Industrial Automation, PLC, VFD, and Troubleshooting
Before 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 …
Read MoreAn interlock is a condition used to prevent two incompatible or unsafe actions from happening at the same time.
In simple words:
An interlock blocks an action when another condition makes that …
Read MoreIn PLC troubleshooting, one of the most powerful and dangerous tools is forcing.
A PLC force allows a technician or programmer to manually override the normal state of an input or …
Read MorePLC troubleshooting is not about guessing which part is bad.
A good Automation Technician follows a method.
When a machine does not run, the problem could be in many places:
Field device
Sensor wiring
24 …
Motor 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 MoreAlmost every industrial machine depends on motors.
Conveyors, pumps, fans, mixers, compressors, fillers, wrappers — all rely on motor control logic.
That means:
If you understand motor control, you understand a large portion …
Read MoreIntroduction
Industrial sensors are not installed only to turn a PLC input ON or OFF.
They are installed to give the PLC useful feedback from the real machine.
A sensor can tell the …
Read More
33. PLC Programming Best Practices: Structure, Tags, Comments, and Troubleshooting ( 33 of 35 )
PLC Programming Best Practices
A PLC program should not only make the machine run.
A good PLC program should also be:
Easy to understand
Read MoreEasy to troubleshoot
Easy to modify
Easy to document
Easy to recover
Safe to …