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LEARN BEFORE YOU DECIDE

Industrial Automation 
Learning Center

Practical guides for people who design, build, run, and support automated systems. Explore PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, drives, motion, robotics, machine safety, industrial networking, plant data, and reliability.

Built for OEMs, machine builders, system integrators, manufacturers, engineers, maintenance teams, and operations leaders.

how industrial automation parts connect using sensors, safety,push buttons and signaling, robotics and motion, and drives

Search PLCs, HMIs, drives, safety, networking, machine data, and more.

START WITH THE GOAL

What are you working on?

Start with the goal. We will point you to the guides that can help.

BROWSE BY TOPIC

Explore Industrial Automation Topics

Build your knowledge one topic at a time. Start with the basics, compare options, or find practical guidance for a current project.

Drives, Motion & Electric Actuation

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Compare VFDs, servos, motors, electric actuators, and positioning options for different machine needs.

Explore motion control guides

HMI, SCADA & Process Control

Operator screen icon

Understand operator interfaces, alarms, trends, plant-wide monitoring, SCADA, and DCS options.

Explore HMI & SCADA guides

PLCs, I/O & Control Systems

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Learn how controllers, I/O, programming tools, and control systems work. Compare platforms, costs, and upgrade paths.

Explore PLC & control guides

Industrial Networking & OT Security

Network nodes icon

Cover industrial Ethernet, PROFINET, network design, remote access, security, and troubleshooting.

Explore networking and security guides

Machine Safety

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Learn about risk reduction, safety controls, guarding, diagnostics, and safer machine design.

Explore machine safety guides

Robotics, Vision & Sensing

robot arm icon

Explore industrial robots, cobots, machine vision, sensors, quality checks, and end-of-arm tooling.

Explore robotics and vision guides

Electrical Controls & Panel Systems

Control panel icon

Learn about motor control, power distribution, protection, enclosures, cooling, and panel hardware.

Explore electrical control guides

Reliability & Modernization

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Reduce repeat failures, manage old equipment, plan upgrades, improve backups, and support systems longer.

Explore reliability guides

Industrial Data & IIoT

Industrial IoT icon

Learn how machine data supports status, trends, reports, production tracking, and better plant decisions.

Explore industrial data guides

INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION BASICS LEARNING PATH

New to Industrial Automation? Start Here.

See how machine control and plant-wide monitoring work together.
 

Machine devices → PLC → HMI → SCADA or DCS

What is a PLC

What is a PLC?

What is an HMI

What is an HMI?

What is SCADA

What is SCADA?

What is DCS

What is DCS?

SCADA vs DCS What's the Difference

SCADA vs DCS?

FEATURED GUIDES

Featured Industrial Automation Guides

Find Resources for Your Role

Industrial Worker Operating Machine

OEMs and Machine Builders

Standardize machine designs, compare control and motion options, plan safety early, and build systems that customers can support.

Electrician At Work

System Integrators

Connect systems, choose the right network, plan migrations, and solve startup and support issues.

Industrial Facility View

Manufacturers and Plant Teams

Cut downtime, improve safety and visibility, support aging controls, and plan upgrades.

Prefer Hands-on Learning?

Build practical skills through instructor-led courses, workshops, Lunch & Learns, and technical training at elliTek.

Need Help Applying What You Learned?

Talk with an elliTek Applications Engineer or your local Field Sales Engineer about your machine, upgrade, or automation goal.

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