Latest PLCs & PACs Technical Articles

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.

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.

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.

Arduino’s open-source, microcontroller-based platform has revolutionized academic and hobbyist spaces, providing a low…

Arduino’s open-source, microcontroller-based platform has revolutionized academic and hobbyist spaces, providing a low cost, accessible introduction to engineering and programming.

While B&R PLC controllers are quite different from typical PLCs, Automation Studio offers tools and features that make…

While B&R PLC controllers are quite different from typical PLCs, Automation Studio offers tools and features that make programming them less intensive. In this article, we’ll discuss how to program B&R PLCs with Automation Studio.

Sequential Function Chart (SFC) is a graphical programming language among the languages identified by IEC 61131-3…

Sequential Function Chart (SFC) is a graphical programming language among the languages identified by IEC 61131-3 programming languages and standard for PLC programming using ladder logic.

The ability to utilize an array effectively is a fundamental skill in becoming a PLC programmer, but it can also be very…

The ability to utilize an array effectively is a fundamental skill in becoming a PLC programmer, but it can also be very complex and difficult to master. Let’s do a run-down of arrays and some of their complexities!

Build a low-cost PLC using the Arduino Uno and the open-source industrial controls software, OpenPLC, to learn how to…

Build a low-cost PLC using the Arduino Uno and the open-source industrial controls software, OpenPLC, to learn how to program with ladder logic, beginning with your first OpenPLC project: Hello World.

Learn how to take advantage of the powerful AOI feature that comes standard in Allen-Bradley / Rockwell PLCs using…

Learn how to take advantage of the powerful AOI feature that comes standard in Allen-Bradley / Rockwell PLCs using RSLogix 5000 and Studio 5000 Software.

There are many considerations when selecting a thermocouple type. In this article, we look at the advantages, and…

There are many considerations when selecting a thermocouple type. In this article, we look at the advantages, and limitations, of the eight standard thermocouples and various installation considerations.

B&R is a control system manufacturer less heard of than some of its bigger competitors, Rockwell and Siemens, however…

B&R is a control system manufacturer less heard of than some of its bigger competitors, Rockwell and Siemens, however their PLCs, lineup of motors, and product offerings with Automation Studio make B&R a leader in industrial innovation.

Ladder logic and structured text language are fairly common yet visually different. How do you choose the best PLC…

Ladder logic and structured text language are fairly common yet visually different. How do you choose the best PLC language for your automation application?

When selecting the right module for the right load, be sure to understand how the load resistance will affect the voltage…

When selecting the right module for the right load, be sure to understand how the load resistance will affect the voltage and current of the output module terminals.

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. 

​​​​​​​Arduinos have been a staple in the community of makers, students, and project innovators for many…

​​​​​​​Arduinos have been a staple in the community of makers, students, and project innovators for many years. For many using Arduino’s IDE, there can be difficulties in translating between PLC ladder rungs and text programming.