The Material Handling Blog

One of the most important questions you should ask before choosing your material handling systems provider is: do they program in an open controls architecture?  The implications of the answer might surprise you.

When programming controllers for an industrial automation project, I base my platform (PLC, PAC, or PC) on a variety of project details, one of which is the software that drives the platform. Here is a review of the 3 top features I look for on the software side of a platform decision..

Do you need a PLC (programmable logic controller) or a safety PLC? The answer depends on the safety requirement of the system or equipment in question. There are PLCs and there are safety PLCs which have safety built into them. So what's the difference, and what should you be using for your automated system when there is a stringent safety requirement? Read: Safety PLC versus a Regular PLC