Int J Adv Manuf Technol (2004) 24: 590–598
DOI 10.1007/s00170-003-1787-7
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Can Saygin · Firat Kahraman
A Web-based programmable logic controller laboratory for manufacturing
engineering education
Received: 25 February 2003 / Accepted: 3 May 2003 / Published online: 21 April 2004
 Springer-Verlag London Limited 2004
Abstract This study presents the design and development of
a Web-based programmable logic controller (PLC) system ar-
chitecture that supports “hands-on” laboratory exercises in auto-
mated manufacturing systems control area for distance educa-
tion. The system architecture allows remote users to access and
control a PLC-based table-top manufacturing system via the In-
ternet. A Web site has been designed and developed that facil-
itates interactivity and supports PLC programming and control.
The architecture has been tested and implemented in the course
Emgt 334 Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems at the In-
tegrated Systems Facility (ISF) in the Engineering Management
Department at the University of Missouri-Rolla during Fall 2001.
This study shows that software tools available in the market can
be integrated to develop a fairly complex, yet effective, learning
environment for distance education. The architecture presented
in this paper is not dependent on specific PLC hardware or soft-
ware configuration, it represents a generic infrastructure.
Keywords Automated manufacturing system control ·
E-lab · E-manufacturing · Internet-based distance
education · Manufacturing engineering education ·
Web-based manufacturing
1 Introduction
The goal of this study is threefold: (1) to design a Web-based
programmable logic controller (PLC) system architecture that al-
lows remote students to access manufacturing equipment and do
C. Saygin (u) · F. Kahraman
Assistant Professor, Director, Integrated Systems Facility
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Missouri – Rolla,
Engineering Management Department,
1870 Miner Circle, Rolla, Missouri 65409, USA
E-mail: saygin@umr.edu
Fax: 573-341-6567
Tel.: 573-341-6358
http://web.umr.edu/∼saygin/
their laboratory exercises over the Internet; (2) to develop a pro-
totype Web-based PLC environment in order to implement/test
the concept, and finally (3) to use the prototype environment
in a distance education course. The proposed architecture pro-
vides several advantages to institutions offering distance edu-
cation courses in manufacturing engineering. It facilitates the
learning process over the Internet by providing a suite of Web-
browser-based user interfaces that are linked to a physical manu-
facturing laboratory environment. Via these user interfaces, the
remote student accesses the physical manufacturing equipment
and controls them as a part of their laboratory exercises without
ever setting foot in the laboratory. Similarly, the concept pre-
sented in this paper offers great potential for industry by provid-
ing a means of remote monitoring, controlling, and diagnosing
manufacturing systems located at different geographic locations.
The Web-based manufacturing system control architecture
presented in this paper allows remote access to a PLC-controlled
table-top manufacturing system equipment over the Internet.
When used as a part of distance education programs, the archi-
tecture provides both on-site and distance students with the same
learning environment, and minimises the difference between the
qualities of learning of both student bodies. Controlling “real”
equipment via the Internet is the fundamental difference between
this approach and other similar approaches, which rely heavily
on computer simulation/animation.
The paper is organised as follows. In Sect. 2, a literature
survey reviews Web-based applications in education. Design
and development of the Web-based PLC system is described in
Sect. 3. Section 3 also includes the implementation phase, as well
as the technical specifications of the hardware and software mod-
ules developed for the prototype environment. The conclusions
are presented in Sect. 4.
2 Literature survey
With the rapid advancement of the Internet and its acceptance
as a powerful medium for learning and teaching, distance edu-
cation has become an important component at many universities.

The world wide spread of the Internet and its general acceptance
has brought new opportunities in distance education due to the
flexibility it provides for students to learn in different places and
at different times [1]. An increased enrolment of adult learners,
who demand education from remote locations using new infor-
mation technology tools and technologies, has been observed.
With this new demand, universities are changing their programs
and restructuring their academic policies to accommodate these
new audiences [2].
