Lecture 3:

Hardware Architecture (part 2)

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 Contents

❑PLC & Automation Unit Structures

❑PLC’s Components
- Central Processing Units (CPU)
- Memory
- Bus System
❑Siemens S7-1200

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 PLC & Automation
Unit Structures
Power Supply Unit

Actuators or Indicator lights

Program Memory
Automation Unit

PLC Central Processing Unit

Bus System

Input and Output Modules

Signaling Equipment
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 Central Processing
Units (CPU) (i)
❑ CPU contains the similar type of microprocessor found in a personal computer
– The program used in microprocessor is designed to facilitate industrial control rather than provide
general-purpose computing
❑ Built into single-unit fixed PLCs while modular rack types typically use a plug-in module
❑ CPU, controller, and processor are all terms used by different manufacturers to denote the same
module that performs basically the same functions
❑ CPU executes the operating system, memory, monitor inputs, evaluates the user logic (ladder
diagram) and turns on the appropriate outputs
❑ Processors vary in processing speed and memory options.
❑ A processor module can be divided into two sections: CPU Section and Memory Section

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Central Processing
Units (CPU) (ii)
1. CPU Section:
- Process the program in memory and make the decision needed
by the PLC to operate and communicate with other modules,
i.e. switches on or off the connected actuators or indicator lights
2. Memory Section:
- Electronically stores the PLC program along with other
retrievable digital information
- All the memory in a processor is normally referred to as
registers

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 Central Processing
Units (CPU) (iii)
❑ CPU of a PLC system may contain more than one processor
– The overall operating speed is improved.
– Memory and programs are working simultaneously and independently for each processor
❑ Associated with the processor unit will be a number of status LED indicators to provide system
diagnostic information to the operator:
❑ For S7-1200 PLC,
– RUN/STOP: yellow color indicates STOP mode; Green color indicates RUN mode; Flashing
indicates STARTUP mode
– ERROR
– MAINT
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 Bus System
❑ A group line for transferring signals
❑ Exchange signals in Programmable Controller between the Address bus
processor and the input and output models across a process bus
system
Data bus Bus System
❑ Process bus system contains 3 parallel signal lines:
▪ Data bus: transfers data from input to output modules
▪ Address bus: addresses the addresses on the individual modules
▪ Control bus: transfers the signals for controlling and monitoring the Control bus
function cycle within PLC

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❑ Information is stored as binary signals
❑ A memory comprises: 512, 1024, 2048, etc...
❑ Bit & Bit address:
➢ The smallest binary unit of information
➢ Each individual bit in a byte is assigned a digit
(bit address)
Memory (i)
❑ Byte & Byte address:
➢ A term for a unit of eight bits
➢ Individual bits are uniquely addressed by the
combination of the bit and byte addresses;
• The bit address is separated from the byte address
by a full stop;
• To the right of the full stop, there is the bit address
with the byte address being to the left of it
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 Memory (ii)
❑ Word
➢ Consists of two bytes or 16 bits
➢ Using “words” to represent dual numbers, letters, and control instructions
❑ Word address:
➢ The numbering of words yields the word address;
➢ When using words, e.g. IW (input word), QW( output word), MW (memory word), DW (data word),
the word is always the lower byte address of the two associated bytes

Word address 9
 Siemens Simatic
S7-1200 (i)
❑ The SIMATIC S7-1200 system comes in 3 different modules: CPU 1211C, CPUC1212C, and
CPU1214C
❑ The CPU of S7-1200 combines a microprocessor, an integrated power supply, input circuits and
output circuits in a compact housing to create a powerful PLC.
– CPU contains the logic required to monitor and control the devices in the application
❑ CPU monitors the inputs and changes the outputs according to the logic of user program which
can include Boolean logic, counting, timing, complex math operations, and communications
with other intelligent devices
❑ S7-1200’s CPU provides a PROFINET port for communication over a PROFINET network
– PROFINET uses the Ethernet network protocol as in offices and information technology (IT) but with
more abilities to meet the tougher conditions in industrial applications
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 Siemens Simatic
S7-1200 (ii)

