40. Explain how redundant media works. 44. What is Fieldbus used or?

41. Def ne the term bandwidth as it applies to a 45. Summarize the two main unctions o a SCADA
network. system.
42. What is Ethernet/IP used or? 46. In what way does distributive control di er rom
43. What type o protocol does Modbus use? the supervisory control o a SCADA system?

CHAPTER 14 PROBLEMS

1. Distributive control systems have to be network b. Calculate the upper and lower limits beyond
based. Why? which the controller unctions as an on/o
2. Assume an alarm is sounded in a control system unit.
with an electronic HMI inter ace. How would you 6. Explain the advantage o using a 4- to 20-mA
proceed to identi y and solve the problem? current loop as an input signal compared to a 0- to
3. How would an on/o controller respond i the dead- 5-V input signal.
band were too narrow? 7. What does the term deterministic mean, and why is
4. In a home heating system with on/o control, what it important in industrial communications?
will be the e ect o widening the deadband? 8. How might a SCADA system be applied to deter-
5. a. Calculate the proportional band o a temperature mine the production rate o a bottled product over a
controller with a 5% bandwidth and a set-point o two-week period?
500°F.

316 Chapter 14 Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA

 CHAPTER 14 REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Compare continuous and batch processes. 17. What in ormation is contained in the process
2. Compare centralized and distributive control variable and control variable elements o a PID
systems. instruction?
3. State the basic unction o each o the ollowing as 18. State the unction o each o the ollowing elements
part o a process control system: o a PLC motion control system:
a. Sensors a. Programmable controller
b. Human-machine inter ace b. Motion module
c. Signal conditioning c. Servo drive
d. Actuators d. Servo motor
e. Controller 19. What does each axis o a robot arm unction as?
4. State the purpose o each o the ollowing types o 20. List our types o communication tasks provided by
screens associated with HMIs: local area networks.
a. Trend values 21. Name three common types o transmission media.
b. Operational summary
22. What are the three general levels o unctionality o
c. Alarm summary
industrial networks?
5. What is the main characteristic o a closed-loop
23. Def ne the term node as it applies to a network.
control system?
24. Explain the physical layout o devices on a network
6. State the unction o each o the ollowing parts o
or each o the ollowing network topologies:
a closed-loop control system:
a. Star
a. Set-point
b. Bus
b. Process variable
c. Error amplifer 25. Compare device and process bus networks.
d. Controller 26. Defne the term protocol as it applies to a network.
e. Output actuator 27. What is the unction o a network gateway?
7. Explain how on/o control works. 28. Defne the term access method as it applies to a
8. How does the proportional controller eliminate the network.
cycling associated with on/o control? 29. Summarize the token passing network access method.
9. Explain how a motor-driven control valve action 30. Summarize the collision detection network access
can provide analog control. method.
10. How does time proportioning provide analog 31. Summarize the polling network access method.
control? 32. Compare parallel and serial data transmission.
11. What process error or deviation is produced by a 33. Compare hal -duplex and ull-duplex data
proportional controller? transmission.
12. What term o a PID control is designed to eliminate 34. Explain how networking schemes minimize the
o set? amount o wiring required.
13. What does the derivative action o a controller 35. What type o access control is used with DH+?
respond to?
36. Compare the transmitting distances o RS-232
14. List the three gain adjustments used in tuning the and RS-422/485 serial types.
response o a PID control loop.
37. What is DeviceNet used or?
15. Compare manual, autotune, and intelligent tuning
o a PID controller. 38. List three pieces o in ormation obtained rom
DeviceNet devices by the network scanner.
16. How many input and output values are normally
re erenced in a PLC PID instruction? 39. What is ControlNet used or?

Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA Chapter 14 315

 Host computer
I/O
PLC
control Field
devices

Data I/O
transfer PLC
control Field
SCADA/HMI devices
software
I/O
PLC
control Field
devices

Figure 14-48 Typical SCADA system.

on a host computer, as illustrated in Figure 14-48. Pro- retrieved or later analysis without error or additional
cess control operators monitor PLC operation on the work. Measurements are made under processor control
host computer and send control commands to the PLCs and then displayed onscreen and stored to a hardcopy. Ac-
i required. The great advantage o a SCADA system is curate measurements are easy to obtain, and there are no
that data are stored automatically in a orm that can be mechanical limitations to measurement speed.

314 Chapter 14 Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA

 PROFIBUS-DP
module

PROFIBUS-DP

Figure 14-46 Micro PLC system connection to a PROFIBUS-DP network.

Source: Courtesy Siemens.

connectors or wiring practices such that disconnection o e fciency. In general, unlike distributive control systems,
a single device is possible without disrupting the continu- a SCADA system usually re ers to a system that coordi-
ity o the whole segment. nates but does not control processes in real time.
In a typical SCADA system, independent PLCs per-
PROFIBUS-DP orm I/O control unctions on feld devices while being
PROFIBUS-DP (where DP stands or Decentralized supervised by a SCADA/HMI so tware package running
Periphery) is an open, international feldbus communi-
cation standard that supports both analog and discrete Output loads
Signal sources
signals. It is unctionally comparable to DeviceNet.
The physical media are defned via the RS-485 or fber Temperature
Alarms
optic transmission technologies. PROFIBUS-DP com- thermocouples
municates at speeds up to 12 Mbps over distances up to and resistance
temperature detectors
1200 meters. Figure 14-46 illustrates a Siemens S7-200 e
PLC relay
Pressure rfa c controls
Micro PLC system connection to a PROFIBUS-DP I nte e m
network. Position sy st Analog
Force outputs

14.7 Supervisory Control Strain PID

and Data Acquisition (SCADA) process
control
Speed
In some applications, in addition to its normal control
unctions, the PLC is responsible or collecting data, Computer
per orming the necessary processing, and structuring the
data or generating reports. As an example, you could Printer

have a PLC count parts and automatically send the data to

a spreadsheet on your desktop computer.
Data collection is simplifed by using a SCADA (su- Tables and
pervisory control and data acquisition) system, shown in graphs
Figure 14-47. Exchanging data rom the plant oor to a
supervisory computer allows data logging, data display, Hardcopy
trending, downloading o recipes, setting o selected pa-
rameters, and availability o general production data. The Spreadsheet

additional supervisory control output capabilities allow Figure 14-47 Supervisory control and data acquisition
you to tweak your processes accurately or maximum (SCADA).

Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA Chapter 14 313

 Corporate network Office
applications,
internetworking,
data servers,
Back-office mainframes and storage
servers (ERP, MES, etc.)

Phone

Camera

Controller Supervisory Safety

control controller
I/O

Safety
HMI I/O
Motors, drives
actuators
Sensors and other
input/output devices
Robotics

Industrial network

Figure 14-43 EtherNet/IP information links.

