Problem

I was working on a template where I had to display steps in a sequence on the HMI. The number of steps could change from sequence to sequence and the template required a few parameters.

The beauty of the Library of Process Objects is that there isn’t much that the AOI’s cant do.  Rockwell has done a wonderful job creating pre-canned logic that can account for almost every application.  I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes it feels like overkill however knowing that all the features are available whether you use them or not is nice. 

Advancing Automation Technology series will take an in-depth look into how the latest technology is being used to develop state-of-the-art control systems. We will select various software and hardware packages being used today, and provide you with the best practice techniques on how to apply them, and when you should consider applying each topic.

As control system integrators, we often encounter antiquated equipment and systems. What most people see on the surface is just the tip of the iceberg. Once you dive into the programs used for automation and data collection, you typically find a jumble of what we like to refer to as “spaghetti code”.

It is important to have friends in our lives.  They are supportive and understanding. They can also challenge us and make us our best selves.  Friends in business are called partners.  There is a financial relationship between business partners but the best of these relationships have the same features as good friendships.

It has long been an industry standard to use the common starter/disconnect switch for service to a three phase motor.  Since being introduced in the mid to late 1980’s, variable frequency drives, or VFD’s have been gaining popularity.

Per the National Electrical Code (NEC) Article 409.2,  an industrial control panel consists of assemblies of two or more power circuit components or control circuits or a combination of power and control circuit components, with associated wiring and terminals.  These components are mounted on, or contained within, an enclosure, or are mounted on a sub-panel.

For those of you that are new to PlantPAx I’d like to give a brief overview of the system and explain some of the features that truly make it a modern day DCS.  PlantPAx is a plant wide control system that utilizes a common automation platform to seamlessly integrate both process and discrete control as well as plant wide information. 

About eight months ago, the engineering internship scramble was beginning at the University of Vermont.  Students all over campus were struggling to get a resume and cover letter to every engineering company around Burlington VT; maybe to get an interview, and maybe even to get a job.

I recently had the opportunity to work on a project for a client of ours utilizing Schneider’s Unity Pro software and M340 PAC’s.  The project was a typical groundwater remediation site which included multiple treatment facilities and remote wells, all of which communicated with each other over a new cellular network.