Distance education can be defined as a delivery mode or
method of choice for meeting the needs of students [3]. It is
a natural choice for universities because it enables them to offer
programs and courses to students at various locations regardless
of how remote or dispersed they may be. It also allows the or-
ganisations to limit the costs for continuing education both by
providing in-house educational facilities that can be used with
a flexible and adaptive schedule and by reducing the time spent
in an educational laboratory outside of the work place [4]. Well
known pedagogical guidelines assert that students learn more ef-
fectively in a relationship where there is a high-level of active
interaction between the student and the instructor [5, 6]. How-
ever many current distance learning technologies are passive in
that the communication typically flows in one direction, which is
only from the instructor to the student, and there is no feedback
or delayed feedback in reverse direction [6, 7]. Videotape-based
programs and online material are typical examples for this type
of distance learning. A characteristic online offering includes ex-
positive material and other classical collaboration means, which
often are not sufficient to support the complete learning ex-
perience required by disciplines where the students must also
develop hands-on practical experience [8]. For example, it is
technically possible to provide distance education students with
lecture notes, live video streams, and two-way real-time commu-
nication over the Internet. From the standpoint of manufacturing
engineering as a distance education program, it is difficult to
complement the lectures with hands-on laboratory applications
over the Internet.
Manufacturing engineering and systems related courses are
strongly founded on theoretical coursework such as mechanics,
electronics, and applied mathematics [9]. Although, coursework
materials in the form of lecture notes and live video streams
can easily be delivered to students anywhere and anytime using
emerging Internet technologies, effective distance delivery of
laboratory exercises on real machines and equipment remains
a challenging problem.
From the standpoint of Web-based manufacturing practice,
an effective learning environment should not lead to an indepen-
dent and isolated form of learning; it should provide students
with the capability of making changes on the manufacturing
system control parameters and further experience the outcomes.
Thus, as active participants in the learning process, students af-
fect the way in which they deal with the material to be learned.
Many engineering courses have begun to use the World Wide
Web for demonstrations, virtual and remote laboratories, in add-
ition to basic course management [10]. Software tools and tech-
nologies such as Java Applets, LabVIEW, MATLAB, Working
591
Model, etc., are being extensively used at universities to supple-
ment traditional online educational content consisting of hand-
outs and multimedia.
Today’s hardware and software technologies make it possible
to control instruments and devices remotely, as demonstrated by
several researchers. Ko et al. [11] demonstrate a Web-based lab-
oratory for control experiments on coupled tank apparatus. They
have also developed an Internet laboratory for a frequency mod-
ulation experiment [12]. Shor and Bhandari [13] describe their
development of an application that allows users to remotely con-
duct experiments. Thus, the concept of Web-based laboratory is
not new. With the increasing complexity and cross-disciplinary
nature of technical research and modern product development,
there is a growing need for interactive, collaborative experimen-
tation unlimited by physical location [14].
As summarised by Ko et al. [15], the integration of the In-
ternet with education can be based along the following lines:
(1) A course Web site facilitating course management; (2) Re-
mote animation/simulation virtual laboratory to replace physical
experiments; and (3) A remote experimentation laboratory for
students to set up parameters and conduct experiments with real
equipment over the Internet. Table 1 presents examples of Web-
based educational environments [11, 12, 16–37] based on Ko’s
classification described above.
An example of the first type of integration is the Internet
Pathology Laboratory for Medical Education [16]. This popu-
lar Web resource includes over 1900 images along with text,
tutorials, laboratory exercises, and examination items for self-
assessment that demonstrate gross and microscopic pathologic
findings associated with human disease conditions. Other exam-
ples are the laboratory experiments conducted for the manufac-
turing automation course at Washington State University (WSU)
where real time delivery of laboratory sessions to remote stu-
dents is conducted via an interactive television system operated
by WSU called WHETS [17].
