Malware and Your Industrial Control System Most of us have had the unfortunate experience of getting malware on our personal computers. Removing some of these nuisances can be as easy as running a simple virus scanner. Others can maliciously take over a computer…
Automation
There are many different choices that can be made when selecting temperature measurement devices for industrial systems. When faced with these decisions, there are many factors to consider: accuracy, sensitivity, price, temperature range needed, etc. This article will discuss three types of temperature…
Those of us that are familiar with controls systems have seen some of the benefits that can be gained when using a human machine interface (HMI) vs using a simple pushbutton control panel. Some of the main benefits an HMI provides include increased…
We are all aware of the dangers of electric shock, but few realize how little current and how small voltages can cause a fatal shock. Current as low as 30mA can be fatal. Since a standard toaster uses about 12500mA, you can see…
In the process of designing and purchasing new equipment, the decision about what digital control voltage to choose for a facility to standardize on is often not clear cut. Manufacturers, control engineers, plant personnel and other decision makers can lean different directions with…
We all have one or know someone who does — that old transistor radio that Grandpa used to listen to the baseball games with, or the old game console we had as a kid with graphics we cannot help but laugh at today,…
Inventory tracking is a very important and powerful tool for many industries. Knowing what inventory is on hand and being able to track product trends allows the business owner to better forecast what they need to produce and when. This allows production resources…
The use of Ethernet technologies is penetrating almost every application in industrial automation. The generalized Ethernet communication connection allows the transfer of data through cables composed of multiple twisted wires, similar to a home network. EtherNet/IP is a communication protocol that uses the…
We hear a lot about product recalls these days. Everything from cars to children’s toys to dog food gets recalled for various reasons. Sometimes you get a notice in the mail telling you that to take your car to the nearest dealer to…
Understanding the three different types of pneumatic conveying will enable you to keep material flowing at the best possible rate. By utilizing the right form of pneumatic conveying for your material and application, you will be able to move your product in a…