This page provides a table of contents for DigiKey’s TechForum material related to industrial automation and control.
Please bookmark this page and return often as we are adding additional content. Recommendations for additional content are welcomed.
General resources
- Photo-Indexed Gallery for DigiKey’s Automation & Control Components
- Product Selection Guide
- PLC Programming Language Introduction
- The Demise of Ladder Logic and the Blue Relay
- NEW! Exploring Open-Source Hardware from an Industrial Control and Automation Perspective
Test equipment
Control Panel Construction
- An Improved Trainer for Relays and Small PLCs
- DIY Programmable Logic Controller Trainer
- How to Select a Wire Ferrule?
- Use and Storage of Pre-Cut Wires for Industrial Control Panel Construction
- How to Locate Part Numbers for Front Panel Pushbutton and Switches
- Selection and Use of Terminal Block Jumpers
- Dual Wire Ferrule for Daisy Chain Connections
- Spring Terminal vs Screw Terminal Connections for Industrial Control Panels
- Programming the Banner K50 Pro Series Multicolor Touch Button
- Introduction to the Lighted Pushbutton for Industrial Control Panels
- Wireless Pushbuttons for Industrial Control Panels
- Color Blindness Accommodations in Industrial Controls
- NEW! Practical Example of Sourcing and Sinking Configurations in Industrial Control Circuits
- NEW! Programming and Connectivity Guide for the Banner Engineering K100 Beacon
Relays
Practical
- Relay Logic for Industrial Control Panels Part 1
- Beginner's Guide to Selecting an Industrial Control Relay
- Relay Normally Open vs Normally Closed Contacts
- What is a DIN Rail Relay?
- What is a Multifunction Time Delay Relay?
- Understanding Relay Coil Voltage Specifications
- Contrasting AC and DC relay specifications
Motor Starter
- Introduction to the Magnetic Motor Starter
- Introduction to the 3-Wire Start-Stop Circuit
- Use of an Interposing Relay for Increased Contactor Speed
- Permanent Magnets as an Energy Saving Feature of a 3-phase Motor Starter
- How Does a Motor Starter’s Thermal Overload Block Work?
- What is Single-Phasing in a 3-phase system?
Theory
- A Comprehensive Guide to Magnetic Field Behavior in Relays
- How long does it take to close a relay?
- How long does it take to open a relay?
- Importance of understanding the Cam, Drum, and Ratcheting Sequencer for PLC Programming
- The MOSFET Active Clamp: The Case Against a Relay’s Parallel Flyback Diode
Sensors
- Proximity Sensors - Industrial
- Applications of Type PNP and NPN Sensors
- Modeling PLC Digital Inputs: Transitioning from the Microcontroller to the PLC World
Motion and Control
Arduino Opta PLC
- How to connect and communication with the Arduino Opta
- How to View I/O Status on the Arduino Opta
- Beginner's Guide to Connecting Digital Inputs to the Arduino Opta PLC
- Beginner's Guide to Connecting Outputs with Arduino Opta PLC
- Mastering Non-Blocking Arduino Delay By Adapting PLC Techniques
- Arduino Opta PLC Ladder Logic Memory Structures
- Ladder Logic UDFB in the Arduino Opta PLC
- NEW! Software Compatibility Between the Arduino Opta and the Schneider Electric Modicon M171/M172 PLCs
Crouzet PLC
- https://forum.digikey.com/t/crouzet-programmable-logic-controller-thermistor-selection/37591
- https://forum.digikey.com/t/prevent-unexpected-equipment-start-up-with-defensive-plc-programming/37802
- https://forum.digikey.com/t/plc-finite-state-machine-control-using-a-sequence-cam-block/37783
- https://forum.digikey.com/t/introduction-to-crouzet-plc-sequential-function-chart-sfc-programming/37860
- https://forum.digikey.com/t/crouzet-sequential-function-chart-macro-for-a-three-phase-motor-starter/37891
- https://forum.digikey.com/t/power-on-safety-macro-for-the-crouzet-plc/38122
KUNBUS PLC
Modicon PLC
- https://forum.digikey.com/t/single-pushbutton-on-off-control-including-a-ladder-logic-demo-in-the-modicon-plc/38520
- https://forum.digikey.com/t/introduction-to-the-modicon-plc-udfb/39543
- https://forum.digikey.com/t/how-to-configure-the-modicon-plc-for-a-quadrature-encoder/39629
- https://forum.digikey.com/t/integrating-the-banner-k50-pro-optical-series-touch-button-with-a-schneider-modicon-plc/39841
Zelio (Modicon) smart Relay