The system provides real time audio/video links between
multiple campuses of WSU. It also links to similar systems such
as the Boeing Educational Network (BEN) or to K-20 sites at
various community colleges and high schools throughout the
state. The system is augmented by the Internet to deliver labora-
tory sessions from WSU Vancouver to students at WSU Pullman
and at Boeing in Seattle in the WHETS classroom by bringing
equipment into the classroom and connecting it to the Internet.
The second type of integration of education with the Internet
is a “virtual laboratory”. Poindexter [10] defines virtual labora-
tory as software simulations of actual devices conducted over the
Internet. University of British Columbia’s Java applet based vir-
tual laboratory [22] allows students to conduct experiments such
as open channel flow experiment where they can change both
the upstream depth and sill height to see different flow regimes.
Other interesting experiments in the virtual Java based labora-
tory are flow around a porous flat plate with blowing and flow
past a circular cylinder. The virtual laboratory at the University
of Alabama in Huntsville [23] provides interactive, Web-based
resources in the areas of probability and statistics. An example
of a remote animation/simulation virtual laboratory to replace
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Table 1. Web-based educational environments

Type* Researchers University Program Description/delivery medium

Klatt [16] Florida State University Pathology Images, text, tutorials, laboratory exercises and examination items.
Washington State Interactive television system – WHETS - that provides real time
Gurocak [17] University (WSU), Manufacturing System audio/video links between multiple campuses of WSU and similar
Vancouver systems such as the BEN1 .
Distance Boston University Manufacturing ICV2 - a teleconferencing innovation - facilitates concurrent live
1 Learning College of Engineering Engineering, MS classes at a multitude of industrial sites with two-way video and audio
Program [18] interaction among all sites.
N/A Mississippi State Industrial Engineering, Program allows media conferencing utilising video, audio, graphics,
University [19] PhD and MS data and computer conferencing capabilities.
N/A Georgia Institute of Industrial and Systems Videotapes & audio conferencing.
Technology [20] Engineering, MS
Norris et al [21] University of Virginia Heat Transfer Graphical displays and interactive programs.
N/A University of British Civil Engineering Java applet-based “flow-related” animations, such as open channel
Columbia [22] flow experiments and flow around a porous flat plate.
N/A University of Alabama Probability and Java-based learning modules for various topics on probability (such
in Huntsville [23] Statistics as probability spaces, combinatorics, etc.) and statistics (such as
distributions, random samples, etc.)
Karweit [24] Johns Hopkins General Engineering Applets simulating logic circuits, diffusion processes, oil drilling,
University Robot control, heat transfer in a duct, etc.
Dorneich and University of Illinois at N/A Java based simulation and tutoring system for Nuclear Magnetic
2 Jones [25] Urbana-Champaign Resonance experiment.
Iwata and Osaka University Manufacturing System Customisable Objects and entities, 3D models of machines and
Onosato [26] workpieces.
Holzeret Virginia Polytechnic
et. al [27] Institute and State Statics Multimedia learning modules.
University
Virtual Controls Ruhr-Universität Controls Engineering MATLAB/SIMULINK Plugins and applets-based
Lab [28] Bochum, Germany simulations/animations on laboratory plants modeled in VRML3 .
Benetazzo University of Padova Electrical Measurements Virtual distributed workbenches encompassing virtual instruments,
et al. [29] generators, etc.
Two virtual chemical engineering laboratories: Bio SoftLab on
Catlin et al. [30] Purdue University Computational Science bioseparation and Micro SoftLab on microelectronics; linked to
physical devices
Aktan et al. [31] Oregon State University Electrical and Computer Remote control of a 3-degree of freedom robot
Engineering
Werges and University of Illinois in Electrical Engineering Interactive electronics laboratory
Naylor [32] Chicago and Computer Science
Stancil [33] Carnegie Mellon Electrical Engineering Digitising oscilloscope, function generator, circuit under test, video
3 University camera, etc.
Ko et al. National University of Engineering Coupled tank, oscilloscope, frequency modulation, and helicopter
[11, 12, 34] Singapore model experiments.
