ALVIENTO, Erick V.

ECE109 / E02
CW4

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1. What is a PLC?

PLC is a programmable logic controller (PLC) or programmable controller is an

industrial digital computer which has been ruggedized and adapted for the control of

manufacturing processes, such as assembly lines, or robotic devices, or any activity

that requires high reliability control and ease of programming and process fault

diagnosis.

2. How it works?

This works in a way that the PLC receives information from connected sensors or

input devices, processes the data, and triggers outputs based on pre-programmed

parameters. It depends on the inputs and outputs, a PLC can monitor and record

run-time data such as machine productivity or operating temperature, automatically

start and stop processes, generate alarms if a machine malfunction, and more. PLC

are a flexible and robust control solution, adaptable to almost any application.

3. How to connect I/O devices?

The PLC’s CPU stores and processes program data, but input and output modules

connect the PLC to the rest of the machine; these I/O modules are what provide

information to the CPU and trigger specific results. I/O can be either analog or
 digital; input devices might include sensors, switches, and meters, while outputs

might include relays, lights, valves, and drives. Users can mix and match a PLC’s

I/O in order to get the right configuration for their application.

4. Addressing of PLC

Addressing of PLC involves both direct and indirect addressing. A) In which that

direct addressing means the instruction refers directly to the address being

accessed. That is, the instruction encoding itself contains the address of the

location. Depending on the instruction set, it may also allow computing a small index

relative to the address. When used that way, you can think of that as a direct-

indexed mode. B) While Indirect addressing uses an address held in a register or

other location to determine what memory location to read or write. The idea here is

that the instruction itself isn’t directly telling you the address to access, but rather

indirectly telling the CPU where to find that address. The processor may also allow

you to add a small offset to the indirect address, giving an indirect indexed

addressing mode.

5. Programming of PLC

Programming of PLC is usually written on a computer and then is downloaded to the

controller. Most PLC programming software offers programming in Ladder Logic, or

“C”. Ladder Logic is the traditional programming language. It mimics circuit diagrams

with “rungs” of logic read left to right. Each rung represents a specific action

controlled by the PLC, starting with an input or series of inputs (contacts) that result

in an output (coil). Because of its visual nature, Ladder Logic can be easier to

implement than many other programming languages.