Higher Engineering Education Alliance Program

Logical Sensors
and Actuators

Prepared by: Ngo Van Thuyen

 Topics and Objectives
Topics:
 Sensor wiring; switches, TTL, sourcing,
sinking
 Proximity detection; contact switches, photo-
optics, capacitive, inductive and ultrasonic
Objectives:
 Understand the different types of sensor
outputs.
 Know the basic sensor types and understand
application issues (sensors and
instrumentation)
 Introduction
 Sensors allow a PLC to detect the state of a
process. Logical sensors can only detect a state that
is either true or false.
 Examples
 inductive proximity - is a metal object nearby?
 capacitive proximity - is a dielectric object
nearby?
 optical presence - is an object breaking a light
beam or reflecting light?
 mechanical contact - is an object touching a
switch?
 Sensor wiring
 Sinking/Sourcing - Switches current on or off.
 Plain Switches - Switches voltage on or off.
 Solid State Relays - These switch AC outputs.
 TTL (Transistor Transistor Logic) - Uses 0V and 5V
to indicate logic levels.
 Switches - wiring

Is this familiar ?
 Sinking/sourcing

Recap:
What is
sinking and
sourcing?
Sinking or sourcing?
 Load interface

Note: always check the current rating of sensor output

Connecting sensors to PLC
Connecting sensor to PLC
Two wire sensor
 Symbols

Note the color marking

 Types of sensors

Photo sensor, capacitive sensor, inductive

sensors
Refer to Sensor and Instrumentation course
 Chapter 3 – part

Topics:
 Solenoids, valves and cylinders
 Hydraulics and pneumatics
 Other actuators
Objectives: Be aware of various
actuators available.
Add some pictures of actuator here

Actuators drive motions in mechanical

systems. Most often this is by converting
electrical energy into some form of
mechanical motion
 Solenoids

A ferrous coil (piston) moving inside the coil

The piston is held outside the coil by a spring
normally
 Valves

Flow of fluid or air can be controlled solenoid

controlled valves
Examples:
 2-way normally closed - these have one inlet, and
one outlet. When unenergized, the valve is closed.
When energized, the valve will open, allowing flow.
These are used to permit flows.
 2-way normally open - these have one inlet, and one
outlet. When unenergized, the valve is open,
allowing flow. When energized, the valve will close.
These are used to stop flows. When system power
is off, flow will be allowed.
 3-way normally closed - these have inlet, outlet, and
exhaust ports. When unenergized, the outlet port is
connected to the exhaust port. When energized, the
inlet is connected to the outlet port. These are used
for single acting cylinders.
 3-way normally open - these have inlet, outlet and
exhaust ports. When unenergized, the inlet is
connected to the outlet. Energizing the valve
connects the outlet to the exhaust. These are used
for single acting cylinders
 3-way universal - these have three ports. One of the
ports acts as an inlet or outlet, and is connected to
one of the other two, when energized/unenergized.
These can be used to divert flows, or select
alternating sources.
 4-way - These valves have four ports, two inlets and
two outlets. Energizing the valve causes connection
between the inlets and outlets to be reversed. These
are used for double acting cylinders.
 ISO valve symbols

Bai tap ve ky hieu van

vao day
 Cylinders

 A cylinder uses
pressurized fluid or air
to create a linear
force/motion
 Single/double acting

Single acting and double acting cylinders

How can one know the piston head position?
 Other actuators
 Heaters - They are often controlled with a relay and
turned on and off to maintain a temperature within a
range.
 Lights - Lights are used on almost all machines to
indicate the machine state and provide feedback to
the operator. most lights are low current and are
connected directly to the PLC.
 Sirens/Horns - Sirens or horns can be useful for
unattended or dangerous machines to make
conditions well known. These can often be
connected directly to the PLC.
 Motors
 Summary

Logical sensor output types:

Sinking/sourcing
Wiring sensor output to PLC
Actuator: valves, cylinders, linear valves