Enloe et al. [35] James Madison Physics Determination of speed of light from the resonant behaviour of an
University inductive-capacitive circuit.
Hites et al. [36] Illinois Institute of Science and Control switches, amplifiers, function generators, cameras, motion
Technology Engineering control systems, digital and data acquisition systems.
Batur et al. [37] University of Akron Controls Remote tuning of a PID4 Position Controller.

*Type 1: A Web site housing course material
Type 2: Animation/simulation virtual laboratory
Type 3: Remote experimentation laboratory
1 BEN: Boeing Educational Network
2 ICV: Interactive-compressed video
3 VRML: Virtual reality modeling language
4 PID: Proportional integral derivative

physical experiments is John Hopkins University’s Virtual En- ducted on the laboratory are logic circuits, diffusion processes,
gineering/Science Laboratory [24], which utilises Java program- oil drilling, robot control, and heat transfer in a duct.
ming language and the Web to simulate engineering and science Java applets employed in virtual laboratories are of these
laboratory projects. Some of the experiments that can be con- two types: (1) Simulation applets, and (2) Data generation ap-

plets. Simulation applets are simulations of random processes,
designed to show the agreement between the predictions of the
mathematical theory and the behaviour of the process. These are
generally referred to as experiments in the literature. Data gener-
ation applets are applets in which the student generates the data,
by making choices in a game, or clicking in a scatter plot or num-
ber line.
Simulation/animation has several advantages when used as
a part of a virtual laboratory. It provides an effective learning
environment for students to become acquainted with a concept
and/or a specific application related to a physical device and
its control parameters at both planning and operational levels
without interacting with the physical equipment. Students can
experiment and learn at their own pace without the risk of hurt-
ing themselves or damaging the equipment. In addition, the same
set of software tools can be used for both on-site and off-site
students. Since only a limited portion of the overall system be-
haviour can be simulated, these tools cannot totally replace the
physical devices from the standpoint of practical laboratory ap-
plications and experimental works [38].
Although the above mentioned types of integration of labora-
tory based education with the Internet are effective in providing
a general concept of the course, there is a need to find a way to
provide hands-on experience with physical systems. A number of
attempts have been made to provide students with practical exer-
cise or experimentation experience through physical setup over
the Internet. At Purdue University, a remote laboratory called
Fig. 1. Web-based PLC control environment: basic
framework
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SoftLab has been set up to provide an environment for both phys-
ical experiments and numerical simulation [30]. Users are able
to remotely control some real instruments, after installing Soft-
Media, an exclusive software, for accessing the service in the
laboratory. Aktan et al. [31] describe a remote laboratory that en-
ables users to remotely control a three-degrees of freedom robot
arm. A client-server structure is used, which requires the soft-
ware X-terminal to be properly set up. It is noted that the com-
munication between the client and server, which is realised using
user datagram protocol (UDP), might be unreliable. Werges and
Naylor [32] describe a remote laboratory called the Networked
Instructional Instrumentation Facility, which allows multi-user
access for carrying out measurements within a library of test
equipment and devices. Users are required to install a client soft-
ware, built with Java using Microsoft J++, in order to access the
laboratory.
3 System design and development
The fundamental objective of this study is to develop a Web-
based manufacturing system control environment, which utilises
physical equipment, to teach PLC programming and control over
the Internet. The design constraints and requirements can be
listed as follows:
1. Develop Windows-compatible software modules to imple-
ment the architecture.
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2. Provide flexible and robust features to minimise the potential
drawbacks of being a remote student.
3. Integrate the system to the Internet without losing hardware
efficiency and system capability.
4. Provide tools to facilitate self-learning.
5. Develop a verification tool to debug PLC programs before
they are downloaded to the actual controller for execution.