Source: Image Used with Permission of Rockwell Automation, Inc.

build into their equipment without having to pay royalties. Fieldbus

It has become a standard communications protocol in in- Fieldbus is an open, serial, two-way communications sys-
dustry, and is one o the most commonly available means tem that interconnects measurement and control equip-
o connecting industrial electronic devices. Figure 14-44 ment such as sensors, actuators, and controllers. At the
shows an Omron PLC with Modbus-RTU network com- base level in the hierarchy o plant networks, it serves
munication capabilities via RS-232C and RS-422/485 as a network or feld devices used in process control
serial ports. applications.
There are several possible topologies or feldbus net-
works. Figure 14-45 illustrates the daisy-chain topology.
With this topology, the feldbus cable is routed rom de-
vice to device. Installations using this topology require

Connectors

Field
device
Fieldbus
interface
Figure 14-44 Omron PLC with Modbus-RTU network
communication capabilities. Figure 14-45 Fieldbus implemented using daisy-chain
Source: Photo courtesy Omron Industrial Automation, www.ia.omron.com. topology.

312 Chapter 14 Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA

 ControlNet
scanner

A
B

Redundant media

Figure 14-42 ControlNet network with redundant media installed.

network providing high-speed per ormance or both complex devices rom multiple vendors. Plug and
unctions. This open high-speed network is highly de- play re ers to the ability o a computer system to
terministic and repeatable. Determinism is the ability to automatically confgure devices. This allows you to
reliably predict when data will be delivered, and repeat- plug in a device and play (operate) it without worry-
ability ensures that transmit times are constant and una - ing about setting DIP switches, jumpers, and other
ected by devices connecting to, or leaving, the network. confguration elements.
Electronic device data sheets (EDS-Files) are required • EtherNet/IP provides standardized ull-duplex op-
or each ControlNet device. During the setup phase the eration which gives a single node, in a peer-to-peer
ControlNet scanner must confgure each device accord- connection, ull attention and there ore maximum
ing to the EDS-Files. The ControlNet layout shown in possible bandwidth. Bandwidth re ers to the data
Figure 14-42 has a redundant media option in which two rate supported by a network, commonly expressed
separate cables are installed to guard against ailures such in terms o bits per second. The greater the band-
as cut cables, loose connectors, or noise. width the greater the overall per ormance.
EtherNet/IP • EtherNet/IP allows interoperability o industrial
automation devices and control equipment on the
EtherNet/IP (Ethernet Industrial Protocol) is an open
same network used or business applications and
communications protocol based on the Common Indus-
browsing the Internet.
trial Protocol (CIP) layer used in both DeviceNet and
ControlNet. It allows users to link in ormation seamlessly Modbus
between devices running the EtherNet/IP protocol with-
Modbus is a serial communication protocol originally de-
out custom hardware, as illustrated in Figure 14-43.
veloped by Modicon or use with its PLCs. Basically, it is a
The ollowing are some o the important eatures o
method used or transmitting in ormation over serial lines
EtherNet/IP:
between electronic devices. The device requesting the in-
• Sharing a common application layer between ormation is called the Modbus Master and the devices
ControlNet, DeviceNet, and Ethernet/IP will make supplying in ormation are Modbus Slaves. Modbus is an
plug-and-play interoperability possible among open protocol, meaning that it’s ree or manu acturers to

Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA Chapter 14 311

 Terminator

Generic
sealed device
T-port tap

DC
power DevicePort tap
supply (8-port)

Thick cable
PowerTap
tap
Generic
Generic sealed device
open-style device
Generic
sealed
device Thin cable

DeviceBox
tap Terminator
(4-port)
Thick cable

Open-style T-port tap

tap

Figure 14-41 Layout of a DeviceNet network.

Source: Image Used with Permission of Rockwell Automation, Inc.

other circuits. These devices can communicate not only which may be an indication that it has reached the end o
the on/o status o feld devices but also diagnostic in or- its operating li e and thus requires replacement.
mation about their operating state. For example, you can
detect via the network that a photoelectric sensor is losing ControlNet
margin because o a dirty lens, and you can correct the ControlNet is positioned one level above DeviceNet. It
situation be ore the sensor ails to detect an object. A limit uses the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) to combine
switch can report the number o motions it has per ormed, the unctionality o an I/O network and a peer-to-peer

310 Chapter 14 Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA

 4-wire cable
Conventional system and connector DeviceNet system

Figure 14-39 Conventional and DeviceNet I/O systems.

Source: Photo courtesy Omron Industrial Automation, www.ia.omron.com.

by integrating all I/O devices on a 4-wire trunk network and application-specifc objects. A DeviceNet network
with data and power conductors in the same cable. This can support up to 64 nodes and the network end-to-
direct connectivity reduces costly and time-consuming end distance is variable, based on network speed. Fig-
wiring. ure  14-41 shows an example o a typical layout o the
The basic unction o a DeviceNet I/O bus network trunk wiring or a DeviceNet network. Communications
is to communicate in ormation with, as well as supply data is carried over two wires with a second pair o wires
power to, the feld devices that are connected to the bus. carrying power.
The PLC drives the feld devices directly with the use o The feld devices that are connected to the network
a network scanner instead o I/O modules, as illustrated contain intelligence in the orm o microprocessors or
in Figure 14-40. The scanner module communicates with
DeviceNet devices over the network to:
• Read inputs rom a device. DeviceNet
scanner
• Write outputs to a device.
• Download confguration data.
• Monitor a device’s operational status.
The scanner module communicates with the controller
to exchange in ormation which includes:
• Device I/O data
• Status in ormation DeviceNet
• Confguration data port

DeviceNet also has the unique eature o having

power on the network. This allows devices with limited DeviceNet I/O bus network
power requirements to be powered directly rom the
network, urther reducing connection points and physi-
cal size. Sensor
DeviceNet uses the Common Industrial Protocol,
called CIP, which is strictly object oriented. Each object Power
has attributes (data), services (commands), and behavior Data
(reaction to events). Two di erent types o objects are
defned in the CIP specifcation: communication objects Figure 14-40 DeviceNet network scanner.

Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA Chapter 14 309

 • Serial data can be transmitted e ectively over much

RS-232 module
greater distances than can parallel data.
• Each data word in the serial transmission must be Vision Barcode
denoted with a known start bit sequence ollowed

