We found 160 posts about Comparison Guides from DO Supply, a global automation parts
reseller focused on hard-to-find and obsolete industrial automation products.
A graphic terminal remains an invaluable asset within most automated systems. It gives operators a practical way to see what a machine is doing, respond to alarms, adjust process values, and keep production moving without needing to dig through the control cabinet every time something changes. Of course, the effectiveness of the terminal varies depending on factors such as screen size, graphic design, responsiveness, and so on. Because of this, it can get a bit overwhelming trying to spec the perfect HMI for your setup. Today, we’re here to narrow down your search with two popular offerings on the market: The Mitsubishi GOT2000 series and the Allen-Bradley PanelView 5500 series. Both of which are built for a serious industrial environment, yet lean into their own strengths that we will go over to help you make a more informed decision. Before diving into the comparisons, it’s best to go over what each HMI’s family is trying to accomplish. While the Mitsubishi GOT2000 and the...
The PowerFlex product family from Rockwell Automation spans one of the broadest drive portfolios in industrial automation. Engineering the right selection from within that portfolio requires understanding precisely where Rockwell draws the line between its compact and full-size (architecture-class) drive categories, and what technical capabilities exist on each side of that line. PowerFlex drives are broadly categorized into compact-class and architecture-class: compact drives are smaller, cost-effective units for simpler applications, while architecture-class drives are high-performance, feature-rich units for demanding industrial requirements. Here, we will discuss some parameters for comparing the two types of drives. Source PowerFlex 755 Drives Here Rockwell Automation organizes the PowerFlex family into three tiers: compact (component-class), standard, and architecture-class. The compact tier encompasses the PowerFlex 4 , 40 , 523 , 525 , and 527 series. The architecture-class...
An AC drive is basically a device that lets you control how fast and how hard an AC motor runs. It does so by changing the frequency and voltage of the power supplied to the motor. And knowing the difference between a general-purpose AC Drive and a high-performance AC Drive really matters if you’re into modern industrial automation. General-purpose VFDs are widely used because they handle most industrial tasks. But there are times when you need something more powerful and precise; that’s where high-performance drives step in. If you’re an engineer or have to make purchasing decisions, you need to know how these two stack up before you spend a dime. Shop for Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 525 Drives Here A general-purpose AC Drive is designed to suit a wide range of settings, including factories, businesses, and full-scale industrial environments. They’re flexible, so people tend to use them almost everywhere. Maybe you work somewhere that needs a motor control system that’s ready to scale up...
Allen-Bradley CompactLogix and ControlLogix controller platforms play a key role in modern industrial automation. ControlLogix controllers are configurable for safety, standard, Logix SIS, and redundancy applications, facilitating faster system performance, high I/O capacity, enhanced productivity, and improved security for enterprise-level and large-scale automation systems. CompactLogix platforms offer the same core processing capabilities as ControlLogix platforms, but for cost-sensitive, mid-range, or standalone automation applications — often at a fraction of the total ControlLogix investment. Selecting the correct Allen-Bradley controller between the ControlLogix and CompactLogix platforms requires balancing cost, I/O capacity, performance, complexity, and scalability to avoid oversized control panels, redundant programming complexity, and inflated hardware costs. This article explains the technical differences between the two platforms and provides a clear selection criterion...
DC drives and servo drives are two distinct types of motor control devices. DC drives are commonly used for steady-speed and torque control, while servo drives are designed for precise, responsive control of position, speed, and torque. If you want to really get what sets them apart, you have to dig into how they work, what motors they run, and the sorts of things they’re actually used for. A DC drive converts incoming AC power into DC, ensuring the motor receives the correct voltage and current. In many cases, the controller and drive are combined, so commands and motor output go hand in hand. Inside, it all comes down to how the drive handles AC. Many traditional DC drives use SCR-based rectifier circuits to convert incoming AC power into a controlled DC output for the motor armature. Smaller drives may use single-phase rectifier designs, while larger industrial DC drives often use three-phase, six-pulse SCR bridges for smoother and higher-power DC output. This is why you will see...
