PLC Data to MQTT
Passive methods to stream PLC tags to MQTT brokers and cloud platforms without touching ladder logic or stopping the line.
Industrial Automation · Reference Library
News & Insights
Selection guides, head-to-head comparisons, and field-tested configuration notes for control engineers, integrators, and maintenance teams.
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1
Hot Standby CPU Redundancy
How hot standby CPU redundancy synchronizes dual processors for bumpless failover in under 50 ms — and when it justifies the cost over warm standby, software redundancy, or TMR for critical process control.
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2
Linux PLC Platform Decision Guide
A framework for choosing between Linux-based controllers with open-platform computing and traditional firmware PLCs with hard real-time determinism, covering IIoT connectivity, custom logic, lifecycle support, and security tradeoffs.
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3
3-Element Boiler Control
How 3-element boiler drum level control uses steam flow feedforward and feedwater flow cascade to defeat shrink/swell — and when to add density compensation for boilers with wide pressure swings.
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4
PLC Version Control Best Practices
A practical guide to PLC program version control from centralized backup through Git-based automation to CI/CD for control logic, with four maturity levels and a change management framework applicable to any PLC platform.
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5
RSTi-EP CPE200 Scaling Guide
How to scale from the Emerson RSTi-EP CPE100/CPE115 compact PAC to the modular RX3i platform — I/O limits, distributed PROFINET expansion, and the three signals that say it is time for a full modular PAC.
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6
Safety Output Technology Comparison
A comparison of electromechanical relay and solid-state safety outputs for machine safety applications, covering galvanic isolation physics, contact wear lifecycle, diagnostic coverage, and application-specific selection criteria.
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7
PROFINET Device vs Controller
How PROFINET I/O-Controllers master the data exchange while I/O-Devices respond on the real-time channel — and when a single hardware unit can serve both roles in line-integrated machine architectures.
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8
G115D Frame Selection
A practical guide to selecting between SINAMICS G115D frame sizes FSA, FSB, and FSC for conveyor applications, covering power ranges, thermal limits at low speed, physical mounting constraints, and when to step up a frame size beyond the nameplate rating.
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9
Built-in vs Separate Robot Controller
Two paths to the same 6-axis motion: a controller built into the robot arm or a standalone cabinet across the cell. This guide compares floorspace, I/O expansion, multi-robot coordination, and deployment speed.
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10
Karakuri vs Powered Conveyance
When does gravity-driven Karakuri material flow outperform powered conveyors? A four-dimension decision framework — throughput, distance, variability, integration — maps the sweet spot where zero-energy mechanical automation delivers lower TCO.