OptoBlog

OptoNews tip: Getting weekly, monthly, yearly totals

Posted by Jean Femia on Jan 6, 2016 4:44:14 PM

We've talked recently about digital and analog totalizing: getting total running values for on-time, flow, power production, and so on. 

The next step is using those totals in your PAC Control strategy—and in your groov mobile operator interfaceto get the information you need.

Read More

Topics: Process control, Discrete control, Tips, optonews, PACs, PAC Project, OptoNews 2016-01-06

OptoNews Tip: Analog totalizing—without the calculus

Posted by Jean Femia on Dec 2, 2015 4:23:54 PM

Suppose you have an analog inputmaybe it's a flow meter, for example—and you want to know not only the current flow rate, but also the cumulative flow over time.

How many gallons went through that pipe over the last 24 hours, or over the last month? 

If you're using an Opto 22 analog input module and PAC Control, you're in luck. 

Read More

Topics: Energy management, Process control, Tips, optonews, I/O, PAC Project, OptoNews 2015-12-02

OptoNews tip: PAC Control Communication Handles

Posted by Jean Femia on Nov 18, 2015 5:24:29 PM

Do you use communication handles in your PAC Control strategy?

Or are you thinking, "What's a communication handle?"

In either case, this tip is for you.

A communication handle is a powerful type of variable in PAC Control. You'll use it for three main reasons:

Read More

Topics: Tips, optonews, PACs, PAC Project, OptoNews 2015-11-18

OptoNews: G4 I/O - Going strong since 1989

Posted by Jean Femia on Nov 4, 2015 4:57:08 PM


If you've used Opto 22 products for a long time, you may very well have some colorful G4 digital I/O modules in a panel somewhere. They were probably installed back in the 1990s.

Still reliably monitoring sensors and activating outputs, these G4s are likely the workhorses of your automation system. Why would you ever want to replace them?

Read More

Topics: Discrete control, optonews, Migration, I/O, PAC Project, Optomux, OptoNews 2015-11-04

OptoNews: Choose components for your control system

Posted by Jean Femia on Nov 4, 2015 4:56:15 PM

Choose the software, controllers, I/O, and more for your application, with help from our new interactive demo about SNAP PAC System components.

You'll find answers to questions like these:

Read More

Topics: optonews, PACs, I/O, PAC Project, OptoNews 2015-11-04

OptoNews tip: Totalizer helps you choose which pump to run

Posted by Jean Femia on Oct 21, 2015 5:17:45 PM

Let's say you have four pumps available, and you don't run them all at once. When it's time to start one, you want to choose the one with the least wear. 

You can decide which one to start by comparing the total amount of time each pump has run. That's a job for a totalizer.

Read More

Topics: Tips, optonews, PACs, I/O, PAC Project, OptoNews 2015-10-21

OptoNews: New Modbus Integration Kit for Ethernet and serial

Posted by Jean Femia on Oct 7, 2015 2:49:06 PM

Whether your Modbus equipment uses Serial RTU, Serial ASCII, or Modbus/TCP protocol, our latest Modbus Integration Kit has you covered. 

The kit makes it easier to integrate your Modbus equipment with SNAP PAC controllers running PAC Control strategies. 

Read More

Topics: optonews, PACs, New products, Integrators, PAC Project, OptoNews 2015-10-07, Modbus

OptoNews Tech tip: Should I check to see if the output's still on?

Posted by Jean Femia on Sep 23, 2015 5:21:15 PM

When you turn on an output, do you set a flag and then check it to see the output's status before turning the output on again? 

Or do you just turn it on without checking?

Is setting a flag a good way to speed up the program and avoid tying up the network with unnecessary communications to I/O?

Or does it just add a lot of extra variables and decision blocks that make debugging and maintenance harder?

Read More

Topics: Discrete control, Tips, optonews, PACs, I/O, PAC Project, OptoNews 2015-09-23

OptoNews: Training & show reminders for New England and Canada

Posted by Jean Femia on Sep 9, 2015 4:28:07 PM

Just a couple of reminders about upcoming events in your area: 

Read More

Topics: groov, optonews, PACs, Events & conferences, Training, PAC Project, OptoNews 2015-09-09

OptoNews tip: PAC Control scheduler

Posted by Jean Femia on Sep 9, 2015 4:27:00 PM

In the last OptoNews we talked about using date and time in PAC Control. (If you haven't seen the post, be sure to check out its links to useful resources.)

Meanwhile, Opto 22 customer Philip Spigelmire was busy writing a scheduling subroutine for his HVAC system. His subroutine handles:

Read More

Topics: Energy management, Tips, optonews, PACs, PAC Project, Building management, OptoNews 2015-09-09

    Subscribe to Email Updates

    Recent Posts

    Posts by Topic

    see all