Control According to Webster: Defining a Motion Axis

Before tuning a motion axis, you must define the axis. If the control system doesn’t understand the axis properties or specifications, it can’t be expected to effectively complete the tuning process. When I need a definition for a word, I look at a dictionary. Or rather, back in 2002, I would have looked through a … Read more

Using PID and Feedback Loops for Precise Motion Systems

PID controllers are an excellent method of using feedback to turn an otherwise open-loop system into one which can follow a carefully prescribed profile, correcting for inconsistencies caused by the equipment, the environment, and even the products in the manufacturing process. In many systems, it is sufficient to send voltage to a motor or valve, … Read more

An Introduction to Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)

Learn about the supervisory control and data acquisition system used to program PLCs and PIDs. See where, how, and why SCADA systems are so popular. Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) is the use of a system of computers, network architecture, data communication over a network, and a graphical user interface (GUI) to carry out … Read more