InTouch HMI: Window Names with Hyphens Silently Changed to Underscores
April 6, 2026 • Aveva & InTouchThe Bug In Aveva InTouch, when you create a new window with a hyphen (-) in the name, InTouch silently converts the hyphen to…
Moving Toward a Standardized Testing Methodology for PLC Programs
March 23, 2026 • Commissioning & TestingWhy Standardize Without a consistent testing methodology, every engineer tests differently — some test thoroughly, some test only the "important" parts, and some rely…
CE16: Transferring Program to Backup M580 Controller — Power Cycle Required
January 26, 2026 • M580 & SchneiderThe Issue When using Control Expert 16.0 to transfer a program to a backup (standby) M580 controller, the backup PLC may enter a "No…
VFD Shutdown on Minimum Speed: Account for Drift and Add Timeout
January 12, 2026 • InstrumentationThe Scenario A Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) is programmed to shut down when the motor reaches minimum speed. However, the PLC logic checks for…
M580 NOC Ports: Use the Service Port for Ethernet Connections
December 29, 2025 • Infrastructure & ITThe Rule When connecting to an M580 PLC via Ethernet, use the service port — not the two network ports. The two NOC (Network…
Digital Output Cards Sourcing Voltage When De-Energized — 117V Ghost Voltage
December 15, 2025 • InstrumentationThe Problem Digital output (DO) cards were found sourcing approximately 117V on outputs that were not energized. The PLC logic showed the output as…
PLC Halt from Clearing Unused DFBs — CE16 Lesson Learned
December 1, 2025 • M580 & SchneiderWhat Happened During program maintenance on a Schneider M580 using Control Expert (CE) 16.0, unused Derived Function Blocks (DFBs) were cleared from the project.…
M580 USB Connection via VMware: Phantom PLC Connection Issue
November 3, 2025 • Infrastructure & ITThe Problem When connecting to an M580 PLC via USB through a VMware virtual machine, VMware may report a persistent USB connection to the…
Celebrating 15 Years at Elite Automation—And the People Who Made It Possible
October 8, 2025 • UncategorizedThank you. As we mark 15 years in the industry, we’re filled with gratitude—for the clients who trusted us with mission-critical systems, the partners…
SCADA Point Allocation: Reusing Spare Points vs Creating New Ones
September 22, 2025 • HMI & SCADAThe Practice When adding new signals to an existing SCADA system, there is often a choice: create new points or reuse old spare/decommissioned points.…