Talk to engineering

Engineering library

Knowledge — written by engineers, for engineers.

Field-tested guides covering the standards, design decisions, and engineering tradeoffs across automation, panels, contracting, and SCADA.

Automation

10 guides

PLC programming fundamentals diagram showing ladder logic, structured text, function block, and sequential function chart with connected schematic blocks.

PLC Programming Fundamentals: Ladder, ST, FBD, SFC

Schematic comparing Siemens, Rockwell, Schneider, and Mitsubishi PLC platforms with labeled blocks, wiring lines, and selection criteria.

How to Choose a PLC Platform: Siemens vs Rockwell vs Schneider vs Mitsubishi

IEC 61131-3 language comparison chart with schematic blocks and network lines showing when to use ST, LD, FBD, SFC, and IL.

IEC 61131-3 Languages Compared: Which to Use When

Schematic comparing centralized and distributed motion control with controller blocks, network links, drives, and motor nodes.

Motion Control Architectures: Centralized vs Distributed

Safety PLC schematic showing safety relays, emergency stop inputs, interlocked guards, and networked outputs controlling industrial machinery

Implementing Safety PLCs in Industrial Machinery

Schematic showing VFD selection and sizing for motor applications with labeled drive, motor, load, and wiring connections.

VFD Selection and Sizing for Motor Applications

Schematic compares Profinet, EtherNet/IP, and Modbus TCP network blocks with labeled devices, switches, and industrial communication lines.

Industrial Network Design: Profinet vs EtherNet/IP vs Modbus TCP

OPC UA architecture diagram showing industrial devices, servers, clients, and network links for interoperable data exchange.

OPC UA Architectures for Industrial Interoperability

Schematic of digital twin architecture for industrial automation, showing connected control blocks, network lines, and labeled system components.

Digital Twins in Industrial Automation

Legacy PLC migration schematic showing old controller blocks, network links, and modern platform components for system upgrade planning

Migrating Legacy PLC Systems to Modern Platforms

Panels

12 guides

Schematic blocks and wiring lines show IEC 61439 panel components, network connections, and labeled engineering documentation elements.

Understanding IEC 61439: The Complete Guide

Schematic blocks and labeled lines compare internal separation forms 1 to 4b in an electrical panel layout.

Forms of Internal Separation (Form 1–4b) Explained

Motor control center design guide schematic with labeled blocks, wiring lines, and component connections for industrial control panels

Motor Control Center Design Guide

Schematic blocks and wiring lines show design verification methods for panel builders, with labeled components and test points.

Design Verification Methods for Panel Builders

Schematic shows busbar sizing and short-circuit withstand with labeled blocks, conductors, and network lines for engineering analysis.

Busbar Sizing and Short-Circuit Withstand

Low-voltage switchgear schematic showing arc flash mitigation blocks, wiring paths, and labeled protection components for safe fault isolation.

Arc Flash Mitigation in LV Switchgear

Schematic of panel cooling and thermal management with labeled components, airflow paths, wiring lines, and control blocks.

Panel Cooling and Thermal Management

Schematic comparing IP and NEMA enclosure ratings with labeled blocks, lines, and components for industrial protection levels

IP and NEMA Ratings for Industrial Enclosures

Low-voltage protection selectivity diagram showing breakers, feeder lines, and fault paths coordinated to isolate only the affected circuit.

Selectivity and Discrimination in LV Protection

Schematic of a harmonics and power factor correction panel showing filters, capacitors, reactors, wiring, and labeled control components.

Harmonics and Power Factor Correction Panel Design

Side-by-side machine panel schematic comparing NFPA 79 and IEC 60204-1 wiring, safety, and control requirements with labeled blocks and lines

NFPA 79 vs IEC 60204-1 for Machine Panels

Side-by-side schematic compares EN/IEC 61439 and UL 891 requirements for global panel specification with labeled blocks and wiring lines.

EN/IEC 61439 vs UL 891: Specifying for Global Projects

Contracting

10 guides

Schematic blocks and labeled lines map the scope of work for industrial electrical contractors, showing panels, wiring, controls, and network links.

