fu. PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER % Necessity is the mother of invention. Programming logic controller (PLC) invention is yet another example that supports this truth. A Programmable Logic Controller or PLC for short, is simply a special computer device used for industrial control systems. The etymology of this innovation of electronics research is very simple and interesting. %* In late 1960's, General Motors were in a find of an alternative mechanism for analog relays in control circuitry. Engineers developed a standard machine controller that is capable of performing the task of analogy relays. In simple terms, it can be termed as a significant evolution in the industria! automation revolution. Basic functionality * = It performs logic functions of relays, timers, counters and sequencers.ions of a PLC 44. Fun A PLC is a microprocessor- based controller with ———————___—— muliple inputs and outputs: ae It uses a programmable t ‘memory to store instructions | "pus area ska and carry out functions t» | ———*] Presrammnt i ie control machines and | ——*|_contor Processes. It has the advantages such as low cost, Fig. 4.22: Typical PLC reliabitity and re-progranmabiiy. 4 The components that make a PLC work can be divided into tree core areas, Yk The power supply and rack. ‘Ye The central processing unit. $e Inputs and Oupats %& PLCs are available in many shapes and sizes. They vary from a Sal sie (ex: posket sie) to Hote large PLCS, which ean ot ‘uch larger systems. Smaller PLCs are typically designed VO points,4.15. BASIC STRUCTURE Exterat_ Environment a | I Fig, 4.24: PLC Architecture3 The architecture is open, so that it can be easily connected to other devices and programs. Fig. 4.24 represents the basic internal architecture of a PLC, This consists of a central processing unitsmemory and inpuVoutput circuitry. The CPU operates upto 8 MHZ. This decides the operating speed of the PLLC. Digital signals carry the information within a PLC, Buses are used to carry these signals. Bus sefers to a group of conductors or wires which carries electrical signals. * PLC architecture's detailed representation is shown in the Fig. 4.25. This structure is explained in the subsequent sections.Buiter} Chats (Ort) [Dave lcouptee} otertoce ett Input Channels. [omnes . Output Channots Fg. 4.25: Detailed Internal Diagram of PLE ‘CPU is the unit of the microprocessor. This interprets the input signals And performs the contol actions, in accordance with the program Stored in the memory. ‘The power supply unit is needed to convert ns a.c. voltage 10 the low dic. voltage of 5 Volts. Bus sm facilitates the transfer of data, address and control Mormation. Dedicated mnemory section (RAM and ROM) helps inthe data manipulation and storage. Programming is carried out to key in the program into the memory of the processor. In device, the program will be developed and then will be transferred to memory. The input and output sections help the processor to receive information from external devices and vice versa. ‘The communication interface is used to receive and transmit data on communication networks from or to other remote PLCs. he CPU %& Central Processing Unit in general consists of arithmetic and logic unit (ALU), memory and control unit. ALU is used for arithmetic and logical operations execution. Memory comprises of set of registers those store the data. A control unit is useful in controlling the time of operations 4.15.2, The Memory +k The functiortality of any memory is to store the data, There are several methods of storing data in computing systems. ROM.and RAM are two prominent hardware units those can be taken as examples of memory. In PLC, there are three basic memory elements, namely, system ROM, RAM for user and RAM for data.2 System ROM stores operating system related data and also the oe data used by the central processing system. EPROM is 8 category of ROM, where it ean be programmed and erasable. RAM for user stores the program. RAM for data is also known as register table. Data in the RAM can be altered. A portion of this RAM is Used to, store the values of counters and timers, another partis used for input and output addresses. In PLC, an exclusive battery is used to maintain the contents of this RAM. Buffer also stores the data temporarily. - Buses. “Buses are used for the transfer of the data. These are the which PLC communicates. The data transferred is binary ‘The binary digit ean be zero or one (0 or 1). Such 8 bits as a byte. A typical PLC has four buses means by in nature. are known ‘They are data bus, addressbus, control bus and system bus. Data bus transfers the CPU data, For example, an 