EEET2204

Industrial Automation
Trimester 2, 2014
Answer ALL questions.

Q1. The parts to be painted move on a conveyor belt past a proximity switch with N/O contact. The
conveyor stops after a batch of 100 parts has passed the proximity switch. The batch is then spray
painted for 10 seconds. After painting, the conveyor starts again and the cycle is repeated
automatically for the next batch. After the total of 700 parts has been painted, the process is stopped
and the FINISH lamp is lit. The conveyor operates when the motor contactor K1 is energized. Paint
is applied when the solenoid K2 is energized. The process is started by depressing the START
pushbutton. It can be stopped at any time by depressing the STOP pushbutton. In such a case, the
count data will be lost.

1.a Draw the circuit diagram of a PLC-based control circuit for the system. Show all connections to
the PLC. The available PLC addresses are I.0 – I.7 for the discrete inputs, and O.0 – O.7 for the
discrete outputs. The rated voltage of all components in the control circuit, including the PLC
inputs and outputs, is 48 V DC. [7 marks]

1.b Sketch a PLC ladder logic program for the process. If you are using generic symbols for
instructions other than contacts and simple output coils, you must define the function each such
instruction performs in your program. This may include sketching signal waveforms and/or
describing the response to the input signal, the reset signal, etc. [18 marks]

Total Marks for Question 1 = 25 marks

Q2. A batch processing system comprises a stirrer driven by a three-phase motor and a single-phase
heating element. The heating element and the motor are connected to the power supply via fuses and
two contactors with auxiliary contacts. The stirrer and the heater can operate only if the system has
been enabled by depressing the SYSTEM ON pushbutton. Each of these components is individually
controlled using the corresponding STIRRER ON, HEATER ON, STIRRER OFF and HEATER OFF
pushbuttons. However, the heater cannot be switched on unless the stirrer is on. The SYSTEM OFF
pushbutton disables the system immediately. There are two pilot lamps indicating the state of the
system The SYSTEM ENABLED lamp is lit when the system is on. The PROCESS ON lamp is lit
when at least one power component is on.

2.a Draw the circuit diagram (full-line) of the main (power) circuit of the system. [5 marks]

2.b Draw the complete circuit diagram of a control circuit that provides the required operation of the
system. The control circuit is supplied from a 24-V source. It contains electromechanical relays,
as needed, but no PLC. Use proper graphical symbols, and identify all components with labels and
designations. [15 marks]

2.c What are the similarities and differences between a contactor and an electromechanical relay?
[5marks]

Total Marks for Question 2 = 25 marks

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CONTINUED
 EEET2204
Industrial Automation
Trimester 2, 2014

Q3. A cantilever beam is used as a load sensing member of a force transducer. Four 5- kΩ resistive
sensors (strain gauges) are bonded on the beam surface and connected in a Wheatstone bridge
configuration. The excitation voltage of the bridge is 10 V. The output of the bridge is connected to
a signal conditioner (amplifier) whose gain is 50. The output voltage of the signal conditioner is
available at the transducer output terminals. As a result of a force applied to the transducer, the
resistance of strain gauges in two opposite legs of the bridge changes by +0.5 %, and the resistance
of the other pair of strain gauges changes by -0.5%.

3.a Sketch the load-sensing beam. For each strain gauge on the beam, indicate the orientation and the
resistance under the applied load. [6 marks]

3.b Draw the circuit diagram of the force transducer. Indicate the output terminals. Indicate the the
resistance of each strain gauge in the bridge under the applied load. [6 marks]

3.c Calculate the transducer output voltage in response to the applied force. [6 marks]

3.d Sketch the construction of two other transducers of your choice that utilise a Wheatstone bridge
of strain gauges. Specify the physical quantity measured by each transducer. [7 marks]

Total Marks for Question 3 = 25 marks

Q4. The analog input of a PLC is fitted with a Successive Approximation Analog-to-Digital Converter
(ADC). The nominal range of the analog input signal is 4 – 20 mA. The conversion result is a 12- bit
number that includes the sign. The 11-bit output register of the converter overflows, if the input signal
reaches 21.5 mA.

4.a What decimal number results from conversion of a 8-mA input signal? [5 marks]

4.b What minimum change in the input signal is necessary to achieve a change in the conversion
result number? [5 marks]

4.c The conversion result is stored left justified in a word-size register in the CPU of a PLC. The
remaining lower-order bit positions are padded with zeros. The content of the word register is
displayed on the programming computer as a decimal integer. What number is displayed if the
conversion result (in the ADC output register) is 6FAh? [5 marks]

4.d Sketch rungs of a Ladder Diagram program that results in adding 3000 to the analog input value
at the address I.3, dividing the sum by 2, and sending the result to the analog output address
O.3. The available memory word addresses for storing integers are MW0, MW2, MW4, etc.
You can use generic graphical symbols for program instructions. [5 marks]

4.e Prove that a double-word memory space is sufficient for storing a product of two 16-bit
integers. [5 marks]

Total Marks for Question 4 = 25 marks

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END OF PAPER
 EEET2204 Exam 2014

Model Answers
Q1

1.a

1.b
Q2

2.a 2.b

2.c

Similarities:

electromechanical principle of operation, the coil, the auxiliary contacts of a contactor and
the contacts of a relay.

Differences:

a three-phase set of main contacts in ac contactors, the capability to switch larger currents by
the main contacts of contactors.
Q3

3.a

4075 Ω

3.b

5025 Ω 4075
Ω

+ +
10 V output
50
4075 Ω 5025 Ω
Vo
-

3.c

Vo = 10 x 0.005 x 50 = 2.5 V

3.d

Torque transducer
 R1
diaphragm
R1

R2

R2

R3

R3
R4

R4

Differential pressure transducer

e)
(215 – 1) x (215 – 1) = 230 – 216 +1 < 231 – 1
230 – 216 +1 < 230 +230 - 1