Industrial Automation, PLC, VFD, and Troubleshooting
Introduction
In industrial automation, the PLC does not physically “see” the machine, conveyor, door, bottle, box, valve, or actuator. The PLC depends on sensors to know what is happening in the …
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In industrial automation, sensors are one of the most important parts of a control system. A PLC can execute logic, energize outputs, control motors, start conveyors, open valves, and trigger …
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In industrial automation, sensors provide the feedback that allows a PLC to understand what is happening in the real machine. However, not all sensors send the same type of signal.
Some …
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Selecting the right sensor is not just about choosing a device that can detect something.
In industrial automation, the correct sensor must detect the right condition, at the right time, in …
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When selecting or troubleshooting an industrial sensor, it is not enough to know the sensor type.
A technician also needs to understand the sensor specifications.
Many sensors look similar from the outside, …
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In industrial automation, many DC sensors are either PNP or NPN.
This is one of the most important wiring concepts for PLC technicians to understand because it determines how current flows …
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In industrial PLC systems, sensors are commonly wired as either 2-wire or 3-wire devices.
At first, this sounds simple:
2-wire sensor = two wires3-wire sensor = three wires
But the real difference is …
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Photoelectric sensors are one of the most common sensors used in industrial automation. They are used to detect objects without physical contact by using light.
In PLC systems, photoelectric sensors are …
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Capacitive sensors are industrial proximity sensors used to detect materials that many other sensors cannot detect easily.
Unlike an inductive proximity sensor, which is mainly used for metal detection, a capacitive …
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