Processor
system reader
by the data bits that contain the intelligence o the Operator
terminal
data transmission and a stop bit.
• An extra bit, termed a parity bit, may be used to
provide some error-detecting ability.
A duplex communication system is a system composed
o two connected devices that can communicate with one
another in both directions at the same time. A half-duplex
system provides or communication in both directions, Figure 14-38 Serial communication interface.
Source: Courtesy Siemens.
but only one direction at a time (not simultaneously).
Hal -duplex transmission is use or master/slave commu-
connection or a SLC 5/04 controller. The three-pin Phoe-
nications. Full-duplex transmission allows the transmis-
nix connector is used to orm the network transmission
sion o data in both directions simultaneously and can be
media.
used or peer-to-peer communications.
The di erent networking schemes replace traditional Serial Communication
point-to-point hardwiring. Network control o systems Serial data communication is implemented using stan-
minimizes the amount o wiring that needs to be done. dards such as RS-232, RS-422, and RS-485. The RS in
With traditional wiring multiple wires rom each device, the standard’s name means recommended standard that
ed through control cabinets, o ten result in large wire specifes the electrical, mechanical, and unctional char-
bundles running through the system. Due to the sheer acteristics or serial communications. Serial communica-
volume o wires, installation time is considerable and tion inter aces are either built into the processor module
troubleshooting is complex. I a network is used all de- or come as a separate communications inter ace module,
vices can be directly connected to a single transmission as illustrated in Figure 14-38. The simplest type o con-
media cable. nection is the RS-232 serial port. The RS inter aces are
High-speed industrial networking technologies o er a used to connect to devices such as vision systems, barcode
variety o methods or connecting devices. PLC network readers, and operator terminals that must trans er quanti-
confgurations may be either open or proprietary (vendor- ties o data at a reasonably high rate between the remote
unique). Following is an overview o some o the indus- device and the PLC. The RS-232 type o serial transmis-
trial communication technologies that play a critical role sion is designed to communicate between one computer
in today’s control systems. and one controller and is usually limited to lengths up
Data Highway to 50 eet. RS-422 and RS-485 serial transmission types
are designed to communicate between one computer and
The Allen-Bradley Data Highway networks, Data High-
multiple controllers, have a high level o noise immunity,
way Plus (DH+) and DH-485, are proprietary communi-
and are usually limited to lengths o 650 eet ( or RS-485)
cations networks. They use peer-to-peer communication
or 1650 eet ( or RS-422).
implementing token passing. The medium is shielded
twisted pair cable. Figure 14-37 shows the DH+ network DeviceNet
DeviceNet is an open device-level network. It is rela-
SLC 5/04 CPU tively low speed but e fcient at handling the short mes-
RUN FORCE
FLT
BATT
DH1
RS232
sages to and rom I/O modules. As PLCs have become
RUN REM PROG
more power ul, they are being required to control an in-
creasing number o I/O feld devices. There ore, at times
it may not be practical to separately wire each sensor and
Communication actuator directly into I/O modules. Figure 14-39 shows
DH1 ports
network a comparison between conventional and DeviceNet I/O
systems. Conventional systems have racks o inputs and
outputs with each I/O device wired back to the control-
Figure 14-37 Data Highway network connection. ler. The DeviceNet protocol dramatically reduces costs

308 Chapter 14 Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA

 Data highway (DH) network

Figure 14-34 Peer-to-peer network.

in turn, retransmit the message to the designated 1

0
slave device. 1
• Master/slave networks use two pairs o conductors. Receiving 0 Transmitting
side 1 side
One pair o wires is used or the master to transmit 1
data and the slave to receive them. On the other pair, 0
the slaves transmit and the master receives. 1

A peer-to-peer network has a distributive means o Figure 14-35 Parallel data transmission.
control, as opposed to a master/slave network in which
one node controls all communications originating rom simultaneously, as illustrated in Figure  14-35. Parallel
other nodes. The Allen-Bradley Data Highway, shown in transmission o data can be summarized as ollows:
Figure 14-34, is an example o a peer-to-peer network o
programmable controllers and computers linked together • Eight transmission lines are required to transmit the
to orm a data communication system. The operation o 8-bit binary number.
the network can be summarized as ollows: • Each bit requires its own separate data path and all
bits o a word are transmitted at the same time.
• Peer-to-peer networks use the token passing media
• Parallel data transmission is less common but aster
access method.
than serial transmission.
• Each device has the ability to request use o , and
• A common example o parallel data transmission is
then take control o , the network or the purpose o
the connection between a computer and a printer.
transmitting in ormation to or requesting in orma-
tion rom other network devices. In serial transmission one bit o the binary data is
• Each device is identifed by an address. trans erred at a time, as illustrated in Figure 14-36. Serial
• When the network is operating, the token passes transmission o data can be summarized as ollows:
rom one device to the next sequentially. • In serial transmission, bits are sent sequentially on
• The device that is transmitting the token also knows the same channel (wire) which reduces costs or
the address o the next station that will receive the wire but also slows the speed o transmission.
token.
• Each device receives the packet in ormation and
uses it, i needed.
• Any additional in ormation that the node has will be Receiving 1 0101 101 Transmitting
side side
sent in a new packet.
There are two methods o transmitting PLC digital
data: parallel and serial transmission. In parallel data
transmission, all bits o the binary data are transmitted Figure 14-36 Serial data transmission.

Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA Chapter 14 307

 Siemens Omron next node in the sequence, granting it the token. The token
passes sequentially rom node to node, allowing each an
Gateway Gateway
opportunity to transmit without inter erence. Tokens usu-
ally have a time limit to prevent a single node rom tying
up the token or a long period o time.
Bus network Ethernet networks use a collision detection access
control scheme. With this access method, nodes listen
or activity on the network and transmit only i there are
Gateway Gateway
no other messages on the network. On Ethernet networks
there is the possibility that nodes will transmit data at the
Allen-Bradley Gould same time. When this happens a collision is detected.
Data highway Modbus
Each node that had sent out a message will wait a random
amount o time and will resend its data i it does not detect
any network activity.
Figure 14-31 Translating from one network-access The access method most o ten used in master/slave
scheme to another.
protocols is polling. The master/slave network is one in
which a master controller controls all communications
Gateways (Figure  14-31) make communication pos- originating rom other controllers. This confguration is
sible between di erent architectures and protocols. They illustrated in Figure  14-33 and consists o several slave
repackage and convert data going rom one network controllers and one master controller. Its operation can be
to another network so that the one can understand the summarized as ollows:
other’s application data. Gateways can change the ormat
o a message so that it will con orm to the application • The master controller sends data to the slave
program at the receiving end o the trans er. I network- controllers.
access translation is their only unction, the inter aces • When the master needs data rom a slave, it will
are known as bridges. I the inter ace also adjusts data poll (address) the slave and wait or a response.
ormats or per orms data transmission control, then it is • No communication takes place without the master
called a gateway. initiating it.
A bus topology network requires some method o • Direct communication among slave devices is not
controlling a particular device’s access to the bus. An ac- possible.
cess method is the manner in which a PLC accesses the
• In ormation to be trans erred between slaves must
network to transmit in ormation. Network access control
be sent frst to the network master unit, which will,
ensures that data are transmitted in an organized manner
preventing the occurrence o more than one message on
the network at a time. Although many access methods Master controller
exist, the most common are token passing, collision de-
tection, and polling.
In a token passing network, a node can transmit data
on the network only when it has possession o a token. A
token is simply a small packet that is passed rom node to
node as illustrated in Figure 14-32. When a node fnishes
transmitting messages, it sends a special message to the Write Read
command command
3-to-1

1-to-2 2-to-3

Node Node Node

1 2 3 Slave #1 Slave #2

Figure 14-32 Example of token passing. Figure 14-33 Master/slave network.

306 Chapter 14 Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA

 Network interface module

Drop line

Processor

Processor

Processor

Processor
Com

Com

Com

Com
Connectors

Trunk line

Main trunk line Tee tap

Media attachment Termination

Figure 14-30 Bus topology network.

