On Site Panelbuilding
Hello from Miami again! I do feel bad for all of you who are stuck in the frozen Northland, my home town near Nashville, Tennessee is supposed to get 8-12 inches of snow in the next couple of days. Its …
Category: Trades
Jobs in the automation field
Applications and Inventions
This week’s post is intended to explain a little bit about the applications process machine builders use when quoting custom machinery. Just because a machine is customized to produce a specific product doesn’t mean it is unique or necessarily qualifies …
Random Thoughts 1
Hello again from Miami. This time I drove down here since I needed to spend a couple of weeks on my current project, upgrading a juice and beverage compounding system. When I’m out of town for a long time its …
Industrial Ethernet
Today’s post is dedicated to my new friends at Poseidon Industries, a manufacturer of stone cutting and processing equipment, located in Punta Gorda, Florida. Last week I did some software work there and had some discussions on industrial Ethernet protocols …
More on Specifications
A couple of months ago I wrote a post on cross referencing; that is, finding a replacement for an existing component. In this post I’d like to elaborate a little bit on specifying components in general. When replacing a component …
Books or Websites on Control Panel Design
Today’s post is in answer to a question from Josh: Frank, Thanks for the informative site and your passion for teaching. I have found a lot of useful information on here. I wanted to ask you if you could possibly …
Design By Committee
Several years ago at my previous employer, I was tasked to do a feasibility study for a large consumer products company. Their patent was about to expire on a product used in the medical field and their marketing department had …
How Long Does It Take?
One of the most difficult tasks in project management and quoting machinery is determining how long the project will take to complete and what resources will be required. Estimates directly impact the bottom line as well as determining whether you …
OEM Controls
* OEM – Original Equipment Manufacturer. Early in my controls career I had a symbiotic relationship with a machine builder. I went so far as to move my company a few miles down the road and locate right next door; …
The Importance of Machine Documentation
Automated machinery can be very complex and cost millions of dollars. When it breaks down seconds can count… lost production affects the bottom line and can lead to lost customers when deadlines aren’t met. So why is machine documentation considered …