Selecting a Variable Frequency Drive for a harsh environment application is not simply a matter of matching horsepower and voltage. Ambient temperature, particulate contamination, corrosive atmospheres, moisture exposure, hazardous area classification, and physical installation constraints all impose requirements that eliminate drives from consideration before a single control parameter is evaluated. The Allen-Bradley PowerFlex family spans a wide range of drive architectures, enclosure ratings, and environmental specifications. Understanding which PowerFlex variant is engineered for a given harsh environment determines whether the installation delivers a decade of reliable service or becomes a recurring maintenance liability. A harsh environment for a VFD is any installation condition that exceeds the standard assumptions of a clean, temperature-controlled indoor panel: Ambient temperatures above 40°C or below 0°C Relative humidity approaching saturation Airborne conductive or...
In today’s industrial automation, selecting the most appropriate motion control technology is critical for achieving high system performance, with servo and AC drives leading as the top choices. While they both control electric motors, they operate on distinct principles designed for different industrial applications. AC drives are optimized for energy-efficient, variable-speed, open-loop, or simple closed-loop control of speed and torque. On the other hand, servo drives are engineered for fast response times and high-precision, closed-loop dynamic positioning. Therefore, system engineers need to select a motor control technology that precisely matches the specific requirements of a given application. This article explores the unique operating principles, key strengths, and specific limitations of AC and servo drive technologies to guide your selection process. AC drives, commonly known as Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), are electronic devices that regulate the torque and speed of...
Industrial automation engineers selecting between the Allen-Bradley ControlLogix 5580 and CompactLogix 5380 rarely face a straightforward decision. Both support EtherNet/IP-based motion and safety and carry the Logix that makes them interoperable within Rockwell’s Integrated Architecture. Beneath that shared surface, however, the two platforms diverge in capacity, scalability, environmental tolerance, and application scope. Understanding where that gap actually matters determines whether a system is appropriately specified or quietly undersized. The CompactLogix 5380 was designed for compactness and self-contained machine control. Its architecture assumes a bounded application, a defined axis count, manageable I/O, and a system that runs on a single machine or in a production cell. The ControlLogix 5580 was designed for a different problem: applications that grow, where multiple disciplines coexist in one program, and where the controller serves as the backbone of a plant-wide...
Upgrading your hardware always feels like a special occasion, especially if it’s for something you handle every day. After all, who doesn’t like faster hardware, more refined software, and a more responsive user interface? The reality becomes a little more complicated when the equipment in question is tied directly to production. In industrial automation, replacing hardware is rarely as simple as unplugging one terminal and mounting another in its place. This hesitation is part of the reason you will still see the PanelView Plus 6 in so many facilities, even with the newer PanelView Plus 7 series on the market. This boils down to compatibility concerns, retrofit cost, downtime windows, network architecture, and operator familiarity. In some situations, moving to a Plus 7 terminal can modernize an entire machine interface. In others, it can create more work than value. Before we get into comparing specifications and features, it helps to understand where these terminals are typically...
In industrial motor control applications, choosing the right starting and control method for high-inertia loads is a decision with significant consequences for equipment longevity, process stability, and energy efficiency. Soft starters and Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) are the two dominant technologies for this purpose. While both reduce mechanical stress during motor starting, they differ fundamentally in operational scope, torque-control capability, and suitability for specific load profiles. Understanding these distinctions is critical when specifying drive systems for conveyors, centrifuges, fans, pumps, and compressors that impose substantial inertia on the drivetrain. High-inertia loads are characterized by a large moment of inertia (J, measured in kg·m²) relative to the motor’s rated torque. These loads require extended acceleration times to reach synchronous speed and impose prolonged mechanical and thermal stress on both the motor and the driven equipment. Common examples...