6. Integrate a reservation system so that remote students can
conveniently reserve the Web-based laboratory environment
to do their laboratory assignments.
7. Obtain feedback from students on the performance of the
Web-based environment.
As shown in Fig. 1, the design of the framework has been car-
ried out based on the set of guidelines established by the Accredi-
tation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) for labs.
In the last few years, accrediting authorities have been strug-
gling to determine how to evaluate long-distance engineering
programs of educational institutions and set up rules and objec-
tives for online labs. ABET is in the early stages of developing
a set of guidelines for online laboratories. Peterson [39], the ex-
ecutive director of ABET, suggests that the board first establish
standards for traditional labs and then apply these objectives to
online laboratories to meet the same standards. To establish these
standards, engineering officials took the first step and met in San
Diego in January 2002. They came up with 13 objectives for
a successful traditional laboratory. As shown in Fig. 1, these ob-
Fig. 2. System architecture
jectives have been used as a guideline for the development of the
Web-based PLC laboratory. The ABET guidelines and how they
have been addressed during the design phase of this study are
described in Table 2.
3.1 System architecture
The system architecture, as shown in Fig. 2, is built on three tiers.
Client computers, at tier-1, communicate with the PLC system,
located at tier-3, over the Internet via a system controller and
a system supporter located at tier-2.
Tier-1: Client computers, equipped with Web browsers and
Windows 2000 Terminal Services client software, develop PLC
programs and execute them on the physical model. HTML-based
help files and a reservation system to reserve time slots on the
physical model to do laboratory exercises are available to the
users via their Web-browsers. PLC-specific software are accessi-
ble through Windows 2000 Terminal Services.
Tier-2: A Pentium III 500 MHz PC, running Windows 2000,
is used as the system controller. RSLogix 500, RSLinx, Emulator
500, Wonderware, and Windows 2000 Terminal Services reside
on the system controller. RSLogix 500 is a PLC programming
package. RSLinx links devices and software applications. Em-
ulator 500 is used for compiling PLC programs without being
connected to a physical PLC. Thus, it supports multi-user access
to the software layer by serving as a virtual PLC. Wonderware is
used to develop an animated model of the actual physical system.

Table 2. ABET guidelines for labs
ABET guidelines for labs
Instrumentation: “Apply appropriate sensors and tools to
measure physical quantities.”
Models: “Identify strengths and limitations of theoretical
models as predictors of real-world behavior.”
Experimentation: “Devise an approach, specify appropriate
equipment and procedures, implement the strategy, and
interpret data.”
Design: “Create and debug a part, product, or system using
specific methodologies, equipment, or material while meeting
specific requirements and specification.”
Creativity: “Demonstrate appropriate levels of independent
thought and capability in real-world problem solving.”
Data Analysis: “Demonstrate the ability to collect, analyze and
interpret data to form and support conclusions.”
Psychomotor: “Demonstrate competence in selection,
modification, and operation of appropriate tool.”
Learn from failure: “Recognize unsuccessful outcomes from
faulty equipment, parts, code, construction, process, or design,
then engineer solutions.”
Safety: “Recognize health, safety, and environmental issues
related to process and activities.”
Communication: “Relay information about laboratory works
effectively, both orally and in writing, at levels ranging from
executive summaries to comprehensive technical reports.”
Sensory awareness: “Use human senses to gather information
and make sound engineering judgments in formulation of
conclusions.”
Teamwork: “Work effectively in groups using accountability
and assigning roles, responsibilities, and tasks to meet
deadlines.”
Ethics: “Behave with high standards, including reporting
information objectively and interacting with integrity.”
Windows 2000 Terminal Services facilitates remote access over
the Internet to all these software modules.
Another Pentium computer is used as the system supporter.
