Message queuing telemetry transport — commonly referred to as MQTT — is a machine-to-machine (M2M) messaging protocol that is extremely well-suited for devices that have low or unreliable network bandwidth. Although it was originally developed in the late 1990s for the oil and gas industry to address equipment in remote locations, MQTT has been an […]
What are power factor correction capacitors?
The measure of how efficiently a piece of equipment or facility uses power to produce work is known as its power factor. Although resistive loads, such as heating and lighting, have a high power factor, inductive loads, including AC induction motors, don’t use all of their supplied power to produce useful work, so their power […]
What is flux braking and how does it differ from regenerative braking?
AC induction motors are used to drive loads such as fans, pumps, lifts, and conveyors. But in some applications, the motor is also used as a brake to stop the load, reverse its direction, or hold the load and prevent it from moving. And while there are several methods of braking for AC motors, if […]
What role does Linux play in motion control systems?
Operating systems manage the communication between hardware and software in devices such as servers, computers, mobile phones, and embedded systems. Most personal computers and laptops use either Microsoft’s Windows operating system or Apple’s macOS, and mobile devices such as phones and tablets primarily use Google’s Android operating system or Apple’s iOS. In the industrial world, […]
What is a gated index pulse for incremental encoders?
Incremental encoders typically use two square-wave signals in quadrature (out of phase by 90 degrees) to track position and direction of motion. But because they only track incremental position (not absolute position) they’re not able to determine the true position of the motor and connected equipment after a shut-down or power loss. So most incremental […]
What do bit rate, baud, and cycle time mean in industrial networks?
For industrial networks, two of the most important performance factors are determinism and speed. In other words, industrial networks must be able to deliver data in a specified, predictable period of time, and they need to do so as quickly as possible. When describing network speed, three specifications are typically used: bit rate, baud, and cycle […]
What is Ecolab certification for automation components?
In applications that involve wet or humid environments — especially those in the food and beverage industry — a component’s IP (International Protection) rating for ingress of dust and water is an important factor in its selection. But even if a component is rated as dust-proof and protected against the forceful water jets used during washdown […]
What are Hiperface and Hiperface DSL?
Position feedback is core to any servo application, and most rotary servo motors employ an integrated feedback device with a physical link back to the servo drive, allowing the drive to read the motor’s position and correct any errors between the commanded and actual positions. Two interfaces that facilitate the communication between the motor feedback […]
What are RAMI 4.0 and asset administration shells in the context of Industry 4.0?
Industry 4.0 — the intelligent networking of machines and processes for industry with the help of information and communication technology — was initiated by the German government in 2011 (referred to in the German language as Industrie 4.0). Since that time, the principles and technologies behind Industry 4.0 have been adopted to varying degrees by manufacturers […]
What is OPC UA and how does it compare with Industrial Ethernet?
In manufacturing processes and plants, multiple Industrial Ethernet protocols — such as EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, or EtherCAT — are used across different networks to meet specific topology requirements, communication speeds, or latency guarantees. And although these communication protocols are open, they’re often incompatible, resulting in fragmented networks that can’t “speak” to each other. OPC UA (Open […]
