Introduction to IEC1131-3 Ladder Diagram

Origins of Ladder Diagram

The Ladder Diagram (LD) programming language originated from the graphical representation used to design an electrical control system

Control decisions were made using relays

After a while Relays were replaced by logic circuits

Logic gates used to make control decisions

Finally CPUs were added to take over the function of the logic circuits

I/O Devices wired to buffer transistors Control decisions accomplished through programming

CPU

Relay Logic representation (or LD) was developed to make program creation and maintenance easier

Computer based graphical representation of wiring diagrams that was easy to understand Reduced training and support cost

What is a Rung?

A rung of ladder diagram code can contain both input and output instructions
Input

instructions perform a comparison or test and set the rung state based on the outcome
Normally left justified on the rung

Output

instructions examine the rung state and execute some operation or function
In some cases output instructions can set the rung state Normally right justified on the rung
Input Instruction Output Instruction

Series Vs Parallel Operations

Ladder Diagram input instructions perform logical AND and OR operations in and easy to understand format If all Input Instructions in series must all be true for outputs to execute (AND) If any input instruction in parallel is true, the outputs will execute (OR) Paralleling outputs allows multiple operations to occur based on the same input criteria A C D E

AND Branches

OR

IF ((A OR B) AND (NOT C) AND D) THEN E=1; F=1 END_IF

Ladder Logic Execution

Ladder Rung A Left Power Rail B F I G D

Right Power Rail

Branch

S
K

Non Retentive Coils

referenced bit is reset when processor power is cycled

-( )-

Sets a bit when the rung is true(1) and resets the bit when the rung is false (0) PLC5 calls this an OTE Output Enable
Negative

coil -( / )-

Sets a bit when the rung is false(0) and resets the bit when the rung is True(1) Not commonly supported because of potential for confusion
Set

(Latch) coil -(S)(Unlatch) Coil -(R)-

Sets a bit (1) when the rung is true and does nothing when the rung is false Resets a bit (0) when the rung is true and does nothing when the rung is false

Reset

Contacts

Normally Open Contact -| | Enables

the rung to the right of the instruction if the rung to the left is enabled and underlining bit is set (1) the rung to the right of the instruction if the rung to the left is enabled and underlining bit is reset (0)

Normally Closed Contact -|/| Enables

Positive transition contact -|P| Enables

the right side of the rung for one scan when the rung on left side of the instruction is true Allen Bradley PLC5 uses -[ONS]-

Retentive Vs Non-retentive Operation

Definitions
Retentive

values or instructions maintain their last state during a power cycle Non-retentive values or instructions are reset to some default state (usually 0) after a power cycle

IEC1131 permits values to be defined as retentive

contradiction to this is ladder diagram where 3 instructions are classified as retentive In most PLCs only timer and coil instructions operate as non-retentive

Retentive Coils

The referenced bit is unchanged when processor power is cycled

coil -(M)-

Sets a bit when the rung is true(1) and resets the bit when the rung is false (0)

Set

Retentive (Latch) coil -(SM)-

Sets a bit (1) when the rung is true and does nothing when the rung is false PLC5 uses OTL Output Latch
Reset

Retentive (Unlatch) Coil -(RM)-

Resets a bit (0) when the rung is true and does nothing when the rung is false PLC5 uses OUT Output Unlatch

Transition Sensing Coils

Positive transition-sensing coil -(P) Sets

the bit bit (1) when rung to the left of the instruction transitions from off(0) to on(1) The bit is left in this state PLC5 use OSR (One Shot Rising)

Negative transition-sensing coil -(N) Resets

the bit (0) when rung to the left of the instruction transitions from on(1) to off(0) The bit is left in this state PLC5 uses OSF (One Shot Falling)

IEC Comparison Instructions in Ladder

If the rung input (EN) is enabled, the instruction performs the operation and sets the rung output (ENO) based on the comparison
Example:

when EN is true, EQ (=) function compares In1 and to In2 and sets ENO GT (>), GE (>=), LT (<), LE (<=), NE (<>)
EQ EN Tank1_Level IN1 100.000 Tank_max IN2 78.251 ENO

Comprehensive instruction set

Timers in Ladder Diagram

There three timer instructions in IEC1131

TP - Pulse timer TON - Timer On Delay TOF - Timer Off Delay Time base is 1msec (1/1000 of a sec) Values entered using duration literal format
T#200ms

Pump_Tmr TON IN Q

Time values

PT

ET

178

Two possible visualizations Depending on use of EN/ENO

Pump_Tmr
TON IN ENO Q T#200ms Pump_Tmr_DN

1st method requires extra programming if timer done status needs to be referenced on other rungs 2nd method sets a bit with Q which can be referenced by other logic, ENO=EN

