Lecture 8:Counter

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 Contents
Introduction
IEC Symbols for Counters
Different Counter Representations
Basic Counter Program
Coil Formatted
Block Formatted
Siemen’s Counters: Count Up (CU), Count Down (CD), Count Up and Down (CTUD)

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 Introduction (i)
 Counters are provided as built-in elements in PLCs
 Allow the number of occurrences of input signals to be counted
 Be very useful in manufacturing and industrial control systems
 Be similar to Timers except not operating on an internal clock but are dependent on external or program
sources for counting
 PLC counter instructions are used to count parts in manufacturing plants or to count events in
industrial applications
 A programmed counter can serve the same function as a mechanical counter
 Mechanical counter:
- The actuating lever is moved over, the counter adds one number; the actuating lever then returns automatically to its
original position
- Resetting to zero is done with a pushbutton located on the side of the unit
 Electronic counters:
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 Introduction (ii)

Electronic Counter

Mechanical Counter

Counter Application
 Common counter application is for keeping track of the
number of items moving past a given point

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 Introduction (iii)
 There are two basic types of counters: down-counter and up-counters
 Some PLCs offer the facility for both down-and up-counting
 Down-counters:
⁃ Count down from the preset value to zero, i.e. events are subtracted from the set value
⁃ Contacts change state when the counter reaches the zero value
 Up-counters:
- Count from zero up to the preset value, i.e. events are added until the number reaches the preset value
- Contacts change state when the counter reaches the set value
 Two representing methods of a counter in PLC’s programming: coil format and the block
format

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 IEC Symbols for
Counters

- The pulses at CU are counted - The pulses at CD are counted

- When the counter reaches the PV value, Q is set - When the counter goes from the start PV value to
to 1 and the counting stops 0, Q is set to 1 and the counting stops
- An input to R clears Q to 0 - An input to LD clears Q to 0

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 Different Counter
Representations
 Count Down Counter:  Count Up Counter:

Note: RST is reset

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 Basic Counter
Program

- Each time there is a transition from 0 to 1 at input In 1, the counter is reset

- When there is an input to In 2 and a transition from 0 to 1, the counter starts counting
- If at any time during the counting there is an input to In 1, the counter will be reset, start all over again
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 Coil Formatted Up
Counter (i)
 A typical coil formatted up counter instruction:
 Increments its accumulated value by 1 each time the counter rung
makes a false-to-true transition
 When the accumulated count equals the preset count the counter
output is energized or set to 1
 The counter reset instruction must be used in conjunction with the
counter instruction
 Up counters are always reset to zero
 Down-counters may be reset to zero or to some preset value
 Some manufacturers include the reset function as a part of the
general counter instruction whereas

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 Coil Formatted Up
Counter (ii)
 Coil-formatted counter instruction with a separate
instruction for resetting the counter
 When programmed, the counter reset coil (CTR) is given
the same reference address as the counter (CTU) that it is
to reset
 The reset instruction is activated whenever the CTR rung
condition is true

Allan Bradley’s Counter Up

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 Block Formatted
Counter (i)
 The instruction block indicates the type of counter (up or
down), along with the counter’s preset value and
accumulated or current value
 The counter has two input conditions associated with it,
namely, the count and reset
 Notes:
 All PLC counters operate or count on the leading edge of the
input signal
 The counter will either increment or decrement whenever Allan Bradley’s Counter Up
the count input transfers an OFF state to an ON state
 The counter will not operate on the trailing edge or on-to-
off transition of the input condition 11
 Siemens’ Counter
Parameters
 Siemens offer 3 counters (block formatted Counter):
- Count Up (CTU)
- Count Down (CTD)
- Count Up and Count Down Counter (CTUD)

Parameters Data Type Description

CU, CD Bool Count up or count down, by one count
R (CTU,CTUD) Bool Reset count value to zero
LOAD (CTD,CTUD) Bool Load control for preset value
PV SINT,INT,DINT,USINT,UNIT,UDIN Preset count value
T
Q,QU Bool True if CV>=PV
QD Bool True if CV<=0
CV SINT,INT,DINT,USINT,UNIT,UDIN Current count value 12
 Count Up Counters
(CTU)
 The count up counter’s main function is to increment the current value (CV) each time the
input to the counter transitions from 0 to 1
 If the current count value (CV) is equal to the preset value (PV), output Q is set
 When reset input (R) is TRUE, the accumulated value resets to 0
 Notes:
- Counter preset input can be defined as a tag name or a constant value, i.e. the tags are displayed
between double quotes.
- All counter-required variables are displayed using the standard systems label, start with the percent
(%) character
- Counter preset input can be designed as a tag name or a constant value

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 Count up Counters
(CTU)
 Counter block:  Timing diagram, when PV=4:

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Count up Counters
(CTU) Example

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 Count Down
Counters (CTD)
 The count down counter’s main function is to decrement the current value (CV) each time the
input to the counter transitions from 0 to 1
 If the current value is equal to or less than 0, the counter output Q is set
 The value at the CV is set to the value of the PV parameter when the signal state at the LD
input changes to 1
 As long as the LOAD (LD) input has signal state 1, the signal state at the CTD input has no
effect on the instruction

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 Count Down
Counters (CTD)

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 Count Up and Down
Counters (CTUD)
 Main function of the count up and down instruction is to count up or down the
value at the current count value, tag name CV
 If there is transitions from 0 to 1 at count up CU, the current count value of CV is
incremented
 If there is transitions from 0 to 1 at count down CD, the current count value of
CV is decremented
 The count value is set to zero when the signal state at the R input changes from 0
to 1
 As long as R input has signal state 1, a change in the signal state of the CU, CD, and
LD (or LOAD) inputs has no effect on the CTUD instruction
 The counter does not have overflow
 When the maximum value for the assigned memory format is reached, it does not
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 Count Up and Down
Counters (CTUD)
 When the signal at the LOAD changes from 0 to 1, CV is set to the
value of the PV
 As long as LD is ON, CU and CD inputs have no effect
 The output QD is used to indicate that the current count value is less than
or equal to 0 indicate and indicate a counter overflow situation
 It is set to 1 when CV is less or equal to 0
 LD does not affect the status of the QD output
 Output QD is set once the current count value is equal to or larger than
the pre-assigned preset value (PV)
 QU is reset once the CV falls below the PV
 LD and R have no effect on QU

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Count Up and Down
Counters (CTUD)

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 Summary (i)
Counters are provided as built-in elements in PLCs and a llow the number of occurrences of
input signals to be counted
 PLC counter instructions are used to count parts in manufacturing plants or to count events in
industrial applications
 A programmed counter can serve the same function as a mechanical counter
 Down-counters:
⁃ Count down from the preset value top zero, i.e. events are subtracted from the set value
⁃ Contacts change state when the counter reaches the zero value
 Up-counters:
- Count from zero up to the preset value, i.e. events are added until the number reaches the preset value
- Contacts change state when the counter reaches the set value
 Two representing methods of a counter in PLC’s programming: coil format and the block format
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 Summary (ii)
 CTU:
- The count up counter’s main function is to increment the current value (CV) each time the input to the
counter transitions from 0 to 1
 CTD:
- The count down counter’s main function is to decrement the current value (CV) each time the input to
the counter transitions from 0 to 1
 CTUD:
- Main function of the count up and down instruction is to count up or down the value at the current
count value, tag name CV

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