Latest PLCs & PACs Articles

Despite the many overlaps, PLCs and RTUs are two different devices, each with specific suitable applications.

Despite the many overlaps, PLCs and RTUs are two different devices, each with specific suitable applications.

Most engineers are not intimidated by simple mathematics, but when designing mission-critical systems, it’s important…

Most engineers are not intimidated by simple mathematics, but when designing mission-critical systems, it’s important to have easy access to reliable tools and calculators. Introducing our first new set of tools designed for control engineers.

Control Automation is proud to announce updates to several chapters of our popular online textbook. Check out the…

Control Automation is proud to announce updates to several chapters of our popular online textbook. Check out the improvements in the PLC, Feedback Control, and Power Generation sections.

There are three main types of numeric values that must be handled by a PLC: boolean, integers, and floating point. These…

There are three main types of numeric values that must be handled by a PLC: boolean, integers, and floating point. These last floating-point values can create the most confusion for programmers and technicians.

Copia reduces the strain of backing up automation code on the factory floor with their latest software release…

Copia reduces the strain of backing up automation code on the factory floor with their latest software release DeviceLink. This automated backup software makes use of the Git workflow and backup running code automatically.

You are bound to encounter two terms associated with sensors and some loads: ‘NPN’ and ‘PNP’. You must understand…

You are bound to encounter two terms associated with sensors and some loads: ‘NPN’ and ‘PNP’. You must understand the relationship between the field device and the control module in order to choose and install components properly when needed.

PLC and other automation project software can be easier and more efficient to update and maintain thanks to the…

PLC and other automation project software can be easier and more efficient to update and maintain thanks to the introduction of Git control, already a staple for typical programming of large-scale projects.

Learn how one small farm in a rural community is upgrading production with advanced technology in several ways to…

Learn how one small farm in a rural community is upgrading production with advanced technology in several ways to overcome staff shortages, product demand, and regulatory compliance.

Though not a direct replacement for PLCs, Raspberry Pi has the potential to be used in industrial automation applications…

Though not a direct replacement for PLCs, Raspberry Pi has the potential to be used in industrial automation applications for prototyping, embedded systems, and as a low-cost process controller.

Learn how to prototype an industrialized OpenPLC Arduino PLC control station concept. This hands-on project will…

Learn how to prototype an industrialized OpenPLC Arduino PLC control station concept. This hands-on project will illustrate converting a relay ladder control circuit into a Ladder Diagram (LD) program.

Pilz has added the PNOZ m C0 to their PNOZmulti 2 product lineup, an easy-to-program, standalone safety relay that…

Pilz has added the PNOZ m C0 to their PNOZmulti 2 product lineup, an easy-to-program, standalone safety relay that provides customers with a compact solution for smaller machines.

Arduino IDE 2.0 is now available for download, promising a more intuitive user interface and faster compile times.

Arduino IDE 2.0 is now available for download, promising a more intuitive user interface and faster compile times.

Raspberry Pi is a low-cost, educational single-board computer platform with the potential for industrial applications. In…

Raspberry Pi is a low-cost, educational single-board computer platform with the potential for industrial applications. In this article, we discuss the purpose of Raspberry Pi as well as its hardware and software.

Collecting and processing system data in powerful computers at the cutting edge of the shop floor is made simpler with…

Collecting and processing system data in powerful computers at the cutting edge of the shop floor is made simpler with advancements in integrated hardware and software from OnLogic and Ignition Edge.

Explore the design of a servo pick and place sample case using B&R Automation Studio, from the project creation to the…

Explore the design of a servo pick and place sample case using B&R Automation Studio, from the project creation to the configuration of the controller, drives, and motion axes. 

Learn how to use the boolean bitwise functions AND, OR, XOR, and NOT in your PLC programming, as well as some…

Learn how to use the boolean bitwise functions AND, OR, XOR, and NOT in your PLC programming, as well as some instructions used to change the position of bits and bytes in your INTs and DINTs.

While not a direct replacement for PLCs, there are industrial automation applications built using Arduino, including…

While not a direct replacement for PLCs, there are industrial automation applications built using Arduino, including prototyping, embedded systems, and low-cost PLC simulators.

The control and visualization of power plant processes through SCADA improves the supervision, coordination, and security…

The control and visualization of power plant processes through SCADA improves the supervision, coordination, and security of the power system operations.

Learn how to move data through arrays using LFL, LFU, FFL, and FFU instructions, as well as a technique on cycling data…

Learn how to move data through arrays using LFL, LFU, FFL, and FFU instructions, as well as a technique on cycling data through an array by putting it in the front and letting it drop out the back using CPS instructions.