PT

ET

178

Timer Operation
Pulse (TP) Timing IN Q

IN = Rung input condition Q = Comparison output results

ET

PT | 0

On-Delay (TON) Timing IN Q ET

Varies with timer types

PT = Preset Time ET = Elapse Time

Off-Delay (TOF) Timing

Counters in Ladder Diagram

There three counter instructions in IEC1131

CTU IN R 200 PV ENO Q CV Load_Cnt_DN

CTU - Count Up Counter CTD - Count Down Counter CTUD - Count Up/Down Counter

178

All three count rung transitions Two possible visualizations Depending on use of EN/ENO

Load_Cnt CTU IN R 200 PV CV 178 Q

1st method requires extra programming if timer done status needs to be referenced on other rungs 2nd method sets a bit with Q which can be referenced by other logic, ENO=EN

Counter Operation
IN Q
PV | CV 0

Count Up (CTU) Counter

...

...

Parameters

CU/CD = Count up/Down Q/QU/QD = Comparison Output R = Reset to Zero LD = Load CV with PV PV = Preset Value CV = Count Value

Count Down (CTD) Counter IN Q

...

...

LD

Count Up/Down (CTUD) Counter

CU QU CD
QD
PV

... ...

| CV 0

R LD

Execution Control Elements

Jump / Label Instructions

CALL / RETURN Instructions

Jump to a label skips a block of code without it being scanned LBL - Named target for a jump operation JMP - Performs a jump when the rung conditions are true

Used to encapsulate logic and call it as a subroutine Causes execution to change between functions or subroutines CAL - Passes control to another named function

PLC5 uses JSR

RET - Exits a function and returns control back to the calling routine

| Skip_Calc | |-| |-------------(JMP)--| | ... | | Skip_Calc | |---[LBL]---...

CAL CAL RET RET

Different Instruction Presentations

The look and feel of IEC 1131-3 is somewhat different from the 1Million+ PLCs that Allen Bradley has running in factories throughout the world
ADD Source A Tank1_In TON Timer Pump_Tmr (EN)

Source B
Destination

100.000 Offsetr
78.251 Tank_Level 178.251

Preset
Accum

200.000
178.251

(DN)

Pump_Tmr TON

EN Tank1_In 100.000

ENO Tank_Level 178.251

IN

ENO

Q PT ET

Pump_Tmr_DN

Offsetr 78.251

178

IEC places the input parameters on the outside of the instruction block vs the PLC5 where they are presented inside of the block

Extending the IEC1131-3 Instruction Set

IEC1131-3 Provides a very basic set of instructions to do simple operations (81 Ladder Diagram Instructions)

Data Type Conversion - Trunc, Int_to_Sint, Dint_to_Real, Bcd_To_Int Boolean Operations - Bit Test, Bit Set, One Shot, Semaphores Timers / Counters - Ton, Tp, Ctu, Ctd, Ctud Simple Math - Add, Sub, Mul, Div, Mod, Move, Expt Misc. Math - Abs, Sqrt, Ln, Log, Exp, Sin, Cos, Tan, Asin, Acos, Atan Bit Shift - Shl, Shr, Ror, Rol Logic - And, Or, Xor, Not Selection - Sel, Max, Min, Limit, Mux Compare - GT, GE, EQ, LE, LT, NE String - Len, Left, Right, Mid, Concat, Insert, Delete, Replace, Find Control - JMP, LBL, JSR, RET File Operations, PID, Diagnostic, For/Nxt Loop, Search, Sort are not in IEC1131-3 Extensions to the instruction set are permitted so that vendors can add instructions that their customers need All vendors have defined their own set of extensions Rockwell Automation controllers have significantly more capability with over 130 Ladder Instructions

All complex operations are left to the user or vendor to define

Extensions to IEC provide code optimization and ease of use

Rockwell Automation FIFO Load Instruction

=
11 Rungs of Logic 17 Instructions Hours to code and debug 1 Rung of Logic 1 Instruction Minutes to code and debug

Instruction Extension to IEC1131-3

FIFO & LIFO - FFL, FFU, LFL, LFU File math and search - FAL, FSC Table operations - SRT, STD, AVE Sequencers - SQI, SQL, SQO, SDS Diagnostics - DDT, DFA, FBC Compare - CMP, MEQ Compute - CPT, NEG Data moves - MVM, COP, BTD Program Control - AFI, NOP, MCR, TND Interrupt Services - UID, UIE Retentive Timer - RTO Ladder Loop Instruction - FOR, NXT Process - PID Motion - 30+ instructions to perform closed loop servo control