We found 251 posts about Automation Technologies from DO Supply, a global automation parts
reseller focused on hard-to-find and obsolete industrial automation products.
Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) are used to improve industrial automation processes by providing a visual interface for operators to interact with and monitor the automated system. HMIs can be used to display real-time process data, control system parameters, and issue commands to the automated system. One of the main benefits of using an HMI in industrial automation processes is that it allows operators to easily monitor and control the system without having to understand the underlying control logic or programming. This makes it easier for operators to perform tasks such as troubleshooting, adjusting process parameters, and monitoring performance. In addition to providing a convenient interface for operators, HMIs can also improve the efficiency and reliability of industrial automation processes by enabling operators to identify and address potential issues in real time. For example, suppose an HMI is used to display real-time process data. In that case, operators can quickly...
In the world of industrial automation, control systems play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth operation of manufacturing processes and equipment. These systems are responsible for monitoring and controlling various aspects of the production process, including the movement of materials, the operation of machinery, and the quality of the final product. Traditionally, these control systems were implemented using programmable logic controllers (PLCs), which are specialized computers that are designed to handle the complex logic and control functions required in industrial automation. Programmable Automation Control (PAC) is a type of industrial controller that offers many of the same capabilities as PLCs but with greater flexibility and more powerful processing capabilities. An industrial control system is categorized as a PAC if it comprises five characteristics which include multi-domain functionality, flexible software tools, multi-discipline development platform, open modular...
Industrial Automation is the use of digital control systems, robotics, and information technologies to control different processes and machinery in an industrial environment to replace human involvement in performing certain functions. These functions primarily focus on material handling, manufacturing, and quality control processes. Concisely, industrial automation makes use of logical programming commands and powerful computer-controlled machinery such as CNC machines to replace human workers on factory floors. At the core of industrial automation are three significant control techniques, namely: Distributed Control Systems (DCS), Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems. These control mechanisms consist of smart and interconnected field input and output devices, field instruments, distributed I/O controllers, supervisory control PCs, and Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs). To provide flexible connectivity between the...
Solar farms, also sometimes referred to as solar parks, are large-scale, ground-mounted installations of massive arrays of Photovoltaic (PV) panels or other means of converting sunlight into solar energy, which is then routed to a utility’s power grid. They are simply solar power stations that operate just like other electricity-generating plants such as fossil-powered or natural gas power plants. But unlike traditional power plants, solar farms don’t produce any sort of pollution and they hardly use water in electricity generation. In general, the concept of a solar farm can be associated with both commercial solar projects and residential rooftop solar systems that have just a few solar panels. However, unlike these two solar systems, solar farms are decentralized and they normally consist of large arrays of ground-mounted solar panels. Also, rather than supplying power to a local household or business, solar farms are part of a utility’s energy mix and in most cases, they provide...
For many years, industrial networks were connected using RS232 serial communications, which was limited by only allowing devices in a network to communicate via direct serial connections. This means that if there are N devices per connection, then there would be (N-1) connections available for other communications within the industry. However, in the late 20th century, the Fieldbus International Standard was developed, which marked a significant turning point in connecting these networks, allowing for greater flexibility and scalability than previous technologies did allow for. Fieldbus is a network of computers embedded in various machines at work sites. They allow Input Devices (such as Ethernet Switches and Sensors) to communicate with Output Devices (Valves, Drives) without attaching them to an individual Controller. In summary, Fieldbus systems provide an efficient way to connect different devices to a single industrial network and make it easy to control them at every production...
Renewable and sustainable energy has been one of the hottest topics for the past decade. The most popular choices for the United States are all familiar to us: hydro, wind, and solar. While it seems that we have been seeing more progress with renewables every month, our current renewable energy production only supplies 20% of The United States’ total energy demands according to The Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy. While that figure does seem low, it has doubled in the last decade, proving that there is a considerable amount of innovation and production happening behind the scenes. Solar energy jobs and production have boomed since the last decade with an increase in jobs from about 100,000 workers to over 200,000 while decreasing the average cost of installation on residential homes by $22,000 (SEIA Comms Team). California has since become the first state to mandate all new homes be built with solar panels. If the tides are changing for our renewable energy production...
A PLC is an abbreviation of ‘Programmable Logic Controller.’ It is a programmable controller used in process control and manufacturing automation. PLCs replaced the relay logic control system, which was used in the industry for interlocks and sequential operations. The relay logic was a hard-wired system with many limitations, including difficulty tweaking logic control, upgradation, and troubleshooting. A PLC is an easy-to-use programmable device that can be programmed and reprogrammed to adapt to any control requirement. All the wiring, connections, and functions like timer, counter, and advanced math operations are accessible inside the software. PLCs can perform operations ranging from simple standalone tasks to complex machine control processes. PLCs can be divided into two types: compact and modular. Compact PLCs are small, low-cost, and easy to install. They house all necessary components in a single package, including a fixed number of input and output channels, power supply...
Industrial automation is the use of information technologies, robotics, machines, and control systems including processors, sensors and actuators to execute production and manufacturing tasks that are normally performed by human workers. Its goal is to improve quality, increase productivity and enhance safety in various industrial applications. Initially, the goal of industrial automation was to increase productivity (since automated systems can operate 24/7 without tiring) and reduce labor costs in the US automotive industry. However, today, 3D technologies and computer-controlled tools such as CNC machines and Robotics have shifted the focus of industrial automation to increasing flexibility and quality of manufacturing processes. For example, installation of engine pistons in automobiles could previously be performed by human workers with an error margin of 1% to 1.5%, but today the task is carried out by automated machinery with an error margin of 0.00001% – an indication of...
