Forum - Recent Threads

I need a device to read multiple Analog Inputs, and write 2 analog outputs

SensoredHacker0 — Fri, 01 May 2026 13:20:49 GMT

Hello All,
My Parent Company has been using Opto22 Groov Rios for expanding Analog IO to PLC systems.
The issue we have with these devices is that the IO periodically freezes, maintaining the analog outputs.
We make compression based hot water heaters, and this behaviour causes some undesired effects.

The red box is indicating that the Analog sensors have stopped updating.

Anyway, we are searching for a suitable replacement. The devices operate in a control panel,
an may be subject to electrical noise, and heat from -10F to 120F
we would really like something with at least 10 Analog inputs.

Modbus is fine. We have some experience writing other protocols, but that is frequently tedious in

A PLC programing environment. We need a professional device, with a Din mounted case, no bare circuit boards.
Analog outputs 0-10V output would be great.

The groov Rios do what we want, the specs match our needs. Its their failure conditions that we have a problem with. We have brought this up with
Opto22, and no solution has been presented. Its a thing that happens. No one knows why, or has a fix. its been about a
year of dealing with this, and I'm so over it.

If there are alternatives, I would love to hear about them.

Interfacing EVAL-AD5700 with Microcontroller & Transmitter

meera_hussien — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 02:04:19 GMT

Hi,

I am trying to interface the EVAL-AD5700 with STM or Arduino Microcontroller and also Yokogawa Transmitter. Has anyone ever tried this configuration or has experience using the HART modem.

and the current setup is as follow

Ultrasonic signal generator

CKDAF — Mon, 27 May 2024 00:33:49 GMT

I am currently using Olympus 5077PR square wave emitter/receiver for ultrasound signal generator. I am wondering if this could be replaced with GW INSTEK SFG-1003 from your shop?

4-20mA Input To Microcontroller

meera_hussien — Fri, 24 May 2024 07:36:02 GMT

What is the best practice to create a 4-20mA input that can be feed in to microcontroller ADC pin?

FPGA Board

little_white — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 02:20:16 GMT

Is there anyone working in optical coating machine? I would like to ask some questions.

reviving my Siemens Simatic IOT2000

Jan Cumps — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 16:03:31 GMT

I have a Siemens single-board device, based on Intel's Quark (RIP) series. After years of not using it, I'm going to revive it. It can run a recent Linux, is DIN rail mountable and well built

I neglected it once Intel gave up on Quark, but in essence that doesn't matter to me. I'm developing Linux applications for it, so the mcu isn't that significant. I'm going to avoid using bespoke libraries, but it can be a good edge device.

I was rather fluent with its software - built my own Linux from source. But all that knowledge has been lost. I guess I will not invest the same time anymore to study the platform - use it more as a service. Let's see.

AVNET IIOT Gateway blog series

Jan Cumps — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 17:22:14 GMT

AVNET IIOT Gateway blog series:

The Python SDK with On Semiconductor RSL10 BLE article series	Industry
part 1: overview and goal
part 2: WiFi Provisioning
part 3: Adding a Module (RSL10)
part 4: Talk BLE to the On Semi RSL10 Sensor Kit
part 5: A Cloud User Experience Example
part 6: Register as a Gateway Device
part 7: Register a Gateway and Client Devices
part 8: Get BLE Image from Camera and Send to Cloud
The NODE-Red SDK article series	Industry
part 1: overview and goal
register a Thing and connect to IoTConnect.io cloud
part 2: create an account and log on to the portal
part 3: set up the thing and its interface in the cloud
part 4: set up Node-RED and first exchange
interact with IoTConnect.io cloud
part 5: online dashboard
part 6: rules and alerts
part 7: messages and commands from the cloud
safer connections with certificates
part 8a: safer connect with Self Signed Certificates
part 8b: safer connect with CA certificates	Y
commercial and industrial scale: outsource certificate generation and programming to subcontractors and suppliers
part 9a: Outsource Certificate Signing in IIoT Supply Chain	Y
part 9b: IIoT supply chain and Certificates - Create Ca Root certificate, Load to IoTConnect Cloud and Validate	Y
part 9c: IIoT supply chain and Certificates - Create an Intermediate CA Certificate for your Subcontractor	Y
part 9d: IIoT supply chain and Certificates - Subcontractor Generates a Thing Certificate for Your Device	Y
part 9e: IIoT supply chain and Certificates - Test!	Y
commercial and industrial scale: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) Authentication
part 10: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) Security	Y
Infineon SLx9670 Trusted Platform Module (TPM) for IoT Security	Y
Infineon Trust Platform Module + Raspberry Pi 3 B - Review (road test)	Y
Infineon SLx9670 Trusted Platform Module (TPM) on Debian 11 "bullseye" - part1: OS and Azure Cloud validation	Y
Infineon SLx9670 Trusted Platform Module (TPM) on Debian 11 "bullseye" - part2: Trusted Software Stack (tss)	Y
Infineon SLx9670 Trusted Platform Module (TPM): TSS Programming in C, with cross-compile and remote debug in Eclipse	Y
part 11: Act as Gateway with Clients	Y
The Automate Device Provisioning and Cloud Configuration article series	Industry
Automatic Provisioning with REST API	Y