Its primary function is to serve as a Hyper Text Transfer Pro-
595
Web-based PLC laboratory environment
A PLC-controlled physical model that consists of a conveyor,
various sensors, lights, and an air cylinder, is used. System
parameters, such conveyor speed, can be set/measured via the
PLC.
In spite of their technical correctness, PLC programs may
require modifications in order to handle real-world behaviors.
For example, if a tall component is placed on the conveyor in
the “real” system, it may tip off if the conveyor is running at
a high speed, while the virtual model will not be able to
demonstrate this behavior. Thus, through the integrated use of
virtual models and real systems, strengths and limitations can be
highlighted.
System components, such as the sensors and the lights on the
conveyor, can be used in a variety of combinations to develop
hypothetical production scenarios. Thus, the content, as well as
the outcome, of the PLC program for each scenario varies.
Scenarios based on the physical system components are
developed and assigned to students as laboratory applications.
The scenarios contain specific requirements, which need to be
considered in connection with the system level specifications,
such as the input and output addresses defined on the PLC,
while developing the PLC program. The scenarios assigned to
each student can be “solved” in various different ways by using
the fundamental PLC programming techniques. This flexibility
facilitates independent thinking and creativity.
PLC programs can be used not only to control systems but also
to collect data during run time. For example, components
randomly placed on the conveyor can be sorted according to
height with the help of the sensors. During the run time, the data
about these components can be collected and used to trigger
other events.
By making trial-and-errors in the virtual (animated)
environment, students learn from their failures while verifying
the correctness of their programs.
Not applicable.
Web-based laboratory requires communication tools to be in
place and be used effectively by geographically dispersed users,
who may be working on the same laboratory application as
a team. The environment developed in this study is equipped with
network cameras, chat feature, e-mail, and phone to reduce the
impact of natural barriers that exits for web-based applications.
In addition, laboratory reports and the questionnaire help the
instructor and the lab assistant understand and evaluate the
students better.
The scenarios can be assigned to individuals and as well as to
teams. Group members can be at different locations and be
communicating via e-mail or phone while monitoring the live
video stream on their computer.
This item is a general requirement valid for all laboratory
sessions and lectures regardless of being offered as web-based
or traditional.
tocol (HTTP) Web server and to set appropriate Web pages for
remote users. HTML-based help files and the reservation system
reside on this computer. Users first logon to this computer and
then obtain access to the system controller.
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Tier-3: A conveyor belt, equipped with sensors, several
lights, and an air cylinder, is used as the physical model in the
Web-based PLC laboratory. An Allen Bradley SLC 500 PLC is
used to control the physical model. The PLC is programmed
using RSLogix 500 software package via Windows 2000 Ter-
minal Services on the system controller. Then the program is
compiled and downloaded to the PLC through an RS-232 port.
A virtual model of the real physical system, developed in Won-
derware, provides animation for PLC program verification.
Live video is provided through network cameras in order for
the user to monitor the execution of manufacturing applications.
A network camera is a Web-based real-time video-streaming
camera with built-in video server capability. It includes a lens,
optical filter, image sensor, image digitiser, image compressor
and Web server with network connectivity. A network camera
has its own IP address and includes the computing functions
to handle network communications protocols, such as TCP/IP.
Unlike a Web or PC camera, a network camera does not re-
quire to be connected to a PC. Two Axis 2100 network cameras
are used in this application. The cameras support both ActiveX
and Java applets, thus imparting platform independence to their
functionality.
3.2 Implementation
For the purpose of prototype testing, the system architecture has
been implemented in the course Emgt 334 Computer Integrated
Manufacturing Systems during Fall 2001 with thirty on-site stu-
dents, who acted as off-campus students. PLC programming and
control exercises were conducted via the Internet in one of the
computer laboratories in the engineering management depart-
ment without ever setting foot in the laboratory. The laboratory
exercises included developing a ladder logic diagram based on
a scenario provided by the instructor, testing it via the “ani-
mated” model, and finally executing the PLC program on the
physical system. Figure 3 shows a sequence of user interfaces
that the remote user will typically be navigating through in order
to do his laboratory exercise.
