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.
Ensuring machine safety in modern industrial automation is crucial for safeguarding people, machinery, and process integrity, and it is required by law. Integrated safety systems have become much more necessary as industrial machinery grows in strength, complexity, and connectivity. Conventional safety measures, including completely cutting off the electricity, are insufficient and ineffective nowadays. Intelligent safety features like Safe Torque Off (STO) provide a more sophisticated strategy. STO ensures that motor torque may be safely and consistently turned down without cutting the drive’s power. This paper explores how STO is integrated into Rockwell Automation’s PowerFlex 753 AC drive, highlighting its operational, safety, and regulatory advantages in a range of industrial contexts. This article is meant to be a reference; always consult with an engineer for proper safety equipment installation. Buy a Safe Torque Off Option Module Here A useful safety feature called Safe Torque...
When a drive in a system goes down, the clock starts to tick. Every minute of downtime is a minute lost in productivity, money lost, frustrated operators, and production schedules sliding off track. Allen-Bradley understood this issue well and designed its PowerFlex 750 series drives with an interchangeable parts approach. The idea was that instead of scrambling for model-specific replacements, you could swap in components across the 753, 755, and even 755T drives. This isn’t just convenient, but a deliberate choice that turns a maintenance headache into a quick fix. By incorporating so many interchangeable parts into the 750 platform, Allen-Bradley has made it possible to keep more spares on hand, reduce stocking costs, and get machines running faster than it would take to fill out a downtime report. It’s not just a couple of token parts either. The interchangeable parts list for the PowerFlex 750 series is extensive, covering everything from control and power modules to cooling...
When spec’ing out a new automation system with a PowerFlex 755 drive, you will notice a few variations. You have the standard 755 with FORCE technology, or the 755TS with TotalFORCE tech. While it initially sounds very similar, the TotalFORCE tech provides a generational leap in performance, all while utilizing the same hardware that we all know and love. But that brings us to the main question: Do you need TotalFORCE? Buy Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 755 Drives Here Let’s take a moment to go over the offerings we have before answering that question. The PowerFlex 755 has been the go-to VFD for countless installations over the past decade, and for a good reason, too. It’s powerful, reliable, and very modular, making it stick out as one of the most flexible options that AB has to offer. Whether you’re automating a conveyor line, fine-tuning a pump motor, or even lifting a crane, chances are that the 755 has done it. The 755 line covers a wide power spectrum. You’ll find versions for:...
For any power system to run smoothly and efficiently, the voltage and current wave forms should ideally be perfect sinusoids. However, in practical applications, power quality problems like voltage dips, transients, fluctuations, and harmonic distortion occur commonly. The imperfections in the waveforms are represented as the presence of harmonics. Harmonics are the distortions caused by non-linear loads consuming currents that are non-sinusoidal. These distortions significantly reduce the power system efficiency and lead to equipment failures and operational disruptions. Harmonics are sinusoidal waveforms with a frequency that is an integer multiple of the base power system frequency (50 or 60 Hz for most practical applications). These harmonic frequencies overlap onto the base waveform and introduce distortion. This distortion is measured as Total Harmonic Distortion (THD). If not dealt with appropriately, harmonics result in overheating, premature equipment degradation, and...
Maintaining a secure and efficient network in modern manufacturing plants is critical for operational continuity and cybersecurity. As industrial systems become more connected, the need for robust network segmentation grows—allowing manufacturers to isolate critical assets, control data flow, and minimize the risk of cyberattacks. The Stratix 5900 services router plays a pivotal role in this process, offering advanced features that support precise segmentation and secure communication across industrial environments. From VLANs and firewalls to VPN and access control, this router is purpose-built for industrial automation. In this article, we explore how Stratix 5900 enables effective network segmentation in manufacturing facilities. Network segmentation involves dividing a computer or industrial network into multiple smaller, isolated zones. In manufacturing plants, this helps isolate critical systems such as PLCs, HMIs, and SCADA from general business traffic. The Stratix 5900...
