Module Title: MICROPROSSESSORS AND PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLERS

Code TECP3851
NQF Level 8
Contact Hours 4L + 2T or 1PS/Week
NQF Credits 16
Assessment Continuous 50% (Quizzes, 2 practical exercises, assignments, 2 Tests),
Examination 50% (1 x 3 hour paper)

Pre-requisite(s) TETD3692 Digital Electronics

Content: Microprocessors: history, types of microprocessors, microprocessors fabrication process, cost of

microprocessors. Microprocessor structures: registers, arithmetic and logic unit, control unit, internal bus.
External buses: address bus, data bus, control bus, bus timing. Memory interfacing: memory map design,
memory address decoder circuit. Input/output interfacing: port mapping, port address decoder circuit.
Clock generator circuits. Interrupt mechanism: interrupt priority, non-maskable interrupt, maskable
interrupt, interrupt modes. Execution cycle and execution time of instructions. Program execution time
calculation. Translation of mnemonics to machine codes.
PLCs :Definition of PLCs, need for the PLCs and principles of operation, Ladder diagrams and the PLC,
advantages of PLC base system over relay based system and Logic concepts, PLC Architecture:
Processors, Power supply and Programing device. Memory systems and I/O interactions. Digital I/O
modules, Analogue I/O Modules Special Functions I/O and serial communication interface. PLC
Programming: Programming Languages, IEC Standard. PLC based system programing and
implementation. PLC system documentation, PLC Process Applications: data measurement and
transducers, output devices, process controllers and tuning. Installation and start-up procedures: PLC
start-up and maintenance, PLC Selection.

Learning Outcomes: On completing the course students should be able to:

1. Plan and implement Memory organization including static and dynamic semiconductor memory,
optical and magnetic memory, memory hierarchy and caches.
2. Design memory circuit for microprocessors.
3. Design input/output circuit for microprocessors.
4. Design interrupt generating circuit for microprocessor
5. Calculate exact execution time of programs.
6. Describe the architecture and principles of operation of PLCs
7. Demonstrate an understanding of IEC standard and languages
8. Describe the PLC programing techniques and languages
9. Design PLC Programs for PLC based control applications
10. Program and troubleshoot the PLC based control systems

Contribution to Exit Level Outcome:

1. Problem Solving (Course Outcomes 1, 10)
2. Application of Scientific and Engineering Knowledge (Course Outcomes 6, 7, 8)
3. Engineering Design (Course Outcomes 2, 3, 4, 9)
5. Engineering Methods, Skills and Tools, Including Information Technology (Course Outcomes 10)

Issue Date: September 2015

Next Revision: September 2019

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