Servo control systems are critical to modern industrial automation, as they deliver the high-speed, precise motion required by a variety of complex applications such as semiconductor manufacturing, CNC machining, and robotics. Servo control systems are essentially closed-loop mechanisms that continuously compare the desired input commands against real-time feedback to provide precise motion control, enabling operational consistency, improved productivity, and energy efficiency. As industries continue to demand higher operational efficiency, high-power servo drive solutions like the Allen-Bradley Kinetix 7000 stand out for their ability to manage demanding motion control tasks that require fast response and high torque. The Kinetix 7000 is designed for high-performance, high-power, single-axis integrated applications, offering superior integration with Allen-Bradley Logix platforms and robust built-in safety features, including SIL3-certified Safe Torque Off. It is engineered to...
In discussions of CPU vs. Processor, every automation engineer has encountered both terms in the same conversation. In PLC documentation, hardware manuals, and system design discussions, they appear side by side, sometimes interchangeably, sometimes with conflicting meanings. For engineers selecting controllers, writing ladder logic, or troubleshooting scan cycle delays, the distinction is very basic. Understanding exactly what a processor chip is, what a CPU module is, and how they relate inside a PLC gives you a clearer model for hardware selection, performance optimization, and fault diagnosis. This is exactly what we will be discussing in this article regarding CPU vs. Processor. In correct PLC hardware terminology, the processor is the physical silicon chip that executes instructions. It is a discrete integrated circuit mounted on the circuit board inside the controller module. This chip fetches each instruction from memory, decodes it, and executes it, one operation at a time...
PLCs are an important part of modern industrial automation. There are a few more common and popular PLC brands that consistently hold the majority of the global market. Some of the best manufacturers in the industry include Siemens, Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley), Schneider Electric, Mitsubishi Electric, and Omron. The PLC software market is in very good health and offers many good options for your automation needs. PLCs are rugged computers built for the factory floor, designed to operate machines and processes with extreme reliability. Each PLC runs a continuous loop called a scan cycle: it reads from inputs, executes a user program, and updates outputs. This process repeats thousands of times every second. CPU: the processor that runs the application I/O Modules: connect the system to field devices such as sensors, motors, and valves Memory: stores the control program and runtime data Power Supply: provides stable DC voltage to the system Communication Links: allow the PLC to...
Industrial control panels have relied on discrete pushbuttons, selector switches, and indicator lights for decades, and in many applications, they still get the job done. But as process complexity scales, the demand for real-time visibility, operator guidance, and structured data logging outgrows what a row of pilot lights can deliver. The Allen Bradley PanelView family, spanning PanelView 800 , PanelView Plus 7 , and PanelView 5500 , sits precisely between basic hardwired operator interfaces and full SCADA systems, and understanding where that boundary falls determines whether you are engineering the right solution or over-specifying hardware that adds cost without adding operational value. A conventional hardwired operator station is built from 22mm pushbuttons, selector switches, and pilot lights wired directly to PLC digital I/O cards. Each device consumes one I/O point; a panel with 12 push buttons and 10 indicator lights requires 22 discrete I/O points, associated terminal...
Allen-Bradley and its Logix controllers have been around since the dawn of PLCs. Today, they are found running the very factories that produce objects you use in your daily life. Each Logix family of controllers was designed to fill a role that emerged as automation adoption increased, from small-form-factor controllers to fit OEM designs to powerhouses that control hundreds of I/O points. Though going through each of them to understand what they can do or where they fit may be a daunting task, we’re here to make it as easy as possible, starting with the MicroLogix. The Allen-Bradley Micrologix PLC family occupies a very specific place in the Allen-Bradley PLC lineup. These PLCs were designed for machines and processes that demanded reliable, deterministic control, without the extra overhead and costs associated with larger platforms. The main idea is self-contained, compact control without complexity. Because of this, these controllers integrate the processor, power supply, and I/O...