After completing their laboratory exercises, the students
were asked to provide feedback by filling out an online ques-
tionnaire that consisted of nine statements broadly gauging the
effectiveness of the system. For each statement, six options were
provided: n/a, poor, fair, good, very good, excellent. The students
were asked to rate the following statements:
1. Help files were well organised, user friendly, and easy to
follow.
2. Sample PLC programs were easy to follow in order to com-
plete the laboratory assignment in a timely manner.
3. Laboratory assignments (i.e., scenarios) were well defined.
4. Reservation system was convenient for scheduling a time slot
to do the laboratory exercise.
5. Reserved time slots were sufficient to complete this labora-
tory application successfully.
6. PLC program file was easily downloaded to the PLC.
7. Web-based PLC laboratory environment, as an integrated
system, functioned satisfactorily.
8. Laboratory assistants responded to our questions in a timely
and effective manner.
9. This e-lab met our expectations.
Overall, the students have responded positively to the ques-
tionnaire. Close to 100% attendance was observed during the
laboratory sessions, which demonstrates the success in generat-
ing interest among the students. The questionnaire, as well as the
discussions with the students, showed that the students were able
to learn at their own pace owing to the user friendly and open
architecture of the system. Feedback received during the course
is being explored to improve the overall user-experience and the
system functionality.
4 Conclusions
In this paper, a Web-based PLC programming and control sys-
tem architecture is presented. The architecture allows remote
users to access PLC-controlled manufacturing equipment over
the Internet. The system architecture presented in this study
has been implemented as a Web-based PLC laboratory that
utilises a PLC-controlled conveyor system, various sensors,
lights, and an air cylinder. The Web-based PLC laboratory has
been used as one of the laboratory applications in the course
Emgt 334 Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems during
Fall 2001.
Based on the experience acquired through the design, devel-
opment, and implementation of the proposed Web-based PLC
laboratory architecture, the following conclusions have been
reached:
1. If effectively scheduled, students can share the same equip-
ment over the Internet regardless of their geographical
location.
2. Universities can share facilities, instead of individually in-
vesting on laboratory equipment, and improve the quality of
learning.
3. Animation is a very powerful tool to verify control programs.
Executing programs on actual equipment without testing
them via animation may lead to collisions and damage to
the system. Animation helps verify programs, thus prevent-
ing damage to the equipment. In addition, several students
can simultaneously work on their laboratory exercises in an
animated environment.
4. Remote experimentation using Web-based PLC systems is
not limited to education. In manufacturing industry, remote
access to distant facilities provides unique opportunities by
providing a means of remote monitoring, controlling, and
diagnosing manufacturing systems located at different geo-
graphical locations.
Although only one “active” user can interact with the phys-
ical model and download/execute his PLC program, the an-
imated model supports multi-user access to the virtual envi-
ronment since it replicates the physical system. In this study,
the PLC program, which runs the physical system, also runs
the animated model. Thus, there is no difference between the

Fig. 3. Typical sequence of user interfaces for Web-based PLC programming and control
“real” and the “simulated” worlds from the standpoint of PLC
programming.
Web-based learning environments may hinder the learning
process if their design necessitates paying more attention to ed-
ucationally less important issues, such as how to access Web-
pages, connecting to servers, or entering the right passwords,
rather than more important educational issues such as learning
how to program a PLC. Nevertheless, this study shows that there
are software tools available in the market that can be integrated
to develop a fairly complex, yet effective, learning environment
for distance education. The architecture presented in this paper
is not dependent on specific PLC hardware or software, thus it
represents a generic infrastructure.
Acknowledgement The authors would like to acknowledge the support and
funding provided for this study by the Halliburton Foundation, the Manu-
597
facturing Engineering Education Program at UMR, and the Engineering
Management Department.
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