dust measuring mechanisam on pv panel

Dulithk — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 13:55:29 GMT

Anybody here to suggest a method (sensor) to measure dust on a glass surface (photo voltaic) without going to image processing? #help

Do you think a framework for building and implementing a (simple) SCADA is needed?

Julia — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 13:54:25 GMT

I hear a lot of people talking about the annoyance of price estimates (meaning they don't get a clear, transparent price from the beginning) and the costly engineering that seems to never end.

Do you think that a step-by-step, clear process and course of action from A to Z would be beneficial for companies?

And I'm not talking here about SCADA software, like Ignition.

I'm talking about using Ignition to build and implement a fully working SCADA solution, customized to your company BUT you know the price and the methods that will be used (it's a replicable framework to get similar results for multiple companies - and the results would be a SCADA solution without the headaches of the unknown prices and engineering characteristics).

Do you think the industrial space could use something like that?

Any alternative for limit switch?

samiuzzil — Sat, 29 May 2021 15:29:00 GMT

I am working with soot Blowers on a boiler. For a successful rotation of a blower, they have used a limit switch(with lever) which hit the blower's rotating gear. Its setting is quite tiresome I want to use any other senor any suggestions?

Delta HMI RS485 Floating Point for Guage(Meter)

bhavikbhansali — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 13:19:08 GMT

Hello Members,

Asking hello to all after a long time break from the forum. I am back here after almost 2-3 years. Now onward I am going to reactive in the blog.

Today's question is about the HMI Screen design and showing data into it.

HMI Details:
Model: DOp-103BQ
Software: DOPSoft 4.00.08

I want to display a gauge (known as a meter in the software) with the floating-point value. As I am new to it and I tried but not able to get success for that. I tried it by taking the numeric display and with that, I am able to do that. So, is there anyone who can help me to solve my problem and help me to learn it?

Chattering effect

rajkiransingh — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 10:23:10 GMT

Hi,

I have build a circuit to drive the solenoid valve and a small DC water pump both operates at 12 volts dc.

Before I connect these 2 loads to the circuit the working of relay and is perfectly working fine, but as soon as I connect these 2 loads relay is getting chattered.

Circuit and relay is operating at 5volts DC and load is 12 volts.

Voltage divider vs potential transformer based design

aswinvenu — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 16:51:55 GMT

Hi,

I am designing a Voltage and Current data acquisition module for an industrial application. I was talking to different vendors about the analog front-end. I have studied TIs power-meter designs really well.

But the question I have in my mind is for voltage measurement should I go with a simple voltage divider (More cheaper, compact and linear option) or a potential transformer based design.

Class 0.5 TI reference designs are using voltage dividers. If I go ahead with the voltage divider will be problem to get IEC61010 ? Because of poor isolation ?

I am looking for measuring 230, 460 and 690 volt systems.

This is what something in my mind.

Need to find a "reverse" USB selector for a single computer; multiple downstream devices

aspork42 — Wed, 29 Apr 2020 17:00:52 GMT

I have a need for what appears to be a rare device. I have software that prints to a default USB printer. I cannot change the software. The problem is I have two USB printers. I want an A/B switch box that I can use to select which printer is plugged in.

This would be the equivalent of just unplugging one printer and plugging the other in. This is for an industrial installation with 100's of devices required. The end user isn't able to change software and doesn't want associates swapping USB cables all day long.

All the USB selectors that I can find just share USB devices between two computers.

This is the only one that I have been able to find, but am weary about offering it: https://www.newegg.com/p/36F-00D5-00007?item=9SIAK1JB676151&source=region&nm_mc=knc-googlemkp-pc&cm_mmc=knc-googlemkp-pc…

I was really hoping to find a name brand like IOGear or similar, but keep coming up empty. I just need a single upstream device (the computer) and two downstream devices (Printer A, Printer B).

This image is from the NewEgg listing.

In theory, even the normal USB selectors 'might' just work by default if they are just A/B switch the D+ and D- on the USB bus between the two ports without other active components involved.. but the problem is I don't want to have to get a bunch of different samples to test with. I want to buy something off the shelf that I know works.

