11. Industrial Sensors: The Eyes and Ears of the PLC (11 of 41)


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In 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 …

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12. PNP, NPN, Sourcing, and Sinking Made Simple (12 of 41)


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One 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 …

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13. Sensor Troubleshooting: When the PLC Does Not See the Input (13 of 41)


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One 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 …

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14. Sensor Wiring Best Practices for Industrial Automation (14 of 41)


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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 …

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15. Industrial Instrumentation Basics for Automation Technicians (15 of 41)


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Industrial instrumentation is one of the most important areas of automation.

Sensors tell the PLC when something is ON or OFF.

Instrumentation tells the PLC how much, how high, how hot, how …

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16. Analog Signals: 4–20 mA, 0–10 VDC, and PLC Scaling (16 of 41)


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In industrial automation, not every signal is simply ON or OFF.

Some devices need to send a real measurement to the PLC.

Examples:

Pressure = 72.5 PSITank Level = 63%Temperature = 180°FFlow = …

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17. Temperature, Pressure, Level, Flow, and Weight Measurement (17 of 41)


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Industrial automation is not only about starting motors, reading sensors, or turning outputs ON and OFF.

Many machines and processes need to measure real physical values.

Examples:

Temperature = 180°FPressure = 72 PSITank …

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18. What Is a PLC and How It Controls a Machine (18 of 41)


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A PLC, or Programmable Logic Controller, is one of the most important devices in industrial automation.

It is the controller that reads field signals, executes logic, and controls machine outputs.

A PLC …

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19. PLC Scan Cycle: Why Order Matters (19 of 41)


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A PLC does not execute logic randomly.

It follows a repeated process called the scan cycle.

Understanding the scan cycle is one of the most important steps in learning PLC troubleshooting and …

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20. Ladder Logic Basics for Automation Technicians (20 of 41)


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Ladder logic is one of the most common programming languages used in industrial automation.

It is used to program PLCs that control machines, conveyors, pumps, valves, motors, packaging equipment, process systems, …

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