Finding the right AC Drive size is crucial to your motor-driven application’s health, energy efficiency, and longevity. Whether you are running complicated machinery like a conveyor system, a pump, or a fan, an improper drive can lead to inefficiencies, overheating, or equipment failure. In this article, we will first discuss the motor’s requirements and then the AC drive itself to choose which AC drive would be the best for our use. This article aims to clear the key factors and procedures required to choose the best drive for your needs, guaranteeing a balance between dependability and affordability in commercial and industrial automation systems. Compiling comprehensive information on the motor the AC drive will be controlling is crucial before choosing one. The majority of the essential characteristics are included on the motor nameplate, which is a good place to start when reducing the number of drive options available. Shop Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 755 Series Drives Here Although...
Smart motor controllers (SMCs) are advanced, microprocessor-based soft starters designed to manage and protect AC motors in a variety of industrial applications. They offer a wide array of advanced functionalities beyond solely starting and stopping motors efficiently. These functionalities include comprehensive monitoring, precise speed control, integrated diagnostics, communication and networking capabilities, and advanced motor protection. Prominent smart motor controller brands include Allen-Bradley (from Rockwell Automation), Mitsubishi Electric, Siemens, ABB, Honeywell, Schneider Electric, and Eaton. SMC controllers use diverse operating modes to precisely control motor starting & stopping characteristics, speed, and torque. Common modes of operation include Current Limit Start, Soft Start, Soft Stop, Full Voltage Start, and Selectable Kickstart, alongside specialized control options such as Dual Ramp Start, Preset Slow Speed, Accu-Stop, Smart Motor Braking, Pump Control, and...
Maintaining and troubleshooting the SMC 2 soft starter is essential for ensuring reliable motor control and maximizing equipment lifespan. This comprehensive guide covers both foundational and advanced diagnostic techniques to help technicians and engineers keep their systems running at peak performance. From interpreting fault codes and verifying configuration settings to analyzing SCR gate signals and evaluating load imbalances, each section provides practical insights and technical depth. Whether you’re performing routine maintenance or addressing complex operational issues, these strategies will help you minimize downtime, enhance safety, and extend the life of your motor control system. Buy SMC 2 Soft Starters Here To help technicians quickly diagnose operational issues, the SMC 2 soft starter displays fault codes. These codes are crucial for identifying issues like overload, phase loss, shorted SCRs, and undervoltage. A motor with an overload fault is consuming too much current...
Reliability, efficiency, and accuracy are necessary in today’s rapidly changing industrial environment. With intelligent control that improves all facets of operation, smart motor controllers, or SMCs, are revolutionizing the management of motors from initial energization to total shutdown. SMCs offer unparalleled versatility and protection, whether your goal is tighter energy efficiency, more seamless starting, or real-time diagnostics. To provide better performance and higher cost savings across the whole equipment lifespan, this article examines how SMCs transform motor control by increasing safety, lowering maintenance, ad seamlessly integrating with contemporary automation systems. Shop for Allen-Bradley SMCs Here Conventional motor starters instantaneously give full voltage, which sometimes causes excessive wear and mechanical stress. Soft start and soft stop capabilities of SMCs transform this procedure. These lessen the strain on mechanical parts like gears, belts, and pumps...
The evolution from traditional motor starters to smart motor controllers (SMCs) marks a significant technological leap in modern industrial applications. While conventional starters rely on electromechanical components for basic motor control, smart motor controllers integrate advanced technologies such as power electronics, real-time data logging, predictive analytics, and IoT connectivity. These innovations enable SMCs to provide precise, adaptive control over motor speed, torque, and energy consumption while minimizing downtime and maintenance costs. This article explores the key differences between smart motor controllers and traditional starters, focusing on aspects like power electronics, adaptability to load changes, starting current management, feedback mechanisms, and diagnostic capabilities. Understanding these distinctions highlights the benefits of SMCs in optimizing performance, reliability, and energy efficiency in today’s automated industrial systems. One of the primary...
