Industrial Automation, PLC, VFD, and Troubleshooting
In 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 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 …
PLC input problems are very common in industrial automation.
A machine may stop, refuse to start, stay stuck in a sequence, or show an HMI alarm because the PLC is not …
Read MoreHow to Diagnose a Control Panel That Appears Completely Dead
One of the most common troubleshooting situations in an electrical control panel is this:
Nothing works.No lights.No relay response.No motor starter.No PLC …
Read MoreHow to Diagnose PLC-Controlled Circuits Without Guessing
PLC troubleshooting is one of the most important skills for an automation or maintenance technician. In modern industrial panels, the PLC is often the …
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 MoreIn 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 …
Read MoreOne 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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