Bus topology, illustrated in Figure 14-30, is a network transmit data relating to the on/o state o the device and
confguration in which all stations are connected in par- its operational status. Device bus networks can be ur-
allel with the communication medium and all stations ther classif ed as bit-wide or byte-wide buses. Device bus
receive in ormation rom every other station on the net- networks that include discrete devices as well as small
work. The operation o a bus topology network can be analog devices are called byte-wide bus networks. These
summarized as ollows: networks can trans er 50 or more bytes o data at a time.
• Uses a single bus trunk cable to which individual Device bus networks that inter ace only with discrete de-
PLC nodes are attached by a cable drop that taps o vices are called bit-wide bus networks. Bit-wide networks
the main cable. trans er less than 8 bits o in ormation to and rom simple
discrete devices.
• Each PLC is inter aced to the bus using a network
Process bus networks are capable o communicat-
inter ace module that is attached using a drop cable
ing several hundred bytes o data per transmission. The
or connector.
majority o devices used in process bus networks are
• Due to the nature o the bus technology, and the analog, whereas most devices used in device bus net-
way the data are transmitted on the network, each works are discrete. Process bus networks connect with
end o the bus must be terminated with a terminat- high-level in ormation devices such as smart process
ing resistor. valves and owmeters, which are typically used in
• As the data move along the total bus, each PLC process control applications. Process buses are slower
node is listening or its own node identifcation because o their large data packet size. Most analog
address and accepts only in ormation sent to that control devices are used in controlling such process
address. variables as ow and temperature, which are typically
• Because o the simple linear layout, bus networks slow to respond.
require less cable than all other topologies. A protocol is a set o rules that two or more devices
• No single station controls the network and stations must ollow i they are to communicate with each other.
can communicate reely to one another. Protocols are to computers what language is to humans.
• Bus networks are very use ul in distributive control This book is in English, and to understand it, you must
systems, because each station or node has equal be able to read English. Similarly, or two devices on a
independent control capability and can exchange network to success ully communicate, they must both un-
in ormation at any given time. derstand the same protocols.
A network protocol defnes how data is arranged and
• Another advantage o the bus network is that you
coded or transmission on a network. In the past, com-
can add or remove stations rom the network with a
munications networks were o ten proprietary systems
minimum amount o system reconfguration.
designed to a specifc vendor’s standards; users were
• This network’s main disadvantage is that all the orced to buy all their control components rom a single
nodes rely on a common bus trunk line, and a break supplier. This is because o the di erent communications
in that common line can a ect many nodes. protocols, command sequences, error-checking schemes,
I/O bus networks can be divided into two categories: and communications media used by each manu acturer.
device bus networks and process bus networks. Device Today, the trend is toward open network systems based
bus networks inter ace with low-level in ormation devices on international standards developed through industry
such as pushbuttons and limit switches that primarily associations.

Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA Chapter 14 305

Radio Modem, communicate through radio waves, which

Processor

Processor
Network

Com

Com
are transmitted through the air.
Switch/Hub
In industrial applications, LANs have most o ten been
used as the communication system or distributed control
systems (DCS). Recall that a DCS system uses individ-
ual controllers to control the subsystems o a machine or

Processor

Processor
process. This approach contrasts with centralized control

Com

Com
in which a single controller governs the entire operation.
A second major use o local area networks is that o su-
pervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA). A LAN
allows data collection and processing or a group o con-
trollers to be accomplished using one host computer as Figure 14-29 Star topology network.
the central point or collecting data.
There are three general levels o unctionality o indus-
Each device connected on a network is known as a
trial networks. Figure 14-28 shows an illustration o the
node or station. As signals travel along a network cable,
three levels, which can be summarized as ollows:
they degrade and become distorted in a process that is
Device Level—The device level involves various sen- called attenuation. I a cable is long enough, the attenua-
sor and actuator devices o machines and processes. tion will fnally make a signal unrecognizable. A repeater
These may include devices such as sensors, switches, is a device that amplifes a signal to its original strength
drives, motors, and valves. in order to enable its signals to travel urther. Di erent
Control Level—The control level would be the net- network types will have di erent specifcations or cable
works industrial controllers are on. This level may in- length and type without a repeater.
clude controllers such as PLCs and robot controllers. Network topology is the physical layout o devices on a
Communications on the control level includes sharing network ormed by the network cables when nodes are at-
I/O and program data between controllers. tached. The star topology illustrated in Figure 14-29 and
In ormation Level—The in ormation level is a plant- its operation can be summarized as ollows:
wide network typically composed o the company’s • A network controller switch or hub is connected to
business networks and computers. This level may in- several PLC network nodes.
clude scheduling, sales, management, and corporate- • Currently, most Ethernet networks use switches
wide in ormation. rather than hubs. A switch per orms the same
basic unction as a hub but e ectively increases
the speed, size, and data handling capacity o the
network.
• The conf guration allows or bidirectional commu-
nication between switch/hub and each PLC.
Information level
• All transmission must be between the switch/hub
and the PLCs because the network controller hub
controls all communication.
• All transmissions must be sent to the switch/hub,
Control level which then sends them to the correct PLC.
• One problem with the star topology is that i the
switch/hub goes down, the entire LAN is down.
• This type o system works best when in ormation is
transmitted primarily between the main controller
Device level
and remote PLCs. However, i most communication
is to occur between PLCs, the operation speed is
a ected.
• Also, the star system can use substantial amounts
o communication conductors to connect all remote
Figure 14-28 Levels of functionality of industrial networks. PLCs to one central location.

304 Chapter 14 Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA

a six-axis robot arm. Each axis o the robot arm is unda-
mentally a closed-loop servo control system. The wrist
is the name usually given to the last three joints on the
robot’s arm. Going out along the arm, these wrist joints
are known as the pitch joint, yaw joint, and roll joint.
There are two types o controller setups that can be used
to control an industrial robot—PLC- and PC-based sys-
tems. Depending on the di fculty o the task the robotic
Local area network (LAN)
system will be per orming, you may need a PLC or just a
robot controller.

14.6 Data Communications

Data communications re ers to the di erent ways that
PLC microprocessor-based systems talk to each other and
to other devices. The two general types o communica-
tions links that can be established between the PLC and
other devices are point-to-point links and network links. Figure 14-26 Local area network (LAN) communication
Figure 14-25 illustrates a point-to-point serial communi- link.
cations link. Serial communications is used with devices
such as printers, operator workstations, motor drives, bar no more than one or two miles. Figure  14-26 illustrates
code readers, computers, or another PLC. Serial com- a LAN communication link. Network communications
munications inter aces are either built into the processor supports communication among multiple PLCs and other
module or come as separate modules. A serial module in- devices. PLC networks allow:
stalled in each controller is normally all that is required • Sharing o in ormation such as the current state
or two PLCs o the same manu acturer to establish a o status bits among PLCs that may determine the
point-to-point link. action o one another.
As control systems become more complex, they re- • Monitoring o in ormation rom a central location.
quire more e ective communications schemes between
• Programs to be uploaded or downloaded rom a
the system components. A local area network or LAN is
central location.
a system that interconnects data communications com-
ponents within a limited geographical area, typically • Several PLCs to operate in unison to accomplish a
common goal.
Transmission media are the cable through which data
Programmable logic controller and control signals ow on a network. The transmission
media used in data communications systems include co-
axial cable, twisted pair, or fber optics (Figure  14-27).
Printer Each cable has di erent electrical capabilities and may
be more or less suitable to a specifc environment or net-
work type. Not all networks transmit in ormation through
Serial cable cable. Wireless Wi-Fi Ethernet networks, such as the DF1

Point-to-point Serial
communications messages

Serial data Coaxial

communications

PLC
Twisted pair
10:31 4801

Wireless system

Operator interface Fiber optic

Figure 14-25 Point-to-point serial communications link. Figure 14-27 Transmission media.

Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA Chapter 14 303

 Motion • In addition it updates the controller with motor and
Communication Conveyor servo drive
Processor Filler servo drive
drive in ormation used to monitor drive and motor
per ormance.
PLC
Servo Drive
• The servo drive receives the signal provided by the
motion module and translates this signal into motor
drive commands.
• These commands can include motor position, veloc-
ity, and/or torque.
Bottle filler • The servo drive provides power to the servo motors
servo motor
in response to the motion commands.
• Motor power is supplied and controlled by the servo
drive.
• The servo drive monitors the motor’s position and
velocity by use o an encoder mounted on the motor
sha t. This eedback in ormation is used within the
servo drive to ensure accurate motor motion.
Servo Motor
• The servo motors represent the axis being controlled.
• The servo motors receive electrical power rom their
servo drive which determines the motor sha t veloc-
ity and position.
Conveyor • The f ller motor must accelerate the fller mecha-
servo motor
nism in the direction the bottles are moving, match
their speed, and track the bottles.
• A ter the bottles have been flled, the f ller motor
Figure 14-23 Bottle-filling motion control process.
has to stop and reverse direction to return the fller
mechanism to the starting position to begin the pro-
axis o motion. Figure 14-23 illustrates a bottle-flling mo- cess again.
tion control process. This application requires two axes o
motion: the motor operating the bottle fller mechanism A robot is simply a series o mechanical links driven
and the motor controlling the conveyor speed. The role o by servo motors. The basic industrial robot widely used
each control component can be summarized as ollows: today is an arm or manipulator that moves to per orm in-
dustrial operations. Figure 14-24 illustrates the motion o
Programmable Logic Controller
• The controller stores and executes the user program
that controls the process. 3 Elbow
2 extension
Shoulder
• This program includes motion instructions that con- swivel 5
trol axis movements.
Yaw 6
• When the controller encounters a motion instruction
Roll
it calculates the motion commands or the axis.
4
• A motion command represents the desired position, Pitch
velocity, or torque o the servo motor at the particu-
lar time the calculations take place.
Arm sweep
Motion Module 1

• The motion module receives motion commands

rom the controller and trans orms them into a com-
patible orm the servo drive can understand. Figure 14-24 Six-axis robot arm.

302 Chapter 14 Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA

parameters (control constants) that will give the control Allen-Bradley SLC 500 instruction set. The PID instruc-
required. Depending on the characteristics o the devia- tion is straight orward: it takes one input and controls one
tion o the process variable rom the set-point, the tun- output. Normally, the PID instruction is placed on a rung
ing parameters interact to alter the controller’s output and without conditional logic. The output remains at its last
produce changes in the value o the process variable. In value when the rung goes alse. A summary o the basic in-
general, three methods o controller tuning are used: ormation that is entered into the instruction is as ollows:
Manual Control Block—File that stores the data required to
operate the instruction.
• The operator estimates the tuning parameters re-
quired to give the desired controller response. Process Variable—The element address that stores
the process input value.
• The proportional, integral, and derivative terms
must be adjusted, or tuned, individually to a particu- Control Variable—The element address that stores
lar system using a trial-and-error method. the output o the PID instruction.
Setup Screen—Instruction on which you can double-
Semiautomatic or Autotune click to bring up a display that prompts you or other
• The controller takes care o calculating and setting parameters you must enter to ully program the PID
PID parameters. instruction.
- Measures sensor output
- Calculates error, sum o error, rate o change o 14.5 Motion Control
error
A motion control system provides precise positioning,
- Calculates desired power with PID equations
velocity, and torque control or a wide range o motion
- Updates control output
applications. PLCs are ideally suited or both linear and
Fully Automatic or Intelligent rotary motion control applications. Pick and Place ma-
chines are used in the consumer products industry or a
• This method is also known in the industry as uzzy
wide variety o product trans er applications. The ma-
logic control.
chine takes a product rom one point to another. One ex-
• The controller uses artif cial intelligence to readjust ample is the trans er o a product to a moving conveyor
PID tuning parameters continually as necessary. belt as illustrated in Figure 14-22.
• Rather than calculating an output with a ormula, A basic PLC motion control system consists o a con-
the uzzy logic controller evaluates rules. The frst troller, a motion module, a servo drive, one or more mo-
step is to “ uzzi y” the error and change-in-error tors with encoders, and the machinery being controlled.
rom continuous variables into linguistic variables, Each motor controlled in the system is re erred to as an
like “negative large” or “positive small.” Simple i -
then rules are evaluated to develop an output. The
resulting output must be de- uzzifed into a continu-
ous variable such as valve position.
The PID programmable controller output instruction
uses closed-loop control to automatically control physi-
cal properties such as temperature, pressure, liquid level,
or ow rate o process loops. Figure 14-21 shows the PID
output instruction and setup screen associated with the

PID
PID
Control block
Process variable
Control variable
Control block length
Setup screen

Figure 14-21 PID output instruction and setup screen. Figure 14-22 Pick and Place machine.

Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA Chapter 14 301

 • PID control allows the output power level to be • The PLC program compares the eedback to the set-
varied. point and generates an error signal.
• As an example, assume that a urnace is set at 50°C. • The error is examined by the PID loop calculation
• The heater power will increase as the temperature in three ways: with proportional, integral, and de-
alls below the 50°C set-point. rivative methodology.
• The lower the temperature the higher the power. • The controller then issues an output to correct or
• PID has the e ect o gently turning the power down any measured error by adjustment o the position o
as the signal gets close to the set-point. the variable ow outlet valve.

The long-term operation o any system, large or small, The response o a PID loop is the rate at which it com-
requires a mass-energy balance between input and out- pensates or error by adjusting the output. The PID loop
put. I a process were operated at equilibrium at all times, is adjusted or tuned by changing the proportional gain,
control would be simple. Because change does occur, the the integral gain, and/or the derivative gain. A PID loop
critical parameter in process control is time, that is, how is normally tested by making an abrupt change to the set-
long it takes or a change in any input to appear in the point and observing the controller’s response rate. Adjust-
output. System time constants can vary rom ractions o ments can then be made as ollows:
a second to many hours. The PID controller has the ability • As the proportional gain is increased, the controller
to tune its control action to specifc process time constants responds aster.
and there ore to deal with process changes over time. PID • I the proportional gain is too high, the controller
control changes the amount o output signal in a math- may become unstable and oscillate.
ematically specifed way that accounts or the amount o
• The integral gain acts as a stabilizer.
error and the rate o signal change.
Either programmable controllers can be ftted with • Integral gain also provides power, even i the error
input/output modules that produce PID control, or they is zero (e.g., even when an oven reaches its set-
will already have su fcient mathematical unctions to point, it still needs power to stay hot).
allow PID control to be carried out. PID is essentially • Without this base power, the controller will droop
an equation that the controller uses to evaluate the con- and hunt or the set-point.
trolled variable. Figure 14-20 illustrates how a program- • The derivative gain acts as an anticipator.
mable logic controller can be used in the control o a PID • Derivative gain is used to slow the controller down
loop. The operation o the PID loop can be summarized when change is too ast.
as ollows:
Basically, PID controller tuning consists o deter-
• The process variable (pressure) is measured and mining the appropriate values or the gain (proportional
eedback is generated. band), rate (derivative), and reset time (integral) tuning

Process variable
Analog Analog
Pressure sensor input output
Process Analog input
and transmitter CPU module module
supply module

PT PLC CPU
PID
Set-point Error Output
S loop
calculation
Vessel
Analog
output module Feedback

Feedback

Process output
Variable
flow valve

Figure 14-20 PLC control of a PID loop.

