Latest Power Technical Articles

Safety is a concern in any system containing potential energy, whether electrical, chemical, or fluid. Each has methods…

Safety is a concern in any system containing potential energy, whether electrical, chemical, or fluid. Each has methods of protection, and for fluid systems, certain shutoff valves are used in situations when excess pressure can be a problem.

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.

Power quality is an increasing concern for manufacturers all over the world as electrical equipment becomes more advanced…

Power quality is an increasing concern for manufacturers all over the world as electrical equipment becomes more advanced and therefore sensitive to discrepancies in the supplied power.

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.

Actuators are used to control the motion of manufacturing devices and raw materials. This article will compare electric…

Actuators are used to control the motion of manufacturing devices and raw materials. This article will compare electric actuators and several types of fluid-power actuators.

Closed-loop motor control is a control system used to regulate the output of a motor. Learn about the four common types…

Closed-loop motor control is a control system used to regulate the output of a motor. Learn about the four common types of closed-loop motor control systems to understand each one’s inner-workings and applications.

Data stored in a historian server is useful for analysis and troubleshooting. Learn about data archiving techniques for…

Data stored in a historian server is useful for analysis and troubleshooting. Learn about data archiving techniques for control systems, as well as what type of data is stored and the tools to make it happen.

Linear and switch-mode power supplies provide direct current to power control components and electrical devices. Learn…

Linear and switch-mode power supplies provide direct current to power control components and electrical devices. Learn about the differences between the two power supplies and which one is best for your control system.

Coil, field winding, rotor, stator, eddy current… When it comes to motors, there are numerous terms that describe the…

Coil, field winding, rotor, stator, eddy current… When it comes to motors, there are numerous terms that describe the theory of operation, but what is inside a 3-phase motor? Take a look, and learn how they work.

Relay and other coil devices pose a few confusing questions: How can the relay still work if you connect a DC supply in…

Relay and other coil devices pose a few confusing questions: How can the relay still work if you connect a DC supply in reverse? How can an alternating voltage attract and hold the load consistently?

The PCU400 can handle all known industrial protocols and forward them to the master station to get an effective…

The PCU400 can handle all known industrial protocols and forward them to the master station to get an effective connection between the SCADA system and the data from the manufacturing or system process.

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.

All real-time power system data can be communicated to a central control system to protect main equipment from…

All real-time power system data can be communicated to a central control system to protect main equipment from overloading. Learn how to create a project directory structure, hardware configuration, and set network tree parameters for real-time control and monitoring.

Remote locations are notoriously difficult to supply power, yet they are the exact locations where many data points must…

Remote locations are notoriously difficult to supply power, yet they are the exact locations where many data points must be collected. How can IoT devices be designed to conserve power to last for months or even years?

The diverse power terms in electrical generation systems include active, reactive, and apparent power, all of which lead…

The diverse power terms in electrical generation systems include active, reactive, and apparent power, all of which lead to the introduction of ‘power factor’ effectiveness in an AC circuit.

Grounding transformer connections presents its own set of challenges. This article addresses these challenges and several…

Grounding transformer connections presents its own set of challenges. This article addresses these challenges and several common configurations for control transformer grounding.

As summer heat continues to scorch the northern hemisphere, manufacturers face potential equipment damage and downtime.…

As summer heat continues to scorch the northern hemisphere, manufacturers face potential equipment damage and downtime. Learn about the ways extreme heat can damage automated equipment and systems. 

Today’s digital multimeters (DMMs) are inexpensive, accurate, and easy to use, but sometimes a problem with the circuit…

Today’s digital multimeters (DMMs) are inexpensive, accurate, and easy to use, but sometimes a problem with the circuit or the measurement can cause incorrect readings. Learn to interpret and fix these problems.