Has anyone seen something like this before?

what is 'stationary conveyor technology' ? is this the fact that it includes driverless transport systems

an99 — Sat, 28 Mar 2020 02:35:26 GMT

hello i'm an vietnamese student, i've read this new: https://roboticsandautomationnews.com/2020/03/12/farewell-to-the-old-assembly-line-automation-is-changing-manufacturing-… , in the passage: "Numerous exhibitors will present alternatives to conventional assembly line production with stationary conveyor technology, for example driverless transport systems and, of course, cobots for human-robot collaboration applications. ", i was wondering, what is 'stationary conveyor technology' ? and is this the fact that it includes driverless transport systems-cause it seems not 'stationary' at all. Please help me!

Panel Meters - DC Volt and Amp Meters

condmon — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 03:44:26 GMT

Hello

We are an Electric Motor Repair Shop based in Adelaide South Australia.

I am after digital panel meters and any associated voltage / current transformers to display the following DC voltage and current levels.

Field Volts & Amps

Display DC Volts – 0 to 484 Volts

Display DC Amps – 0 to 22 Amps

Armature Volts & Amps

Display DC Volts – 0 to 605 Volts

Display DC Amps – 0 to 385 Amps

I would like individual digital display for voltage and current for each Field and Armature components please.

Can anyone recommend a complete solution to fit our needs as we do have the skills to build a meter from a component level?

Thank you.

What are the main kinds of MRO engineers?

bluescreen — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 20:18:21 GMT

Hey Everyone.

I'm doing some research into Maintenance, Repair & Operations (MRO), and want to define the main "types" of MRO techs. For example--
* The close-to-retirement MRO who isn't looking for innovative solutions, just a reliable way to easily get the parts he needs when things break

* The head of procurement for an aviation company who's savvy on all the latest advances in preventive, predictive maintenance and the Industrial Internet of Things

* The factory ops guy who is under increasing pressure to keep things running smoothly despite the fact his company has slashed budget for preventive maintenance

* The MRO responsible for keeping the mine, oil rig, or other extraction equipment running smoothly. He can't afford to cut corners as lives are on the line. The parts he buys need to be a perfect fit.

* The young MRO tech who is terrified that he didn't really learn all the stuff in school he should have, but now finds himself in a position of considerable authority and needs a way to quickly ramp up-to-speed

You get the idea.

The examples above may be totally wrong, but they map onto some of the people I've met so far.

What do you think? Are there some reliable "types" of MRO techs that you've come across?

Thanks so much for sharing your insight! It feels great to be back in the element14 community!

Sagar

Predictive maintenance in the context of IIoT and Industry 4.0

dowlingb — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 04:17:15 GMT

Hi Everyone, I am an MBA student with UTS writing a paper on machine health maintenance in the context of Industry 4.0 and IoT.

I'm looking to conduct some primary research via a survey (20 questions, about 5-10 minutes to complete). I'm looking for anyone involved in performing machine maintenance or making decisions about technology in use.

Or anyone with an opinion that has worked with plc's and scada installations.

Survey can be found here:

https://forms.gle/EgiZjy4fDuEpVweh7

The main objective is to understand how relevant what kinds of data are, and whether a lot of it is hype or does actually service some critical needs of industry.

Appreciate anyone willing to share their anonymous opinion. Also happy to share the research when its complete.

Thank you in advance.

Brendan

Do You Know the Three Types of Industrial Automation?

rscasny — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 16:55:13 GMT

In many circles, when you say the term "industrial automation," the word that comes into mind is robotics. I'll agree that robots are amazing pieces of engineering, but they are not the beginning and the end of all automation.

There are three types of automation:

Fixed: traditional manufacturing equipment that do one thing and only one thing. Think of a bottling line that inserts the soda and caps the bottle.

Programmable: this is for batch production up to a few thousand parts. Disadvantage: the automation equipment has to be re-programmed for different kinds of batches, thus there are inefficiencies inherent in this type of automation.

Flexible: like programmable automation but flexible automation can automate the production of different batches of products simultaneously. This is the paradigm of Industry 4.0, advanced manufacturing, etc.

So, where do robots fit in?

What's The Next Big Thing in Industrial Automation?

rscasny — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 18:45:00 GMT

99.999% of those reading this discussion would probably answer my title's question with: Artificial Intelligence. I would not necessarily disagree.

AI will surely impact industrial automation. But I was thinking a bit differently. Something along the lines of Augmented or Virtual Reality.

