Tech Briefs & White Papers

Understanding the Basics: HMI vs SCADA HMI and SCADA are both vital components of industrial automation, serving as the essential bridge between human operators and the automation system. They enable efficient control, monitoring, and management of automated industrial operations. These terms frequently appear as central elements in controlling complex machinery and processes. Although both are critical components in most contemporary automated systems, they are not interchangeable. This article will explore the key differences between HMI and SCADA, clarifying the intricate relationship between these two technologies and illuminating their unique functions in the realm of industrial automation. Understanding HMI An HMI,...

IP RATINGS Ingress Protection or International Protection Ratings (IP Ratings or IP Codes) are defined to the international standard of EN 60529 (British BS EN 60529:1992, European IEC 60509:1989). These standards are used to define the levels of sealing effectiveness of electrical enclosures against intrusion from foreign bodies such as dirt and water. The rating consists of the letters IP followed by 2 digits; the first digit stands for the level of protection that the enclosure provides against solid bodies, the second digit describes the degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against water. IP Rating First Digit...

HAZARDOUS AREA DEFINITIONS In North America, hazardous locations have traditionally been defined by a combination of classes and divisions as follows: Classes Class I – A location made hazardous by the presence of flammable gases or vapors present in the air in quantities sufficient to produce an explosive or ignitable mixture. Class II – A location made hazardous by the presence of combustible or electrically conductive dust. Class III-A location made hazardous by the presence of easily ignitable fibers or flyings in the air, but not likely to be in suspension in quantities sufficient to produce ignitable mixtures. Divisions Division...

In reviewing Antaira’s best-in-class network switches, one of the many features that stand out are the built-in SFP slots accompanying the switch’s RJ45 ports. SFP is short for Small Form-factor Pluggable, and it's been an industry workhorse for nearly two decades. As an example of a standardized network interface, SFP technology enables Antaira switches with the SFP module slots and ports to connect to network components, either optically or electrically, at distances up to 160km. This is done by simply inserting the correct SFP module (transceiver) into the switch’s SFP port which, in turn, is connected to either an Ethernet...

WHAT IS A POE BUDGET?If you ask an accountant what a budget is, they’ll tell you it's a spending plan based on how much money you earn versus what you spend over a certain period.In industrial networking circles, budgets exist, too. Except instead of money, the currency is power. Let us explain: Industrial networks deploy PoE Ethernet Switches, PoE Injectors, and PoE Media Converters as Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) to supply electricity to Powered Devices (PD) that the devices, in turn, “spend.” The ranks of PDs can include such devices as IP cameras, WAPs, VoIP, laptops, and sensors, among others....