Industrial Automation, PLC, VFD, and Troubleshooting
In industrial automation, a sensor can be good, the PLC input card can be good, and the logic can be correct — but the machine can still fail because of …
Read MoreOne of the most common problems in industrial automation is this:
The sensor detects the target, but the PLC input does not turn ON.
Sometimes the sensor LED is ON.Sometimes the sensor …
Read MoreOne of the most confusing topics for new automation technicians is the difference between PNP, NPN, sourcing, and sinking.
This confusion usually appears when a sensor has power, the sensor LED …
Read MoreIn industrial automation, the PLC does not know what is happening in the real world unless field devices send information back to it.
That is the job of sensors.
Sensors detect physical …
Read MoreGrounding and bonding are two of the most important concepts in industrial electrical systems.
They affect:
Electrical safetyFault clearingNoise reductionVFD performanceAnalog signal stabilityCommunication reliabilityPLC input stabilitySensor reliabilityPanel protection
Many technicians hear the words …
Read MoreOne of the most important concepts an automation technician must understand is the difference between the control circuit and the power circuit.
Many industrial machines use both.
The control circuit makes the …
Read MoreInside an Industrial Control Panel
An industrial control panel is the heart of many automation systems.
Inside the panel, power is distributed, control voltage is created, PLCs make decisions, inputs and outputs …
Read MoreMotor Feedback, Faults, and Interlocks: Command vs Proof in Industrial Automation
One of the most important concepts in industrial automation is this:
A command is not the same as proof.
A PLC can …
Read MoreVFD Basics: What a Variable Frequency Drive Does and Why It Matters
A VFD, or Variable Frequency Drive, is one of the most common motor control devices used in modern industrial …
Read MoreMotor Control Basics: Contactors, Overloads, and Motor Starters
Motors are everywhere in industrial automation.
They move conveyors, pumps, fans, mixers, agitators, compressors, fillers, packaging machines, and many other industrial systems.
Because motors are …
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