Kim Jackson

Since so many typical industrial automation sensors operate at 24 Vdc, it is important to understand two of the main variations of these solid-state devices. Automation systems rely on discrete I/O signals, such as inputs from sensors and outputs to...

Pneumatic valves are used to control compressed air flow to end-use devices and are fundamental building blocks for pneumatic systems. A previous article provided an overview of typical pneumatic system components. Valves are a fundamental building block for these systems...

Pneumatic systems are easily created from standard components to deliver a dependable compressed air supply and produce economical motion at machinery, equipment and actuators. Pneumatic systems are commonly used for creating linear and rotational motion in many kinds of machinery...

Traditional sensors and actuators use basic hardwired connections, but IO-Link offers a way to extend functionality and take advantage of smart sensors without complicated wiring. A fundamental feature of industrial automation controllers is the ability to process input and output...

Using PLCs to monitor and control analog signals takes their functionality to the next level but requires a little extra design effort. Originally conceived for handling discrete logic, PLCs quickly evolved to do much more. As discussed in the previous...

Electrical power usually enters industrial control panels as one or more main circuits and must be properly converted and distributed based on the equipment service. Most industrial control panels, certainly those UL 508A listed, will have incoming power circuits and...

Good industrial control panel grounding practices can be easily applied to improve safety and performance, but are often overlooked, leading to problems. Proper grounding for industrial automation systems is a crucial element for providing safety, uptime and performance. Yet within...

Although today’s PLCs can do so much more, they still excel at their original purpose of executing discrete on/off logic. The introduction of programmable logic controllers (PLCs) around the 1970s represented a huge leap forward for anyone tasked with industrial...

PLC hardware and software often lag behind cutting-edge consumer technology to ensure reliability, but are rapidly gaining ground in many areas. As noted in the recent Expert post about PLC Basics, programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are a mature technology at...