Control System Nomenclature

There are a few acronyms used to describe industrial computer control systems. Read more

Globe Valve

A Globe valve is a type of valve used for regulating flow in a pipeline, consisting of a movable disk-type element and a stationary ring seat in a generally spherical body.

Globe Valves are named for their Read more

Ball Valve

A ball valve is a valve that opens by turning a handle attached to a ball inside the valve. The ball has a hole, or port, through the middle so that when Read more

Engineering Organizations

These are the professional organizations for the more common types of engineering.

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

American Institute of Chemical Engineers

Architectural Engineering Institute

Biomedical Engineering Society

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Society of Petroleum Engineers

Catch The Wind And Crank Up Your Turbine

Wind power has been growing at a pace that rivals that of the solar industry. The worldwide generating capacity of wind turbines has grown more than 25% every year for the past decade, reaching nearly 60,000 MW in early 2006. In Europe, the growth has been phenomenal. In 1994, the total installed wind generated power capacity of the European Union nations was 1700 MW. In 2005, wind generators produce more than 40,000 MW. Read more

The Tricks To Writing A Resume That Scores

For those of us who are engineers or technicians, resume writing can be pretty tough. Most of us don’t like to write; we like to program things and build stuff.

But the reality of life in the technical world is that, first, you have to get a job. Getting a job as an engineer starts first with getting the attention of a potential employer and that is where a professional resume comes into play. Read more

General Troubleshooting Tips

Here are a few troubleshooting tips I have picked up along the way.

Learn Who You Can Trust to Provide Accurate Information
Gathering accurate information is an important aspect of troubleshooting. However well meaning, some of the people you deal with will not provide accurate information.
This may seem like stating the obvious, but always try to verify all the information you are given.

Never Compromise The Safety Of The Machine Or The Workers
Many times when you are charged with troubleshooting a system, you are placed in a position of authority. Be aware that others will look to you to provide direction. Make sure that as you provide that direction, you are giving their personal safety your highest priority.

Listen to Your Boss
If he tells you to call a vendor, don’t fiddle around with trying to fix it yourself – call the vendor.

Don’t Let Your Ego Get in the Way
Your job is to fix the equipment. If it means making a phone call to someone you dislike, admitting that you made a mistake in your initial diagnosis, just do it and get over it. In the long run, it is the easy way.

Communication
Keep the lines of communication open. Network with people who may be valuable to you when you’re trying to troubleshoot a system. Keep those who have an interest in the system well informed of problems you discover or changes you make to the system.

It Is Not Necessarily About Knowing One PLC Or Another – It Is About Understanding The Troubleshooting Method
All PLCs are different. All systems are different. The real key to being a good troubleshooter is to understand the Troubleshooting Method.

First, try to understand how to troubleshoot anything and let your method be refined as you gain experience.

DO NOT Compromise The Safety Of A Machine By Altering The Program
Before you make any changes to the program, always ask yourself if this change will affect the safety of the machine or the people who work around it.

No One Expects You To Wave A Magic Wand
No one expects you to wave a magic wand and get the machine to work. What is expected, however, is that you have a goal and a plan, and that you are executing the plan. It is true that, many times, there is pressure in a troubleshooting scenario.

Don’t be nervous; present a blend of humility and confidence. In other words, respect what information is given to you, but be prepared to make your own decisions regarding how to proceed with the troubleshooting.

Know When To Stop
Don’t go past the mark you aimed for; know when to stop.

That moment of victory is often the moment of greatest peril. When you have solved the initial problem, and you are the hero, arrogance and overconfidence can push you past the goal you had aimed for. By going too far, you make new problems for yourself.  Don’t allow success to go to your head.  Remember that there is no substitute for strategy and careful planning. Set a goal, and when you reach it, stop.

Common Terms of Industrial Automation

I have compiled a list of terms that you might run across on the factory floor. You may want to browse through them. If you are looking for a specific definition, it could be quicker to use the search box on the right.

Ending Our Dependence On Foreign Oil With Solar Power

It seems that high prices for gasoline and heating oil used in homes are here to stay. Sure, they go up and down, but overall they still remain pretty high and consume more of our pocketbooks than they ever have in the past. We are constantly struggling with the Middle East, at least in part to protect our interest in their oil. Read more

Industrial Automation Glossary – A

0 a logical negative, or zero.

1 a logic positive, high, or 1.

A/D Analog to digital converter (see ADC).

abort the disruption of normal operation.

absolute pressure a pressure measured relative to zero pressure.

absorptive law a special case of Boolean algebra where A(A+B) becomes A. Read more

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