While VR/AR technology will improve automation, it can also aid in the manufacturing assembly process for sophisticated products, as well as improve maintenance, QA, and tech support. The possibilities are amazing.

What do you think?

GSM M2M SIM card provider Europe - SMS only or SMS focused - low message count

Jan Cumps — Thu, 06 Jun 2019 16:59:38 GMT

I'm looking for a SIM card provider that has a solution for low volume SMS messaging.

If possible, a pre-paid bundle of SMSes instead of a monthly fee.

Delivery of SMSes is not time and quality critical - no person (living or fictional) dies if this service is not industry standard.

Anyone in the e14 universe dealing with this type of purchases?

For prototyping I can use any provider, but when adding the SIM card to a product, I'd like to know the options.

Thanks, Jan

Can anybody read this

atoautomation — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 02:23:53 GMT

ITEM Qunt

SERVO MOTOR 3 PHASE BRUSHLESS 2

IFT 6034-4AK 71 – 3AA1 EN 60034,NO YF P 921 6207 01

003 H CE Mo 1.65/2.0NM IO= 2.15/2.6A 60/100K

MN= 1.4NM ŋN = 6000/MINT UIN-300 VY IM B5 IP-65 TH CIF NMAX=9300 /

MINT OPTICAL ENCODER B01 2048 S/R KTYV 84

Experience with IIoT Condition Based Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance Tools?

tonydbeck — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 22:07:37 GMT

I am really interested to hear from others on here about their thoughts and experience with any IIoT Condition Based Monitoring or Predictive Maintenance Tools?

It is an area that seems to be gathering pace in the industrial world with a number of acronyms and buzz words floating around such as:

Industry 4.0
AI (Artificial Inteligence)
ANNs (Artificial Neural Networks)
Deep Learning
Big Data Analytics
IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things)
Machine Learning
Digital Twins
Anomoly Detection

And I am sure there are many more! With all these buzz words floating about, it would be great to hear about how this technology is actually being used and what members thoughts and ideas are in relation to it?

I have thought of a few specific areas and questions that could be used for a basis of some comments......... (Please don't restrict comments to only these points below though!)

What tools are out there (hardware and software) - both in terms of:
- Development kits such as the Brainium /SMARTEDGE AGILE that is currently available for RoadTesting
- Or commercial solutions such as GE's Predix Platform or the Honeywell Connected Plant portfolio of products
Have you used any of these tools in industry?

How have you or would you use some of the cloud based machine learning tools offered by some of the big cloud providers such as Amazon or Microsoft Azure?

Does anyone have any 'Success Stories' where they have used some of these technologies to optimise machine maintenance and reduce unplanned breakdowns or even improve production yields and quality?

What security concerns are there or should be considered around using Internet connected devices in a production environment?

What are the advantages of using an IIoT based system vs an 'in house' system - eg. Do the AI tools available on the cloud help predict issues earlier and more accurately than a non cloud connected system?

How easy is it to set up an IIoT based solution? How easy is it to utilise the large volumes of data that can be collected and how do you go about setting up good machine learning models?

I look forward to reading the comments others have on this!

Use of Lascar PanelPilotACE for Touchscreen Control Panel

panelpilotace — Wed, 02 Jan 2019 16:52:45 GMT

Hi Guys

Just wondered if anyone has been using our PanelPilotACE as a touchscreen control panel, perhaps in an industrial automation project, or perhaps in another project where touchscreen control is needed. If so, do you have any feedback for us?

For those of you who don't know, PanelPilotACE offers a way to rapidly develop a touchscreen interface, without having to code from scratch. Instead, there's Windows software which offers a drag and drop design experience for you to create your interface. The product has lots of I/O, both analogue and digital, and there's a development kit version which allows easy testing of your interface before you integrate it into a machine.

For more info, see the products on the Farnell website: SGD 70-A and SGD 70-A DK+ dev kit.

Crouzet EMER8. Programmable Timer

jb101 — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 18:26:21 GMT

Just trying to find out if relay output on this timer is volt free. This is an on site application and I’m using 110 volts ac on the coil, and on the input to the Y1 trigger as I know the trigger is related to the coil voltage, and the input to Y1 must be the same as the phase of the coil voltage applied to A1 otherwise you get odd results, even with AC. I want to switch 24 volts AC with the relay contacts, but I note on this application that I am seein a small voltage of 1.5 v to ground on the terminals. This could just be a bit of internal pickup from the coil ac, but I am a bit curious about it as the application could be a critical safety issue, and the data sheet for the timer has a diagram that suggests it’s volt free, but doesn’t actually state it. I have used these timers extensively, but always hitherto with the same voltage on the coil and relay contacts. Anyone confirm these contacts are volt free?