300 Chapter 14 Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA

the process conditions change signifcantly. The operation Rate action (derivative control) acts on the error signal
can be summarized as ollows: just like reset does, but rate action is a unction o the rate
o change rather than the magnitude o error. Rate action
• When valve B opens liquid ows out and the level
is applied as a change in output or a selectable time inter-
in the tank drops.
val, usually stated in minutes. Rate-induced change in con-
• This causes the oat to lower, opening valve A and troller output is calculated rom the derivative o the error.
allowing more liquid in. Input change, rather than proportional control error change,
• This process continues until the level drops to a point is used to improve response. Rate action quickly positions
at which the oat is low enough to open valve A, thus the output, whereas proportional action alone would even-
allowing the same input ow as output ow. tually position the output. In e ect, rate action puts the
• Due to the steady-state error, the level will stabilize brakes on any o set or error by quickly shi ting the pro-
at a new lower level, not at the desired set-point. portional band. Proportional plus derivative (PD) control
is used in process control systems with errors that change
Proportional control is o ten used in conjunction with
very rapidly. By adding derivative control to proportional
integral control and/or derivative control.
control, we obtain a controller output that responds to the
• The integral action, sometimes termed reset action, error’s rate o change as well as to its magnitude.
responds to the size and time duration o the error PID control is a eedback control method that com-
signal. An error signal exists when there is a di er- bines proportional, integral, and derivative actions. The
ence between the process variable and the set-point, proportional action provides smooth control without
so the integral action will cause the output to change hunting. The integral action automatically corrects o -
and continue to change until the error no longer ex- set. The derivative action responds quickly to large exter-
ists. Integral action eliminates steady-state error. nal disturbances. The PID controller is the most widely
The amount o integral action is measured as min- used type o process controller. When combined into a
utes per repeat or repeats per minute, which is the single control loop the proportional, integral and deriva-
relationship between changes and time. tive modes complement each other to reduce the system
• The derivative action responds to the speed at which error to zero aster than any other controller. Figure 14-19
the error signal is changing—that is, the greater the shows the block diagram o a PID control loop, the opera-
error change, the greater the correcting output. The tion o which can be summarized as ollows:
derivative action is measured in terms o time. • During setup, the set-point, proportional band, reset
Proportional plus integral (PI) control combines the (integral), rate (derivative), and output limits are
characteristics o both types o control. A step change in specif ed.
the set-point causes the controller to respond proportion- • All these can be changed during operation to tune
ally, ollowed by the integral response, which is added to the process.
the proportional response. Because the integral mode de- • The integral term improves accuracy, and the de-
termines the output change as a unction o time, the more rivative reduces overshoot or transient upsets.
integral action ound in the control, the aster the output • The output can be used to control valve positions,
changes. This action can be summarized as ollows: temperature, ow metering equipment, and so on.
• To eliminate the o set error, the controller needs to
change its output until the process variable error is Integral
zero.
• Reset integral control action changes the controller
output by the amount needed to drive the process Set-point + Error Proportional + Process

variable back to the set-point value.

• The new equilibrium point a ter reset action is at Derivative
point “C.”
• Since the proportional controller must always oper-
PID controller
ate on its proportional band, the proportional band
must be shi ted to include the new point “C.”
• A controller with reset integral control does this
automatically. Figure 14-19 PID control loop.

Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA Chapter 14 299

 100% - 200 W
Set-point Offset signal

50% - 100 W

25% - 50 W
Time

200 W Figure 14-17 Proportional control steady-state error.

230 V 12.5% - 25 W

• Within the proportional band the output is turned on

Figure 14-15 Time proportioning of a heater element. and o in the ratio o the measurement di erence
rom the set-point.
Proportioning action can also be accomplished by turn- • At the set-point (the midpoint o the proportional
ing the fnal control element on and o or short intervals. band), the output on:o ratio is 1:1; that is, the on
This time proportioning (also known as pulse width mod- time and o time are equal.
ulation) varies the ratio o on time to o . Figure  14-15 • I the temperature is urther rom the set-point, the
shows an example o time proportioning used to pro- on and o times vary in proportion to the tempera-
duce varying wattage rom a 200 watt heater element as ture di erence.
ollows: • I the temperature is below the set-point, the output
• To produce 100 watts the heater must be on 50% o will be on longer; i the temperature is too high, the
the time. output will be o longer.
• To produce 50 watts the heater must be on 25% o In theory, a proportional controller should be all that is
the time. needed or process control. Any change in system output
• To produce 25 watts the heater must be on 12.5% o is corrected by an appropriate change in controller output.
the time. Un ortunately, the operation o a proportional controller
leads to a steady-state error known as offset, or droop.
Proportioning action occurs within a proportional band This steady-state error is the di erence between the at-
around the set-point. The table o Figure 14-16 is an exam-
tained value o the controller and the required value that
ple o the proportional band or a heating application with a results in an o set signal that is slightly lower than the
set-point o 500°F and a proportional band o 80°F (±40°F). set-point value, as illustrated in Figure 14-17. Depending
Proportioning action can be summarized as ollows:
on the PLC application, this o set may or may not be
• Outside proportional band, the controller unctions acceptable.
as an on/o unit, with the output either ully on The process o Figure  14-18 illustrates what e ect a
(below the band) or ully o (above the band). proportional control steady-state error might have on a
tank-flling operation. It may require an operator to make
4–20 mA
a small adjustment (manual reset) to bring the controlled
Time proportional
proportional variable to the set-point on initial start-up, or whenever
Percent On time Off time Temp. Output Percent
on (seconds) (seconds) (°F) level output
0.0 0.0 20.0 over 540 4 mA 0.0 Valve A Valve A
0.0 0.0 20.0 540.0 4 mA 0.0
Float Float
12.5 2.5 17.5 530.0 6 mA 12.5
25.0 5.0 15.0 520.0 8 mA 25.0 Set-point
37.5 7.5 12.5 510.0 10 mA 37.5 Offset
New level
5 0 0 50.0 10.0 10.0 500.0 12 mA 50.0
62.5 12.5 7.5 490.0 14 mA 62.5
75.0 15.0 5.0 480.0 16 mA 75.0
87.5 17.5 2.5 470.0 18 mA 87.5
Valve B Valve B
100.0 20.0 0.0 460.0 20 mA 100.0
100.0 20.0 0.0 under 460 20 mA 100.0

Figure 14-16 Proportional band for a heating application. Figure 14-18 Proportional control tank-filling operation.