8 bit microprocessor handles eight bits of data using its data bus. Each memory location possesses unique address. Address bus carries the address of the memory locations. For.example, an 8 bit adgiress bus can locate 256 (28) memory locations. The control -bus carries timing and control signals of the, CPU.:The.control: bus-is significant in ensuring the synchronization among the elements of this computing system. System bus is used io wansfer the data between the 1/0’ Pons and VO units.Inpavoutput section Ok This section acts as an interface between the system and surroundings, ‘This section interface the actuators and sensors to the CPU and siemory as shown in the Fig. 4.26. Typically, a PLC system has the basic functional components of processor unit, memory, power supply ‘nit, inpavouipot interface section, communication interface and the Programming device = [Meron] aE \4 Le sc Fig. 426: UP and Units in a PLC System PC for Programing Pus Optical teotation % This section also enables sensors ireely without needing extea ciscui plo-isolators as shown in the ‘nd actuators. 10 be connected iuy. This isolation is offered by ig. 4.26. In a typical optical isolator,the gap between the LED and photo transi3tor provides necessary electrical isolation. This is because, when a digital signal is received by a LED, infrared radiation will be produced. This signal is detected by the photo transistor. % The inputs are normally from switches or sensors, such as | photo-clectric cells or temperature sensors or flow sensors. The outputs drive motor starter coils, solenoid valves and many others. iPower Flow Left Power ———— Right Power Rail Rail Rung 4 Rung 2 Rung 3 Rung 4 END} End Rung Fig. 4.35: Scanning of Ladder Diagram or Ladder ProgramNormally open contact ---| fe- \ Normally closed contact ---| / f-- —+ / Lt mele ‘ON than the ool sista is ON ---( VE ce —{ }—- Fig. 4.36: Fundamental Symbols of Ladder ProgrammingInput tO Input Output Output oS Fig. 4.37: The Rung of a Ladderano Gre Table 4.1: AND gale truth table ame Input A. Input B ‘Output, 3 7 a ‘The ladder logie equivalent for an AND function looks like wo nonin contacts side by si ae bee] ANDOR Gate 1% OR logie is like addition ‘The truth table below shows that the output is tumed ON when any of the inputs are trv ‘Table 4.2: OR gate truth table Input A] Input B [Output 0 0 0 7 o v o T 7 T T T The ladder logic equivalent for an OR function looks like {0 normal contacts on top of each other ok Thus for the OR gate we have a scenario where two switches fre connected in parallel and are energized by input voliage as shown in the Fig. 448.Nor Gate ‘Table 4.3: NOT gate truth table Input A ‘Output 0 1 1 ° The ladder Togie-e contact but with a slash through it function looks like a norma Ladder logie of NOTLatching The term latch is used for the circuit to carry out Tatching gperation Te inaintains its state until next_input is réccived. is shown in Fig, 4.56. When the input A contacts close, there is~an_ 1_output._Howeve However, when there is an output, auother sstel onieae eae the output close: an OR logic gate system with the input contacts. _ Tht jl] maintain the ‘output. i To Telease the output is by operating the Se Input A Input B Output ES Fig. 4.56: Ladder Diagram of Latch These contacts form ally closed contact B. sae ei ecLet us consider a motor ~CoMrolled by stop and start sao een M50 push button switches. Here one signal light must be illuminated HA = when the power is applied to the Output motor and another when itis not Contacts applied. Fig. 4.57 shows the ed adder diagram with Mitsubishi nos Lane fo Powe Output Contacts net Applied X401 is closed when the ¥430 Yast Eran Is started. When X400 issmomrentarily closed, ¥430 is XK energized and its contacts Lamp for Power| Sose—Ths results im Tatching Ouiput Contacts — altd-also-the-switching-OFF of 6 and the switching ON of a = Y432—-To switch the motor OFF, X401 is pressed and opens. Y430 contacts open in the top rung and third rung, but close in the second sung. Thus Y431 comes on and Y432 OFF. Fig. 4.57: Laddor Diagram of the Application of Latching423. TIMERS, COUNTERS AND INTERNAL RELAYS % Timers, Counters and Intemal relayMa, je the integral components of a typical control system. Many controlling operations require time bounded task management. For ex: A water pumping motor in the field should be controlled in time otherwise the water gets wasted. Therefore, PLC should be incorporated with timers. These timers should be the functions of systems CPU clock signal. This section deals with the way these timers are programmed in PLCs. * Various manufactures of PLCs have distinct features of timers. Some of them treat timers as delay blocks. A most generic method is to Consider these timers to behave like relays with the coils. TheFig. 