Automation Controls Group recently contributed an article to Design News

Automation Controls Group recently contributed an article to Design News titled "Factory Automation Design & the AC-DC Equation" 

Here is a brief exerpt from the article:

"In factory automation, the best solution isn’t always the most obvious. From a design perspective it is important for the engineer to ask, “What is the end goal?” The design challenge isn’t simply getting a series of off-the-shelf components to work together. Instead, it is determining the best way to integrate the power, logic, and the power-conversion devices that convert rotary motion to linear motion in the smallest, most flexible package achievable. That frequently means analyzing whether AC or DC motors represent the best option."

"In the material handling industry, traditional motion control solutions generally integrate a series of off-the-shelf products such as an AC motor, speed control, gear box, and a gear-and-sprocket conveyor system, which includes custom rollers with slip drives that are tied into a programmable logic controller (PLC) or personal computer (PC). A larger factory may have a series of these lines. This type of solution also requires custom software and a significant amount of field wiring, since each AC motor must have a power drop and should be wired back to the PLC or PC."

Please click on the link to be redirected to the full article: Factory Automation Design & the AC-DC Equation