The ABCs of OPC UA: Everything You Need to Understand Learn the Core Principles of OPC UA. 3 OPC Unified Architecture, also known as OPC UA, was developed in the mid-2000s as a TCP/IP-based protocol with the ability to share data at the control system level in real-time with high reliability and efficiency. As I discuss the details of OPC UA, you might be wondering how you could fully grasp this concept. There is an amazing RealPars course, OPC UA: Learn the Basics, that offers comprehensive lessons on this topic. Key features of OPC UA OPC Classic opened the door for control system ..read more

Using CODESYS with HMI Interfaces Learn to interact with CODESYS control applications using HMI. ; In my previous article, I explained the advantages of developing visualizations using CODESYS and what options are available for deploying CODESYS visualizations. If you missed that article, you can find it here. In this article, I will show you how to use a visualization to interact with a CODESYS control application. By the end of the article, you will know what basic elements are available to build a visualization in CODESYS and how those elements can be used to interact with a con ..read more

Single-Pair Ethernet vs. Traditional Ethernet Choose what's right for you: Single-Pair Ethernet or Traditional Ethernet. 3 Ethernet communications are everywhere! We have it at home for internet connections to our computers, laptops, and tablets. There are even Ethernet-connected appliances, cars, and other devices. But what is Ethernet? Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies commonly used in local area networks and wide area networks such as is used for our cell phones. It was commercially introduced in 1980 and first introduced as a standard in 1983 by the Insti ..read more

Visualization Options for CODESYS Understand the diversity and benefits of visualizations with CODESYS. ; In my previous article, I explained what CODESYS is and why it is such an exciting technology in the industrial automation space. If you missed that article, you can find it here. In this article, I will give you a brief introduction to the advantages of developing visualizations with CODESYS and the different options that are available for deploying a CODESYS visualization. Let’s get started. Advantages of CODESYS visualization Developing visualizations for CODESYS control a ..read more

Ladder Logic Debugging: Solving Problems in PLC Programs Learn to fix common issues in PLC programs effectively. ; Hello and welcome back to another article from RealPars, the world’s largest online learning platform for cutting-edge industrial technologies. In today’s article, I will show you how to debug common problems that you will encounter while programming, testing, and commissioning PLCs. After programming PLCs, the ability to test and debug code is the most important skill that a PLC programmer can have. Before being used in a production environment, all of your code has to ..read more

Trouble-Free PROFIBUS Network: Tips to Ensure Robust Infrastructure Learn how to keep your PROFIBUS DP network running smoothly. ; Today, we’re diving deeper into making your PROFIBUS DP network run without hitches. Have you ever felt frustrated because your Wi-Fi was slow? Now, magnify that frustration for large industries. But fear not! With these 5 tips, you’ll be a step ahead in preventing tech glitches. PROFIBUS DP explained Quick background: What’s PROFIBUS DP? In factories, sensors and actuators play a crucial role. They connect to industrial computers in a control room, oft ..read more

CODESYS PLC Programming: Tips for Maximizing Performance Enhance the PLC code efficiency within CODESYS. ; Hello and welcome back to another article from RealPars, the world’s largest online learning platform for cutting-edge industrial technologies. In this article, you will learn about CODESYS PLC programming and how to optimize your PLC code for performance. Before we talk about how to optimize your PLC code, let’s quickly define what optimization is in the context of PLC programming. Introduction to optimization In this article, you will see how we can refactor, or update, a ..read more

Ladder Logic vs. Other Programming Languages Decoding Ladder Logic: A Deep Dive Comparison. ; In today’s article, we are going to talk about Ladder Logic, often referred to as the Ladder Diagram, and how it compares to other PLC programming languages. As you may be aware, PLCs are special-purpose computers that are designed to monitor and control automated processes. PLCs are programmed using programming languages defined in the IEC 61131-3 standard. This standard defines 5 programming languages called Ladder Diagram, Function Block Diagram, Structured Text, Sequential Function Chart, an ..read more

How to Set the IP Address of Your Computer Efficiently set up a static IP on your computer for PLC communication. ; Hello and welcome back to another article from RealPars, the world’s largest online learning platform for cutting-edge industrial technologies. In this article, you will learn how to set a static IP address on your PC so that it can communicate with another device on a local Ethernet network. When programming PLCs, you will need to configure the IP address of your laptop so that you can download and test the PLC application. If you are interested in learning more ..read more

How to Use Machine Learning Without Being a Data Scientist Learn about machine learning's impact on manufacturing with Weidmüller's Industrial AutoML for predictive maintenance. ; Modern companies understand the value of data. Data allows factories and plants to run their processes more efficiently to increase capacity and quality. It also allows them to organize their maintenance work effectively to reduce downtimes and get the most value out of their assets. These improvements come together to reduce the company’s costs and increase its profit margins. At least, that’s the idea. Many c ..read more