298 Chapter 14 Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA

 the set-point that will not produce an output as long as
the process variable is within the set limits. The inclusion

Process
variable
o deadband eliminates any hunting by the control device
Set-point around the set-point. Hunting occurs when minor adjust-
ments o the controlled position are continually made due
0 to minor uctuations.
Time

14.4 PID Control

Proportional controllers are designed to eliminate the
control element

ON hunting or cycling associated with on/o control. They

Final

allow the fnal control element to take intermediate posi-

tions between on and o . Proportioning action permits
OFF analog control o the fnal control element to vary the
Time
amount o energy to the process, depending on how much
Figure 14-13 On/off control response. the value o the measured variable has shi ted rom the
desired value.
Figure 14-13 illustrates the control response or an on/
A proportional controller allows tighter control o the
o temperature controller. The action o the control re-
process variable because its output can take on any value
sponse can be summarized as ollows:
between ully on and ully o , depending on the magni-
• The output turns on when the temperature alls tude o the error signal. Figure 14-14 shows an example
below the set-point and turns o when the tempera- o a motor-driven analog proportional control valve used
ture reaches the set-point. as a fnal control element. The action o the control valve
• Control is simple, but overshoot and cycling about the actuator can be summarized as ollows:
set-point can be disadvantageous in some processes. • The actuator receives an input current between
• The measured variable will oscillate around the set- 4 mA and 20 mA rom the controller.
point at an amplitude and requency that depend on • In response, it provides linear control o the valve.
the capacity and time response o the process.
• A value o 4 mA corresponds to a minimum value
• Oscillations may be reduced in amplitude by in- opening (o ten 0) and 20 mA corresponds to a max-
creasing the sensitivity o the controller. This in- imum value opening ( ull scale).
crease will cause the controller to turn on and o
• The 4 mA lower limit allows the system to detect
more o ten, a possibly undesirable result.
opens. I the circuit is open, 0 mA would result, and
• On/o control is used when a more precise control the system can issue an alarm.
is unnecessary.
• Because the signal is a current, it is una ected by
A deadband is usually established around the set-point. reasonable variations in connecting wire resistance
The deadband o the controller is usually a selectable and is less susceptible to noise pickup rom other
value that determines the error range above and below signals than is a voltage signal.

Valve Actuator current Valve response

actuator (mA) (% open)

4 . . .. . . .. . . .0
6 . . .. . . .. . . . 12.5
8 . . .. . . .. . . . 25
10 . . .. . . .. . . . 37.5
Actuator stem 12 . . .. . . .. . . . 50
14 . . .. . . .. . . . 62.5
16 . . .. . . .. . . . 75
18 . . .. . . .. . . . 87.5
20 . . .. . . .. . . . 100

Figure 14-14 Motor-driven analog proportional control valve.

Source: Courtesy GEA Tuchenhagen.

Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA Chapter 14 297

 that represents the weight o the container and
Detergent contents.
• The sensor signal is subtracted rom the voltage sig-
nal or digital code that has been input to represent
Solenoid the desired weight.
gate
• As long as the di erence between the input signal
and eedback signal is greater than 0, the controller
Box keeps the solenoid gate open.
• When the di erence becomes 0, the controller out-
Scale
puts a signal that closes the gate.
Figure 14-10 Container-filling process. Virtually all eedback controllers determine their output
by observing the error between the set-point and a mea-
Output Actuator—The component that directly a - surement o the process variable. Errors can occur when
ects a process change. Examples are motors, heaters, an operator changes the set-point or when a disturbance
ans, and solenoids. or a load on the process changes the process variable. The
controller’s role is to eliminate the error automatically.
The process shown in Figure 14-10 is an example o a
closed-loop continuous control process used to automati-
cally fll box containers to a specifed weight o detergent.
14.3 On/Off Control
An empty box is moved into position and flling begins. With on/off controllers the fnal control element is either
The weight o the box and contents is monitored. When the on or o —one or the occasion when the value o the
actual weight equals the desired weight, flling is halted. measured variable is above the set-point and the other or
Operation and block diagrams or the container-flling the occasion when the value is below the set-point. The
process are shown in Figure 14-11. The operation o the controller will never keep the fnal control element in an
process can be summarized as ollows: intermediate position. Controlling activity is achieved by
the period o on-o cycling action.
• A sensor attached to the scale weighing the con-
Figure  14-12 shows a system using on/o control in
tainer generates the voltage signal or digital code
which a liquid is heated by steam. The operation o the
process can be summarized as ollows:
Operation
Error
• I the liquid temperature goes below the set-point,
amplifier the steam valve opens and the steam is turned on.
Input + Filling Filled
desired Controller • When the liquid temperature goes above the set-point,
process container
weight
–
the steam valve closes and the steam is shut o .
• The on/o cycle will continue as long as the system
is operating.
Weight
Feedback sensor Set-point
temperature
On/off
controller 1 3 6
Block Diagram
Thumbwheel
Container filling switch

Process

Final control Measurement

Solenoid Scale
element Set-point (sensor)
Steam Temperature
Valve sensor
Controller

Figure 14-11 Operation and block diagrams for the

container-filling process. Figure 14-12 On/off controlled liquid heating system.

296 Chapter 14 Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA

monitor, diagnose, and manage the application. Depend- Disturbance
ing on the requirements and complexity o the process, Error
amplifier
the operator may be required to:
+ Output
Set-point Controller Process
• Stop and start the process. – Error actuator
signal
• Operate the controls and make the adjustments
required or the process and monitor its progress. Input
Process variable signal sensors Feedback
• Detect abnormal situations and undertake corrective
path
action.
Figure 14-9 Closed-loop control system.
Graphic HMI terminals o er electronic inter acing in
a wide variety o sizes and confgurations. They replace
traditional wired panels with a touch screen with graphi-
cal representations o switches and indicators. Types o • Edit and create graphical objects on the screens
graphical display screens include the ollowing: • Animate the objects
Operational Summary—used to monitor the Most control systems are closed loop in that they uti-
process. lize eedback in which the output o a process a ects the
Confguration/Setup—textual in nature used to detail input control signal. A closed-loop system measures the
process parameters. actual output o the process and compares it to the desired
Alarm Summary —provides a list o time-stamped output. Adjustments are made continuously by the control
active alarms. system until the di erence between the desired and actual
Event History—presents a time-stamped list o all output alls within a predetermined tolerance.
signifcant events that have occurred in the process. Figure  14-9 illustrates an example o a closed-loop
control system. The actual output is sensed and ed back
Trend Values—displays in ormation on process vari-
to be subtracted rom the set-point input that indicates
ables, such as ow, temperature, and production rate,
what output is desired. I a di erence occurs, a signal to
over a period o time.
the controller causes it to take action to change the actual
Manual Control—generally available only to main- output until the di erence is 0. The operation o the com-
tenance personnel and meant to bypass parts o the ponent parts are as ollows:
automatic control system.
Diagnostics—used by maintenance personnel to diag- Set-point—The input that determines the desired op-
nose equipment ailures. erating point or the process.
Process Variable—Re ers to the eedback signal that
Graphic terminals come ully packaged with hardware, contains in ormation about the current process status.
so tware, and communications. Figure  14-8 shows the
Error Amplifer—Determines whether the process
Allen-Bradley amily o PanelView graphic terminals. The
operation matches the set-point. The magnitude and
setup varies with the vendor. In general, the tasks required
polarity o the error signal will determine how the
to develop an HMI application include:
process will be brought back under control.
• Establish a communication link with the PLCs Controller—Produces the appropriate corrective out-
• Create the tag addresses database put signal based on the error signal input.

