Safety Instrumented Systems vs Basic Process Control Systems
Most industrial processes incorporate Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) and Basic Process Control Systems (BPCS) in their operations. This article compares the features of each system.
SIS and BPCS Compared
A Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) function is to monitor and maintain process...
Episodes Of The Automation Minute Now Available!
Today we're happy to announce that every single episode of The Automation Minute is now available to download right here in The Automation Blog's store for either a $0.99 donation per episode, or completely free with a pledge of...
The Realities of Project Management: You Can’t Always Do It Faster
In 1975, computer architect Fred Brooks published a series of essays on software engineering and project management called “The Mythical Man-Month”.
These cautionary tales and inevitable realities not only stand the test of time, but also can crossover to many...
Insider News: Prepping for Automation Fair
Note: Insider News articles cover behind the scenes topics at The Automation Blog and Show exclusively for our supporters at http://patreon.com/automation.
Update 11-15-19: Got some bitter sweet news this week. Some real estate I've been trying to sell for years...
Leaving Your Legacy Control Equipment
Some will argue that there's no reason to remove part of a control system that today is running as good as it has for the last twenty years (or longer.)
Especially when that legacy hardware has been as durable as...
DH-485 Comms Hardware and RSLinx Setup (Video, TAS 25)
In this week's episode of The Automation Show, I cover the different hardware used to connect a PC to a DH-485 network, as well as how to configure RSLinx Classic Drivers for each:
For more information, check out the "Show...
Instant Rewards Now Available!
For those of you who enjoy our weekly articles and videos on industrial automation, today I'm announcing new "instant rewards" are now available to all those who support our site at Patreon.com/automation.
Instant Rewards for all Patrons:
You can now login...
Getting A-B PLC Data Into A Raspberry Pi
In my last article I discussed why you might want connect your PLC to a IoT device like a Raspberry Pi, as well as the software we use to accomplish this connection with A-B PLCs (Node-Red with the free...
Common Causes of PLC Failures, and the Solutions
In today's article, I cover some of the most common causes of PLC failures, as well as solutions to avoid them.
Input/Output Modules and Field Devices
I/O failures can be caused by:
Error in the PLC configuration
Slacked (loose) terminal blocks
...
Mitsubishi GX Works Communications Setup
In today's article I'll explain how you setup communications in the Mitsubishi Programming Software, GX Works.
For those coming to GX Works 3 from GX Works 2 (or earlier,) finding the right area to modify the parameters is the first...