4.65 (Lop) shows the timer is an output control, which is being used with a pair of contacts, Fig. 65 (bottom) represents the timer withthe delay block. Another classification of timers is on-delay timers and off-delay timers Onedelay timers clicks after 3 particular time delay as shown in the Fig, 4.66 Off-delay timers. aceurs for a fixed period of time before tumoff as shown in the Fig. 4.67. Next category is the pulse timer, it switches ON or OFF for a fixed period of time as shown in the Fig. 4.68. Hl bs Loe, Timer outpu ——L Fig. 4.66: On-Delay Timer Ik Preset is the time for whieh the timer is SET. This is done in moliples of the time base, These tine bases are 100 milliseconds, 10 seconds and 100 milliseconds. Suppose a in 10 milliseconds. a oe, Fig. 467: OFf-Delay Thmor timer is set with the preset value of 9 with a time base of 100 milliseconds, it i8 a time of 900 miliseconds. = Fig, 4.68: Pulse TneProgramming timers 2 A ‘Tat the reset input resets the timer, whether it is running or not. Techniques for the entry of preset time values vary. Often it requires the entry of @ constant K command followed by the time interval in multiples of the time base used. Suppose K is 5. The instruction list of a typical timer is as follows: LD x400 Input int Timer oo x400 TASKS - C) LD T4s0 Timer Output OUT 430 Wr 7s .69 represents timer NZ cirenit ladder diagram. Fig. 4.69: Timer Circuit (Mitsubishi) On-off cycle = ~ ——Counters € A 2 PLCs have built in counters, These counters are used to count the number of occurrences. These are used in various applications of day to day life such as number of passengers passing through a security gate. 2 A counter is set to some preset number value and, when this value of input pulses has been received, it will operate its contacts. ‘There are two types of counters, namely, down counters and up counters. Down counters countdown from the preset value to zero. When the counter reaches the zero value, its contacts change state, Most PLCs offer down counting, Up counters count from zero up to the preset value. When the counter Feaches the set value, its contacts change the state. The choice of the counters is divergent for different manufacturers of PLC.* Counters are also considered Int Counter to consist of two basic elements: one relay coil to ) count input pulses and one to reset the counter. The In2 eee associated contacts of the a counter are being used in other rungs. Fig.4.78 shows F es Counter ou the different activation states | of the counter and Fig. 4.79 is ladder diagram of a typical | counter. Fig. 4.79: Basic Counter vunter application Ladder DiagramRelays These are one of the elements giving special built-in functions with PLCs and are very widely used in programming. A small PLC might have a hundred or more internal relays, some of them being battery backed. This helps in situations of ensuring safety in. shut down of a plant in the case of power failure. Electromagnetic latching relays are designed to hold the relay closed after power has been removed from the coil. Latching relays are used where it is necessary for contacts to stay open and/or closed. A latching relay uses two coils. The latch coil is momentarily energized to set the latch and hold the relay in the latched position. The unlatch or release coil is also momentarily. i ave like relay’: In PLCs there are elements such as bits those behave like 7 ‘ off These are called internal relays as they can be switched on oFand switch othet devices ON or OFF, Such internal relays do not exist ike switching devices. They are just bits in the slorage memory those act like relays. For programming, they can bbe treated in the same way as an external relay output and input. So inputs to ‘extemal switches can be used to give an output from an internal relay. ‘This then results in the internal relay contacts being used, in conjunction with other external input switches to give an output. Internal Relay Coll Energising the Coil Activates the Contacts Ie Internat Relay Contacts Fig. 4.82: Internal Relay ‘A program of internal relay can be divided into two segments. In one rung, inputs to external inputs activate the intemal relay ouput, In another ung, internal relay contacts are activated and there by controls the output. To distinguish internal relay outputs from external relay outputs, they are given different types of addresses. Different manufacturers tend to use different terms for intemal relays Mitsubishi uses the term auxiliary relay or marker and the notation M100, MIOI, etc