Scope of Work for Industrial Electrical Contractors

Schematic compares EPC and design-build contract blocks with linked engineering, procurement, construction, and handoff stages for industrial projects

EPC vs Design-Build Contracts for Industrial Projects

Schematic blocks and wiring lines show factory acceptance testing best practices for verifying panels, controls, and network connections before shipment

Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) Best Practices

Site Acceptance Testing best practices diagram with schematic blocks, wiring lines, and labeled components for commissioning documentation.

Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) Best Practices

Schematic blocks and wiring lines show industrial plant commissioning steps, labeled components, and network connections in an engineering guide.

Commissioning Industrial Plants: A Practical Guide

Schematic showing as-built documentation standards for industrial projects with labeled blocks, wiring lines, and component callouts.

As-Built Documentation Standards for Industrial Projects

Schematic shows electrical loop checks from P&ID review through wiring verification, testing, and final energization of control circuits.

Electrical Loop Checks: From P&ID to Energization

Schematic panel installation best practices diagram showing labeled components, wiring paths, and network connections in an engineering layout.

Panel Installation Best Practices

Schematic of industrial cable sizing and routing with labeled blocks, wiring paths, and component connections for engineering documentation.

Industrial Cable Sizing and Routing

Flowchart of CE marking for machinery showing MD, LVD and EMC compliance steps linked by schematic blocks and wiring lines

CE Marking for Machinery: The Path through MD, LVD, EMC

SCADA

12 guides

SCADA architecture diagram showing field devices, PLCs, RTUs, communication network, and central HMI or control server connections.

SCADA Architecture Fundamentals

SCADA and DCS comparison diagram showing control blocks, network links, and labeled components for choosing the right system.

SCADA vs DCS: When to Use Each

SCADA comparison chart shows Ignition, WinCC, AVEVA, and zenon in labeled blocks linked by network lines and feature notes

SCADA Software Comparison: Ignition vs WinCC vs AVEVA vs zenon

SCADA redundancy and failover diagram showing primary and backup servers, network links, and automatic switchover paths for continuous control.

SCADA Redundancy and Failover Design

SCADA historian and time-series database block diagram showing PLC data, network links, storage, and trend access for operators

Historian and Time-Series Databases for SCADA

IEC 62443 zones and conduits diagram showing segmented industrial network blocks linked by secure conduits and labeled control components

IEC 62443 Zones and Conduits for Industrial Cybersecurity

SCADA alarm management diagram showing ISA 18.2 workflow blocks, network lines, and labeled alarm handling components.

SCADA Alarm Management per ISA 18.2

IEC 61850 substation automation diagram showing GOOSE, MMS, and sampled values links between protection relays, bay controllers, and network switches

IEC 61850 Substation Automation: GOOSE, MMS, Sampled Values

MQTT Sparkplug B IIoT schematic showing edge devices, broker, and SCADA nodes linked by network lines and labeled data flows

MQTT Sparkplug B for IIoT

Side-by-side SCADA architecture showing cloud and on-premise control blocks linked by network lines, servers, and operator interfaces

Cloud vs On-Premise SCADA

ISA-95 integration diagram linking SCADA, MES and ERP blocks with network lines for plant data flow and control hierarchy.

SCADA, MES and ERP Integration with ISA-95

Schematic blocks and network lines show remote monitoring for water utilities with sensors, control panels, and data links.

Remote Monitoring for Water Utilities

Cross-Discipline

6 guides

IIoT edge architecture for industrial plants showing sensors, edge gateway, local PLCs, network links, cloud analytics, and control flow

Cross-Discipline

IIoT Edge Architecture for Industrial Plants

Schematic blocks and wiring show a process safety system per IEC 61511, linking sensors, logic solver, and final elements.

Cross-Discipline

Functional Safety in the Process Industry per IEC 61511

Schematic blocks and labeled lines show ATEX and IECEx hazardous area classification zones, equipment boundaries, and wiring links.

Cross-Discipline

Hazardous Area Classification: ATEX & IECEx

GAMP 5 pharma automation validation diagram with schematic blocks, network lines, and labeled documentation components for compliant system testing

Cross-Discipline

GAMP 5 and Pharma Automation Validation

Schematic blocks and wiring lines show project handover for panels and control systems, with labeled components and network connections.

Cross-Discipline

Project Handover for Panels and Control Systems

Schematic blocks and network lines show industrial cybersecurity fundamentals, with labeled components for secure control systems and data flow.

Cross-Discipline

Industrial Cybersecurity Fundamentals