Programmable automation controllers or PACs. You’ve been hearing a lot about them lately. But what are they really, how do they differ from the hardware you’re using now, and why should you be interested?
Let’s take that last question first: Why should you be interested in PACs?
The answer lies in the demands of today’s industrial applications, where interfacing with signals from sensors and actuators is now just the starting point. Advanced control features, network connectivity, integration of remote and distributed subsystems, device interoperability, and enterprise-wide data integration are all requirements you may be called upon to meet.
If there’s a simpler way to meet these requirements, you’d probably like to know about it. And today, PACs seem to be emerging as that simpler way.