Latest Automotive Technical Articles

Limit switches are electromechanical devices that open or close contacts when external pressure is applied to an…

Limit switches are electromechanical devices that open or close contacts when external pressure is applied to an actuator. This solves a simple problem faced by motion devices: limiting movement

Engineering processes like robotics, feedback control, and security systems rely on position and distance sensors to…

Engineering processes like robotics, feedback control, and security systems rely on position and distance sensors to provide real-time information that enables machines to operate accurately and safely.

MEMS sensors enable the creation of highly sensitive, compact, and low-power devices for measuring quantities like…

MEMS sensors enable the creation of highly sensitive, compact, and low-power devices for measuring quantities like acceleration, magnetic fields, pressure, and more, and are found in automotive safety systems, navigation, and environmental monitoring.

Although electrical systems often receive the highest praise for advancement, precision, and technological innovation,…

Although electrical systems often receive the highest praise for advancement, precision, and technological innovation, the world would be stuck without mechanical power delivery systems like gear drives.

In today's modern, digitally connected world, reliable and continuous power availability, together with power quality,…

In today's modern, digitally connected world, reliable and continuous power availability, together with power quality, help optimize power consumption hence improving distribution system efficiency.

Pressure sensors are essential tools in industrial applications, required wherever there is a hydraulic or pneumatic…

Pressure sensors are essential tools in industrial applications, required wherever there is a hydraulic or pneumatic system to keep pressure quantities under control.

Calibration is performed on a regular basis to ensure proper measurement tool function, but how do we determine the…

Calibration is performed on a regular basis to ensure proper measurement tool function, but how do we determine the proper interval? Factors include environment, usage, and level of dependence on proper function.

Seeing use in a variety of industrial applications for position sensing and object detection, inductive sensors are based…

Seeing use in a variety of industrial applications for position sensing and object detection, inductive sensors are based on the phenomenon of magnetism and its resultant magnetic fields.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

3D printers have come a long way over the years, but can we really expect to see them on the factory floor, taking the…

3D printers have come a long way over the years, but can we really expect to see them on the factory floor, taking the place of large machining centers? What benefits and challenges does printing offer to manufacturing?

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.