Figure 14-8 PanelView graphic terminals.

Source: Image Used with Permission of Rockwell Automation, Inc.

Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA Chapter 14 295

 Human machine
interface (HMI)

Host
computer

Communications network

PLC PL C PLC

Machine Machine Machine

Figure 14-6 Distributive control system (DCS).

14.2 Structure of Control Systems • Process actuators that include ow control valves,
pumps, positioning drives, variable speed drives,
Process control normally applies to the manu acturing or clutches, brakes, solenoids, stepping motors, and
processing o products in industry. In the case o a pro- power relays
grammable controller, the process or machine is operated
and supervised under the control o the user program. The Controller
major components o a process control system include the • Makes the system’s decisions based on the input
ollowing: signals
Sensors • Generates output signals that operate actuators to
carry out the decisions
• Provide inputs rom the process and rom the exter-
nal environment Human machine interface (HMI) equipment provides
• Convert physical in ormation such as pressure, tem- a control and visualization inter ace between a human and
perature, ow rate, and position into electrical signals a process (Figure 14-7). HMIs allow operators to control,
Human Machine Inter ace (HMI)
• Allows human inputs through various types o
programmed switches, controls, and keypads to set
up the starting conditions or alter the control o a
process
Signal Conditioning
• Involves converting input and output signals to a us-
able orm
• May include signal-conditioning techniques such
as amplif cation, attenuation, f ltering, scaling, A/D
and D/A converters
Actuators
• Convert system output electrical signals into physi-
cal action Figure 14-7 Human machine interface (HMI).

294 Chapter 14 Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA

 Cutter
Sensor

Stock

Opto PLC
module Leadscrew

Motor

Operator interface

Figure 14-4 Individual control.

Figure 14-5 Centralized control.

Source: Courtesy Siemens.

Centralized control is used when several machines main eatures o a distributive control system can be sum-
or processes are controlled by one central controller. marized as ollows:
The control layout uses a single, large control system
• Distributive control permits the distribution o the
to control many diverse manu acturing processes and
processing tasks among several controllers.
operations, as illustrated in Figure  14-5. The main
eatures o centralized control can be summarized as • Each PLC controls its associated machine or
ollows: process.
• High-speed communication among the comput-
• Each individual step in the manu acturing process is ers is done through CAT-5 or CAT-6 twisted pair
handled by a central control system controller. wires, single coaxial cables, fber optics, or the
• No exchange o controller status or data is sent to Ethernet.
other controllers. • Distributive control drastically reduces feld wir-
• I the main controller ails, the whole process stops. ing and heightens per ormance because it places
A distributive control system (DCS) is a network-based the controller and I/O close to the machine process
system. Distributive control involves two or more PLCs being controlled.
communicating with each other to accomplish the com- • Depending on the process, one PLC ailure would
plete control task, as illustrated in Figure 14-6. Each PLC not necessarily halt the complete process.
controls di erent processes locally and the PLCs are con- • DCS is supervised by a host computer that may
stantly exchanging in ormation through the communica- per orm monitoring/supervising unctions such as
tions link and reporting on the status o the process. The report generation and storage o data.

Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA Chapter 14 293

14.1 Types of Processes Material input 1
Flow
meter
Process control is the automated control o a process. Material input 2
Such systems typically deal with analog signals rom sen- Material input 3
sors. The ability o a PLC to per orm math unctions and Mixer
motor
utilize analog signals makes it ideally suited or this type
o control. Manu acturing is based on a series o processes
being applied to raw materials. Typical applications o Heat batch
Heater
process control systems include automobile assembly,
petrochemical production, oil refning, power generation,
and ood processing. Mix batch
A continuous process is one in which raw materials
enter one end o the system and the fnished product comes
out the other end o the system; the process itsel runs con-
tinuously. Figure  14-1 shows a continuous process used
in an automotive engine assembly line. Parts are mounted
sequentially, in an assembly-line ashion, through a series Store batch
o stations. Assembly and adjustments are carried out by
both automated machine and manual operations.
In batch processing, there is no ow o product mate- Figure 14-2 Batch process.
rial rom one section o the process to another. Instead, a
set amount o each o the inputs to the process is received
in a batch, and then some operation is per ormed on the
batch to produce a product. Products produced using the
batch process include ood, beverages, pharmaceutical
products, paint, and ertilizer. Figure 14-2 shows an ex-
ample o a batch process. Three ingredients are mixed
together, heated, and then stored. Recipes are the key to
producing batches as each batch may have di erent char-
acteristics by design.
Discrete manufacturing is characterized by individual
or separate unit production. With this manu acturing pro-
cess, a series o operations produces a use ul output prod-
uct. Discrete manu acturing systems typically deal with
digital inputs to PLCs that cause motors and robotic de-
vices to be activated. The work piece is normally a discrete
part that must be handled on an individual basis. Making Figure 14-3 Discrete manufacturing.
Source: Courtesy Automation IG.

Completed
engines Adjustments, checks
car interiors, as illustrated in Figure 14-3, is one example
o discrete manu acturing.
Possible control confgurations include individual,
centralized, and distributed. Individual control is used to
control a single machine. This type o control does not
Automated normally require communication with other controllers.
machine Figure  14-4 shows an individual control application or
assembly Hand assembly
a cut to length operation. The operator enters the eed
length and batch count via the inter ace control panel and
Engine then presses the start button to initiate the process. Stock
block
lengths vary so the operator needs to select the length and
Figure 14-1 Continuous process. the number o pieces to be cut.

292 Chapter 14 Process Control, Network Systems, and SCADA

 14
Process Control, Network
Systems, and SCADA

Image Used with Permission of Rockwell Automation, Inc.

Chapter Objectives
After completing this chapter, you will be able to: This chapter introduces the kinds of industrial
14.1 Discuss the operation o continuous process, batch processes that can be PLC controlled. SCADA
production, and discrete manu acturing processes is such a process. Different types of control sys-
14.2 Compare individual, centralized, and distributive tems are used for complex processes. These
control systems control systems may be PLCs, but other control-
14.3 Explain the unctions o the major components o a lers include robots, data terminals, and comput-
process control system ers. For these controllers to work together, they
14.4 Describe the various unctions o electronic HMI must communicate. This chapter will discuss the
screens different kinds of industrial processes and the
14.5 Recognize and explain the unctions o the control means by which they communicate.
elements o a closed-loop control system
14.6 Explain how on/o control works
14.7 Explain how PID control works

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