Industrial Automation, PLC, VFD, and Troubleshooting
Industrial automation can feel overwhelming at first.
One day you are troubleshooting a motor starter. The next day you are looking at a PLC program, checking a sensor, connecting to an …
Read MoreElectricity is the foundation of industrial automation.
Before a technician can troubleshoot PLCs, sensors, VFDs, relays, motors, HMIs, or control panels, they must understand the basic electrical concepts that make everything …
Read MoreIn modern industrial automation, 24 VDC control power is one of the most important systems inside a machine.
Many devices depend on it:
PLC inputsPLC outputsPhotoelectric sensorsProximity sensorsLimit switchesSolenoid valvesRelaysAnalog transmittersHMI control …
Read MoreElectrical drawings are one of the most important tools an automation technician can use.
When a machine fails, many technicians immediately go to the PLC program, replace a sensor, reset a …
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 …
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 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 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 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 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 …
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