A Mars Rover is a robotic vehicle specially designed to explore the surface of Mars. Mars being the planet that most closely resembles Earth (if Earth was to have an average temperature of -81 degrees Fahrenheit and was apparently lifeless) has captivated human explorers for decades. With the naked eye, this Red Planet is seen as a stellar object in the night sky while telescopes reveal a surface full of intriguing landforms and geological patterns similar to those of various places on Earth. As early as the 1960s, humans have been sending uncrewed spacecrafts and robotic vehicles on Mars to discover whether this planet hosted alien life previously and what it can teach us about evolution of other planets. Early missions to Mars involved spacecrafts snapping pictures as they flew past the planet. Later on, probes orbiting around Mars were sent, and more recently, stationary landers and robotic rovers have touched down on Mars surface. Mars Rovers serve a different purpose than...
A Variable Frequency Drive(VFD) is a power conversion electronic device used to control the speed of an AC induction motor, by converting a fixed frequency, fixed AC supply voltage to a variable frequency AC voltage input to the motor. And since the frequency is directly proportional to RPM (Revolutions per Minute), the RPM speed of the AC induction motor can be controlled by regulating the frequency and voltage of its input power. For example, if a motor-driven process requires more speed, then the VFD will increase the frequency of the input voltage to the motor and vice versa. AC induction motors are often designed as fixed frequency electrical devices, operating at 60 Hz (Hertz) or 50 Hz depending on the supply frequency of a given national grid. But the input frequency and voltage to a VFD-equipped AC motor can be adjusted by the VFD circuit to regulate motor speed. Before the advent of VFDs, variable motor speeds were obtained by running the motor at full speed and using...
The Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) is an electronic device used to control the speed of an AC motor, by converting the fixed frequency and fixed AC voltage being supplied to the motor into a variable AC frequency and voltage. By adjusting the motor’s input frequency and supply voltage, the VFD can control an AC motor to operate at numerous different speeds. VFDs also have the capability to control ramp-up during motor start-up and ramp-down when stopping the motor. Other alternative names for a Variable Frequency Drive include: Adjustable Frequency Drive (AFD) AC Drive Inverter Frequency Converter Frequency Inverter VFDs are the industry-standard method for controlling both the speed and torque of three-phase AC induction motors. It has always been useful to directly control the speed of AC induction motors used in industrial applications, as nearly every process that uses such motors will benefit from speed control. Not only is the process efficiency improved, but in many cases...
VFD is a motor control device used in electromechanical systems, which drives an electric motor and controls its speed and torque by changing the frequency and voltage of the power supply. The modern VFD drives are capable of integrating networks and diagnostic capabilities for better control performance and more productivity. So, we can say that the three main reasons for choosing VFDs as a controller in an application is saving energy, intelligent motor control, and reducing the peak current drawn. They are commonly used in fans, pumps, and compressors and account for 75 percent of all the drivers operating worldwide. VFDs can perform the following functions: It is a power conversion device that converts the fixed voltage and frequency to variable voltage and frequency, which can control the output of the AC motors. They are often known as speed controllers of the motor. These variable frequency drivers can also control the torque of the motor and keep it constant by maintaining the...
The term HVAC is an acronym that stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning; it broadly describes systems that provide heating and cooling to commercial and residential buildings for environmental comfort. A typical HVAC system includes Heating equipment, Ventilation equipment, and Air-Conditioning or Cooling equipment; the functions of these three elements are interrelated, particularly when providing thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. For example, the Heating element, which may be a boiler or furnace, includes a piping system for the heat-carrying fluid or ductwork in case of a forced air system. The Ventilation element (either natural or forced) uses fresh outdoor air to provide high-quality indoor air through a process called ventilation–a process of exchanging or replacing air within a designated space. This process also involves the removal of dust and smoke particles, moisture, airborne bacteria, heat, odors, carbon dioxide, and other unwanted gases...
A typical Metal Oxide Varistor (MOV) is generally made of a combination of Zinc Oxide and other types of metal oxides such as Cobalt, Bismuth, and Manganese oxides. The metal oxide substance is arranged between two metal electrodes or plates with no polarity (no positive or negative sides) to interact with each other; so, the two leads of the MOV can be connected in any direction since they conduct electric current in both directions. The Zinc Oxide arrangement gives the MOV similar Volt-Ampere characteristics (V-I characteristics) as a Zener diode. Such that when a moderate or small voltage is supplied across the MOV’s electrodes, only a small amount of current will flow through due to the high resistance of the MOV. If a large voltage is applied across the MOV, its resistance value will decrease significantly and a large amount of current will flow through it. If the flowing current rises to a particular point, known as the breaker point (break over voltage), the zinc oxide...
In industrial automation, the term “drive” is often associated with motor drives, which are types of motor controllers described using various terms such as Variable Speed Drives (VSDs), Adjustable Speed Drives (ASDs), Inverter Drives, Adjustable Frequency Drives (AFD), Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), AC Drives, Variable-Voltage Drives, …etc. However, even though these terms are used interchangeably, they have different meanings depending on the technique used to control the motor speed and the drive’s application. For example, a Variable Speed Drive is a more generic term that applies to electronic or mechanical devices which control either motor speed or the speed of motor-driven equipment like compressors, fans, pumps, etc. Whereas, a VFD is a device that uses power electronics to vary the frequency of the input voltage to a motor, thereby controlling the motor speed. On the other hand, an Adjustable Speed Drive is also a more generic term that applies to both electrical and...