Latest Industrial Automation Technical Articles

Use an Arduino/Genuino 101 with iAQ-Core air quality and HIH-6131 temperature/humidity sensors to make an Indoor Air…

Use an Arduino/Genuino 101 with iAQ-Core air quality and HIH-6131 temperature/humidity sensors to make an Indoor Air Quality Monitor with Bluetooth low energy (BLE) connectivity.

In this short project article series, we will implement a simple PID controller using LabVIEW with a hobby DC servo motor…

In this short project article series, we will implement a simple PID controller using LabVIEW with a hobby DC servo motor and NI myRIO.

The C-BISCUIT saga continues as we combine the various system components into a demo bot.

The C-BISCUIT saga continues as we combine the various system components into a demo bot.

This technical brief covers some useful details regarding a common MOSFET parameter referred to as on-state resistance.

This technical brief covers some useful details regarding a common MOSFET parameter referred to as on-state resistance.

Here's a rain gauge that empties itself and that you can read from your easy chair. Best of all, you can build it, yourself.

Here's a rain gauge that empties itself and that you can read from your easy chair. Best of all, you can build it, yourself.

A tipping bucket rain gauge is a clever way to measure rainfall. Learn how to add wireless capability, a PICAXE…

A tipping bucket rain gauge is a clever way to measure rainfall. Learn how to add wireless capability, a PICAXE microcontroller, and an LCD display to your weather station.

A tipping bucket rain gauge, an RF transmitter and receiver, a PICAXE microcontroller, and an LCD can make a great…

A tipping bucket rain gauge, an RF transmitter and receiver, a PICAXE microcontroller, and an LCD can make a great addition to your weather station.

This technical brief explains a quick, straightforward procedure for evaluating a switch/driver circuit based on an NPN…

This technical brief explains a quick, straightforward procedure for evaluating a switch/driver circuit based on an NPN bipolar junction transistor.

In this article, we are going to learn some basics about RFID technology and use an Arduino MEGA to a play around with a…

In this article, we are going to learn some basics about RFID technology and use an Arduino MEGA to a play around with a popular RFID module, the ID12LA.

Learn how to build a system that can turn DC loads on and off using a mobile application. You'll also learn how to…

Learn how to build a system that can turn DC loads on and off using a mobile application. You'll also learn how to perform this task via immediate actions or via timers set in advance.

Continuing the C-BISCUIT series, this article outlines how to populate and test the surface mount PCBs designed in a…

Continuing the C-BISCUIT series, this article outlines how to populate and test the surface mount PCBs designed in a previous article using a hot air rework station and other various electronics tools.

This project covers integrating servo control and object detection.

This project covers integrating servo control and object detection.

In this project, the reader will learn how to build and program a desktop industrial automation trainer for…

In this project, the reader will learn how to build and program a desktop industrial automation trainer for experimentation in robotics, motor, and process control system concepts on their workbench.

Mentioned in the previous article, an operational amplifier is usually connected to components in a feedback circuit. In…

Mentioned in the previous article, an operational amplifier is usually connected to components in a feedback circuit. In this article, we will discuss one of two amp configurations that are most widely used.

In this article, we will use a simple, proven tuning procedure to find effective values for proportional, integral, and…

In this article, we will use a simple, proven tuning procedure to find effective values for proportional, integral, and derivative gain.

We will explore how P, I, and D gain influences system performance, and in the process we will find a gain configuration…

We will explore how P, I, and D gain influences system performance, and in the process we will find a gain configuration that works well for our temperature controller.

With USB communications and a Scilab graphical user interface, we can really see what the PID controller is doing.

With USB communications and a Scilab graphical user interface, we can really see what the PID controller is doing.

We will implement a basic PID (proportional–integral–derivative) controller in firmware and observe the results using…

We will implement a basic PID (proportional–integral–derivative) controller in firmware and observe the results using an oscope and LEDs.

This article covers the firmware that allows the EFM8 microcontroller to communicate with the DAC and the MAX31855.

This article covers the firmware that allows the EFM8 microcontroller to communicate with the DAC and the MAX31855.