious results.


Fundamentals of Hydraulic Pumps: Types and Operating Principles

Fundamentals of Hydraulic Pumps: Types and Operating Principles

Hydraulic pumps take energy from a source, usually an electric motor or combustion engine, and turn it into a usable force to complete work. What kind of hydraulic pumps exist, and how do they work?


New Smart Firewall For Emerson’s Distributed Control Systems (DCS)

New Smart Firewall For Emerson’s Distributed Control Systems (DCS)

Emerson has enhanced its DeltaV Distributed Control System with the addition of their NextGen Smart Firewall for better network security as manufacturing and plant connectivity continue to grow.


News Jun 01, 2023 by Damond Goodwin
Understanding PLC Tags: Controller Scope vs. Program Scope

Understanding PLC Tags: Controller Scope vs. Program Scope

Is it best to ‘controller scope’ or ‘program scope’ your tags? This is the question asked by many new PLC programmers, and it often comes down to personal preference.


Engineering Editorial Perspective: 2023 Top Trends in Automation

Engineering Editorial Perspective: 2023 Top Trends in Automation

What are some of the most recent developments making waves in the world of robotics and automation? Learn about a few trends with some editorial thoughts about the future of the technology for end users.


News May 31, 2023 by David Peterson
Connectors Used in Industrial and Robotic Cable Termination

Connectors Used in Industrial and Robotic Cable Termination

Industrial and robotics cabling requires specialized termination strategies. This article introduces connectors involved in automation applications for cable-to-cable or cable-to-device termination.


Highlights and Photos from Automate 2023

Highlights and Photos from Automate 2023

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!


News May 28, 2023 by David Peterson
Field Input and Output Blocks From Allen-Bradley

Field Input and Output Blocks From Allen-Bradley

Rockwell Automation has released an IO-Link master with configurable ports designed for harsh, on-machine environments with the ability to connect both discrete and IO-Link field devices.


News May 26, 2023 by Shawn Dietrich
Covering all the Latest Control Technology: Automate 2023

Covering all the Latest Control Technology: Automate 2023

The second day of Automate 2023 in Detroit was a huge success! The Control Automation engineering and sales team met with a number of companies to discuss and explore the exciting, innovative demonstrations.


News May 25, 2023 by David Peterson