Input and Output Devices

 PLC I/O is the part of PLC that connects the CPU to the field devices
 Input module detects the status of input signals such as push-buttons, mechanical
switches, proximity switches, photoelectric switches, encoders, etc.
 Output module controls devices such as relays, motor, contactors, lights, etc.
 I/O devices can either be discrete or analogue

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Input Devices
Manually Operated Switches
 Pushbutton switches: Operated by opening or closing contact when pressed

 Selector switch: Rotated to open and  Dual in-line package (DIP) switch:
close contact of the attached contact Switch assemblies designed for
bock mounting on printed circuit board
modules

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Input Devices Cont’
Mechanically Operated Switches
 Limit switch: Design to operate only when a predetermined limit is reached

 Pressure switch: Open or close their

contact when specified pressure is
 Temperature switch (thermostat):
reached
Used to sense temperature changes

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Input Devices Cont’
Mechanically Operated Switches Cont’/Sensors
 Level switches: Used to sense
liquid levels in vessels and provide
automatic control for motors that
transfer liquid from sumps or into
tanks
Sensors
Used for detecting, and often measuring,
the magnitude of something. They
convert mechanical, magnetic, thermal,
optical, and chemical variations into
electric voltages and currents.
 Proximity Sensor: Detect the
presence of an object without
physical contact. They are used
when:
Dr.-Ing. Jackson G. Njiri EMT 2549
– The object being detected is too
small, lightweight, or soft to operate
a mechanical switch
– Rapid response and high switching
rates are required, as in counting or
ejection control applications
– An object has to be sensed through
nonmetallic barriers such as glass,
plastic, and paper cartons
– Hostile environments prevent proper
operation of mechanical switches and
demand improved sealing properties
– Long life and reliable service are
required.
– A fast electronic control system
requires a bounce-free input signal
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Input Devices Cont’
Proximity sensors operate on different  Magnetic Reed Switch: One practical
principles, depending on the type of application is in a float switch. The
matter being detected reed switch opens or closes a circuit as
 Inductive-type proximity sensor: the level of a liquid rises or falls.
Used to detect both ferrous metals
(containing iron) and nonferrous
metals (such as copper, aluminum,
and brass).
 Capacitive proximity sensors:
– Are similar to inductive proximity
sensors
– Capacitive proximity sensors
produce an electrostatic field  Light sensor
instead of an electromagnetic field  Photovotaic/solar cell: Reacts to
and are actuated by both light by converting the light energy
conductive and nonconductive directly into electric energy
materials  Photocoductive cell: Also called a
– Sense metal objects as well as photoresistive cell reacts to light by
nonmetallic materials such as change in the resistance of the cell.
paper, glass, liquids, and cloth

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Input Devices Cont’
 Light sensor
 Photovotaic/solar cell: Reacts
to light by converting the light
energy directly into electric energy
 Photocoductive cell: Also called
a photoresistive cell reacts to light
by change in the resistance of the
cell

 Ultrasonic sensor: Operates by

 Photoelectric sensor: An optical
control device that operates by
detecting a visible or invisible
beam of light and responding to a
change in the received light
intensity.
sending high-frequency sound waves
toward the target and measuring the
time it takes for the pulses to bounce
back. The time taken for this echo to
return to the sensor is directly
proportional to the distance or height
of the object because sound has a
constant velocity.

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Input Devices Cont’
– Ultrasonic sensors can detect
solids, fluids, granular objects,
and textiles
– Enable the detection of different
objects irrespective of color and
transparency and therefore are
ideal for monitoring transparent
objects.
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 Strain/Weight Sensors: A strain
gauge converts a mechanical strain
into an electric signal
– Based on the principle that the
resistance of a conductor varies
with length and cross-sectional area
– Distortion due to applied force
causes the change in resistance
– Resisance change is fed to a bridge
circuit that detects small changes in
the gauge’s resistance.
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Input Devices Cont’
 Temperature Sensors:
 Thermocouple: The
thermocouple is the most widely
used temperature sensor.
Thermocouples operate on the
principle that when two dissimilar
metals are joined, a predictable
DC voltage will be generated that
relates to the difference in
temperature between the hot
junction and the cold junction
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 Resistance temperature detectors (RTDs):
Are wirewound temperature-sensing
devices that operate on the principle of
the positive temperature coefficient
(PTC) of metals.
– The electrical resistance of metals is
directly proportional to temperature
– Platinum is the material most often
used in RTDs because of its
superiority regarding temperature
limit, linearity, and stability
– RTDs are among the most precise
temperature sensors available
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Input Devices Cont’
 Flow Measurement: Turbine-type
flowmeters are a popular means of
measurement and control of liquid
products in industrial, chemical, and
petroleum operations

