IIT JODHPUR

DIGITAL FABRICATION

Course Instructor:

Dr. Ankur Gupta

Associate professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur

Email: ankurgupta@iitj.ac.in
 Lectures

on
“Computer control of manufacturing systems”
 Programmable logic controllers
•Uptil now we have seen the control of manufacturing at process level.

•We were interested in the technical details of how the manufacturing operation is
accomplished on a step by step basis.

•There is a different level of control, however, at which our focus is not on the details of
the process itself but rather on issues such as whether a given operation has been
successfully completed, whether the pertinent conditions for the next operations has
been satisfied, whether the parts required to fill an order have been made etc.

•At this level of control we are more interested in governing the operation of the system
than in technology.

•The logical relationship between various parameters determine what the next action
should be.

•Logical relationships can be represented by logical operators, which in turn can be

implemented by using hardware components called logic devices.
 Logical Controllers
•PLCs are used widely used in manufacturing as a means of implementing logical control of
manufacturing systems.
•Control actions are taken by making decisions depending on the values associated with
various inputs or variables and the control logic in the program.
•If a particular decision can be made by answering yes or no, go or nogo or 0 and 1 (binary
system) they are referred to as decision by attributes. These may include the following:
1. Is the machine turned on?
2. Is the gate to the work cell open?
3. Has the AGV arrived at the docking station? Etc.

• If a particular decision cannot be made by answering yes or no to a question, it is

referred to as decision by variables. Generally these types of decisions are based on
values that can vary widely. Examples include:
1. How deep is the hole?
2. What is the cutting speed?
3. What is the required surface finish?
4. How many parts are to be made?
 Logical Control
• Attribute type questions can generally be considered as candidates for automation using
logical control, whereas variable type questions would be less amenable to logical control.

•A variable type question can be made suitable for logical automation, however, it can be
broken down into a series of elementary attribute type questions.

•An attribute type question (having a yes/no kind of answer) can always be expressed as a
logical variable and relationships between such variables constitute a logical expression and
they are governed by the laws of Boolean algebra.

•Three basic logical operator exist and these are the AND, OR and NOT as described in the
table below as a relationship between variables X and Y.

Relationship Meaning
X AND Y Both variables are true
X OR Y Either one of the variable is true
NOT X The specified variable is not true
 Logical Control
• The logical relationships can be expressed in a diagram form called a logic network
diagram whose symbols are expressed below.
• The devices implementing the
various logical relationships are what
we refer to as logic devices.
•These logic devices are used in
constructing PLC
•Although the logic network diagrams
could be used to represent the logic
in a PLC control program, another
logic diagramming technique is
known as ladder logic diagram.

• These are more widely used in

the industries and they were
retained as PLCs got introduced
from a convenience point of view
of the technicians who were
involved in wiring the various
systems that were being
controlled.
 Ladder Logic Diagram
• The ladder logic diagram makes use of representations similar to
electrical circuits in which a series of connections represents a
logical AND and a parallel connection represents a logical OR.
•A ladder logic diagram is made up of inputs and outputs connected
according to appropriate logic.
•Each rung in the ladder represents a set of logical relationships
between the inputs that lead to a particular output.
•The output from one rung of ladder could be used as an input in
another rung of the same ladder.
•Except when special provisions are made it is considered that all
rungs in a given ladder logic diagram are executed simultaneously,
so the order of the rungs on the ladder in general does not matter.
 Solved Example

A robot is to be used to unload finished parts from a machine onto an AGV and
to load raw parts from the AGV to the machine. Assume that there are sensors
at the AGV’s docking station to indicate the arrival of the vehicle and onboard
sensors on the vehicle to indicate whether the vehicle has actually brought
some raw parts to be machined and whether the AGV has space to carry away
a finished part. Also, assume that there are sensors on the machine to indicate
whether the machine is loaded with a part and also a signal for the completion
of part processing. The robot is required to unload a processed part from the
machine onto the AGV, pick up a new part for processing from the AGV, and
load it onto the machine. The AGV is to be dispatched after the completion of
the cycle. Construct a ladder logic diagram.

In the solution, it is assumed that we are not interested not in the details of robot motion but
Rather in the overall logic of the system. Here, we are not concerned about the path, its velocity
Etc.
 Solution

I/O Meaning/ Associated Action

01 AGV has arrived
02 AGV is carrying a new part to be
processed
03 AGV has space to store a
processed part
04 Machine has a finished part to
be unloaded
20 Unload old part from the
machine onto the AGV
21 Pick new part from the AGV and
load onto the machine
22 Dispatch the AGV
 Solution 1. The first rung states that if inputs 01, 03, and 04 are all
true, then output 20 is true. This is interpreted as
meaning that if AGV has space to store a processed
part, and the machine has a finished part to be
unloaded, then the robot should unload the old part
from the machine onto the AGV.
2. The second rung states that if (input 20 is true AND
input 02 is true), OR (input 01 is true, and input 04 is
not true, and input 02 is true), then output 21 is true.
This rung thus illustrates the use of OR in a ladder logic
diagram. The rung is interpreted as meaning that if the
machine has been unloaded, and the AGV is carrying a
new part to be processed, then the robot should load
the new part from the AGV onto the machine. In this
case there are two scenarios in which the same output
may be obtained. Note in particular that output 20
from the previous rung is being used as an input on the
current rung.

3. The third rung contains the logic for dispatching the AGV after it arrives at the docking
station
 Counters and Timers
•Counters can be used in manufacturing to measure quantities such as production stock,
inventory, and packaging.
•The counter accomplishes its task by counting voltage pulses, which can be generated by a
sensor set to detect the event whose occurrence is to be noted.
•Every time a pulse is received the count is changed by one. For example the production
stock can be counted with this technique.

•With the timers the main difference is that they are used specifically to count clock pulses.
As a result, timers can be seen as clock driven whereas regular counters are event driven.

•A counter can be constructed to count up or down or both.

•Counters typically may have another input line to reset the counter to its initial value
(usually zero).
•Dependent on the intended application, the counter may have more than one output. For
example some counters may have CARRY (when the counter exceeds its maximum set limit)
or BORROW (when the counter goes beyond its lower minimum set limit).
•Such counters can be connected in cascade fashion with a CARRY/BORROW from one
counter connected to the input of the next counter, increasing the overall range of
counting.
 Example Problem
During the powder metallurgy process, a punch is used to press
blended metal powder into a compact inside a die. A push button is
used to start the process. Whn the start button is pressed, the die is
filled with powder. The punch is then advanced and it applies
pressure to the powder for a duration of 10s, after which it is
retracted. The pressed compact is then ejected from the die and the
cycle repeats itself. The cycle can be interrupted by pressing the stop
button. If the stop button is pressed the punch is required to retract
(if it had been advanced) before the process is stopped. We are
required to construct a ladder logic diagram.
 Solution
I/O Meaning
01 Start Button
02 Stop Button
T1 Timer (with a limit of 10s)
30 Fill die
31 Advance punch
32 Retract punch
34 Eject part (i.e., compact)
35 Stop cycle
Solution
•When the start button is pushed to initiate the
process, or if a part has been ejected successfully
from the die, and if the stop button has not been
pushed, the die is filled with predetermined
amount of powder.
•After the die is filled, the punch is advanced to
start applying pressure on the powder.
•The pressing time is to last for 10s, after which
the timer resets itself.
•After the 10s, or any time the stop button is
pressed, the punch retracts.
•After the punch retracts and provided the stop
button has not been pressed, the part is ejected.
•After the part is ejected, the cycle repeats from
the beginning.
•When ever the stop button is pressed the punch
gets retracted and the cycle is stopped.