Allen-Bradley’s Stratix 5900 Services Router is an industrial networking technology milestone that provides functions that are much superior to those of conventional industrial routers. This comparison of the two types of networking devices scrutinizes their technical details, environmental hardness, security attributes, and conformity standards for professionals to make sound judgments on industrial networking infrastructure. The Stratix 5900 Services Router has an industrial-designed hardware platform that differentiates it from standard routers. A fixed configuration avoids the complexity of modular systems, enabling out-of-the-box functionality upon deployment. The hardware has an extensive connectivity solution with four Fast Ethernet (10/100) connections for area networking, one Gigabit Ethernet connection for high-speed uses, and one specific WAN port for wide-area networking. This integration of ports supports versatile architectures for both remote and local communications...
In any industrial setting, getting two machines to talk to each other is only half the battle. The real challenge is keeping that conversation organized, secure, and flowing in the right direction. This is where networking hardware comes into play. If you’re already invested in the Allen-Bradley environment, then the Stratix family might be familiar to you. Like other families of automation tech from AB, the Stratic models serve different purposes. While the 5900 and 5700 may sound like cousins, they’re built for entirely different jobs. While the 5700 keeps online traffic flowing smoothly, the 5900 stands guard to keep out bad actors from entering the network. That being said, which one belongs on your panel? Starting with our industrial-grade managed switch, the Stratix 5700 is designed to control the flow of traffic in industrial settings. It’s designed to make sense of the chatter between drives, controllers, and operator interfaces. With configurations ranging from six to twenty...
Imagine starting a 500-hp motor by flipping a switch, just like you would with a desk lamp. Sounds a bit reckless, right? After all, all of that power and torque is going to slam on, and who knows what damage that can cause? This is where smart motor controllers and soft starters come in. Yes, they’re different tools, but they’re designed to handle motor startup without damaging components or blowing fuses. But for those who haven’t been in the industry long enough, the difference between them might not be clear. So, how do they differ, and when should you reach for one over the other? A soft starter does exactly what it sounds like: it starts the motor, just.. gently. So instead of slamming full voltage into the motor the second it kicks on, it gradually ramps up to that desired voltage. This limits the inrush current, smooths out acceleration, and reduces mechanical strain on any couplings, belts, and gears. From a more technical standpoint, soft starters operate by controlling the...
Let’s talk entry motion control, specifically the Kinetix 3 and 300. When designing a smaller automation task, it’s easy to assume that the Kinetix 3 and 300 are basically the same. After all, they’re both marketed as entry-level, low-axis drives to run small motors, but there’s more to it than that. One thrives as a standalone drive while the other belongs in coordinated motion with Logix integration and Ethernet/IP. So, which one would best fit your machine or budget? That’s the question we’re looking to resolve today, so let’s break down the differences between these brother drives and help you answer that question. The Kinetix 3 is a lightweight drive designed for simpler automation tasks that require a single axis of motion. Its main selling points are that you don’t need a full PLC network to run it and that it is plug-and-play, with automatic motor recognition for L-Series rotary motors, TL-Series linear actuators, and LDL-Series and LDC-Series linear motors. This makes it very...
When it comes to cooling off hot circuit boards and electrical components, there are many different ways to do it, but two stick out the most: air and water cooling. To water cool or not to water cool, that is a question often considered by engineers and even PC building enthusiasts alike. However, one of the differences between building a pc and integrating an automation system is the availability of parts. Now, you can walk into a Best Buy and pick up a water block for a gaming rig. But what if you need to cool a 1200-amp variable frequency drive? This is where Allen-Bradley’s LiquiFlo series enters the scene, and where we at DO Supply can help you find the hardware that’s otherwise hiding in plain sight. The LiquiFlo series of drives seems to be an enigma in Allen-Bradley’s lineup, so much so that they don’t even have much about them on their website. The story behind them is that a company called Reliance Electric, founded in 1904, was pioneering electric motor and automation...
