Industrial Automation, PLC, VFD, and Troubleshooting
One of the biggest challenges in industrial troubleshooting is dealing with problems that happen too fast to observe.
A sensor may turn off for only 100 milliseconds. A motor feedback signal …
Read MoreTimers are everywhere in industrial automation.
A motor may need a few seconds to prove that it started. A valve may need time to reach its open position. A photoeye signal …
Read MoreIf you are learning Studio 5000, one of the first instructions you will see everywhere is the MOV instruction. At first glance it looks almost too simple, but in real …
Read MoreIn PLC systems, not all signals are the same.
Some signals are simple ON/OFF signals. Other signals represent a changing value such as pressure, temperature, tank level, speed, or weight.
That is …
Read MoreOne of the most confusing topics for many automation technicians is sinking and sourcing.
You may hear people say:
PNP sensorNPN sensorSourcing inputSinking inputCurrent sourcingCurrent sinking
At first, it sounds complicated. But the …
Read MorePLC Addressing: Rack/Slot vs Tag-Based
In a PLC system, every input, output, and internal memory location needs a way to be identified by the controller.
This identification method is called addressing.
In simple …
Read MoreTo understand PLC programming, you need to understand how a PLC stores information.
A PLC does not only turn inputs and outputs ON or OFF. It also stores data in memory.
That …
Read MoreBefore learning advanced PLC programming, every automation technician must understand the basic logic operations used in ladder logic.
The three most important logic functions are:
AND
OR
NOT
These are the foundation of almost every …
Read MoreLadder Logic is one of the most common PLC programming languages used in industrial automation.
It was designed to look similar to electrical relay control circuits, which makes it easier for …
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