Typical S7-1200 Processor:

1. Status light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for the onboard input- Signal Boards:
output (I/O) • Allows user to add I/O module to the CPU.
2. Status LEDs for the operational state of the CPU • Easily expand the digital or analog I/O without affecting the
3. PROFINET connector physical size of the controller
4. Memory card slot (open door)
5. Removable user wiring connector 11
 Siemens Simatic
S7-1200 (iii)
❑ 3 Operating modes of the CPU (from manual sheet of S7-1200):
– STOP: CPU is not executing the program (note: can download a project)
– STARTUP: CPU executes any startup logic (if present). Interrupt events are not processed during the
start up mode
– RUN: scan cycle is executed repeatedly. Interrupt events can occur and be processed at any point
within the program cycle phase.

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 CPU S7-12xx Series
Feature CPU 1211C CPU 1212C CPU 1214C
Physical size 90x100x75 110x100x75
User memory
▪ Work memory 25 Kbytes 50 Kbytes
▪ Load memory 1 Mbyte 2 Mbytes
▪ Retentive memory 2 Kbytes 2 Kbytes
Local on board I/O
▪ Digital 6 inputs/4 outputs 8 inputs/6 outputs 14 inputs/10 outputs
▪ Analog 2 inputs 2 inputs 2 inputs
Single phase: 3 at 100
High-speed counters _Single phase: 3 at 100 kHz Single phase: 3 at 100 kHz; 1 at 30 kHz
kHz; 3 at 30 kHz
Pulse outputs 2
PROFINET 1 Ethernet communication port
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Memory Areas of S7-
1200

Table 1. Memory map and Description*

(*): taken from manual sheet of S7-1200

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 Code Blocks in CPU
S7-1200
❑ CPU supports the following types of code blocks to create an efficient modular program
– Organization blocks (OB): define the structure of a program
– Functions (FCs) and Function blocks (FBs): program code that corresponds to a particular task which can be
executed frequently or as needed
– Data blocks (DBs): store the data that can be used by the different program blocks
❑ Organization Blocks:
– Program-cycle OBs execute repeatedly as long as the CPU is running (OB1 is the default, others OB200 or
greater)
– Startup OBs execute one time when the operating mode of the CPU changes from STOP to RUN (initialization
for certain parameters or the configuration of hardware modules, should be placed in this OBs)
– Time-delay OBs execute at a specified interval after an event is configured by the start interrupt instruction
– Cyclic-interrupt OBs execute at a specified interval (interrupt cycle program execution at user-defined intervals)

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 Power Supply of
S7-1200
❑ Main role of power supply is to convert the 120/220 − 𝑉𝐴𝐶 input to
the 24𝑉𝐷𝐶 required for the PLC operation
❑ The power supply has 3 main components:
▪ Line conditioner: purifies the input AC voltage waveform to a
smoothed sine wave
▪ Rectifier: converts the step-down input AC voltage to the required DC
voltage level
▪ Voltage regulator: maintains a constant dc output voltage level by
filtering and reducing existing ripples

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 Summary
❑ Central Processing Units (CPU)
▪ CPU executes the operating system, memory, monitor inputs, evaluates the user logic (ladder
diagram) and turns on the appropriate outputs
▪ CPU section programs data from memory
▪ Memory section is referred to as register and electronically stores the information
❑ Bus system is a group line for transferring signals and exchange signals in Programmable
Controller between the processor and the input and output models across a process bus system
❑ Memory stores information under bit, byte, and word types
❑ Siemens Simatic S7-1200’s light indicators: RUN/STOP, ERROR, MAINT
❑ 3 Operating modes of the S7-1200’s CPU: STOP, STARTUP, RUN
❑ Memory areas of S7-1200: I, Q, M, L, and DB
❑ Power supply converts the 120/220 − 𝑉𝐴𝐶 input to the 24𝑉𝐷𝐶 required for the PLC operation 17