 Encoder: Convert linear or rotary

motion into a binary digital signal.
Encoders are used in applications
where positions have to be precisely
determine
 Velocity and Position Sensors
 Tachometer generators:
Convert rotational speed into an
analog voltage signal that can be
used for motor speed indication
and control applications

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Output Devices
 These devices include pilot lights, control relays, motor starters, alarms, heaters,
solenoids, solenoid valves, small motors, and horns.
 The digital signal from the output channel of a PLC is used to control an actuator
which in turn controls some process
 The term actuator is used for the device which transforms the electrical signal
into some more powerful action which then results in the control or action in the
process

Common electrical symbols for output devices

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Output Devices Cont’
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 Relay
− Magnetic field produced when a current is passed through a solenoid is used to
operate a relay
− Relays are used to control a larger current or voltage and to isolate the power
used to initiate the switching action from that of the controlled power
− The solenoid of a relay can operate more than one set of contacts (pole)

− The term latching relay is used for

relays whose contacts remain open or
closed even after the power has been
removed from the solenoid
− The term contactor is used when
large currents are being switched
from large voltage source

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Output Devices Cont’
 Solenoid operated valve(4/2 valve)

− Pressurized air/hydraulic fluid is input − Current in the solenoid, the spool

from port P valve switches the hydraulic
− Port T allows hydraulic fluid to return fluid/pressurized air to the left of the
to supply tank/atmosphere piston and exhaust it to the right
− No current in the solenoid, hydraulic making the piston to be pushed to the
fluid/compressed air is fed to the right
right of the piston and exhausted to
the left resulting to piston pushed to Other Output Devices
the left  Motors
 Lights, etc
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Input/Output PLC Modules
 I/O arrangements are built into a fixed
PLC while modular types use external
I/O modules that are fixed into the PLC

Discrete I/O Modules

 A PLC continuously run through its This
type of interface connects field input
devices of the ON/OFF nature such as
selector switches, pushbuttons, and
limit switches
 output control is limited to devices such
as lights, relays, solenoids, and motor
starters that require simple ON/OFF  An optical isolator is used to provide
switching electrical isolation between the field
 Since these voltages can be of different wiring and PLC backplane internal
magnitude or type, I/O modules are circuitry
available at various AC and DC voltage
ratings

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Input/Output PLC Modules Cont’
 Discrete input module performs the  If the module is a current-sourcing
following four tasks in the PLC control module, then the input or output device
system must be a current-sinking device
− Sense when a signal is received from  If the module is specified as current-
a field device sinking, then the connected device
− Convert the input signal to the must be current-sourcing
correct voltage level for the
particular PLC
− Isolate the PLC from fluctuations in
the input signal’s voltage or current
− Send a signal to the processor
indicating which sensor originated the
signal
 The discrete relay contact output
module uses electromechanical as the
switching element. The relay outputs
can be used with AC or DC devices, but
they have a much slower switching
time compared to solid-state outputs
 Certain DC I/O modules specify
whether the module is designed for
interfacing with current-source or
current-sink devices
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Input/Output PLC Modules Cont’ (I/P Wiring)

Sourcing Input (NPN) Sinking Input (PNP)

Current flows from PLC to external devices Current flows from external devices to PLC

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Input/Output PLC Modules Cont’ (O/P Wiring)

Sourcing Output Sinking Output

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Analog I/O Modules
 Analog devices represent physical
quantities that can have an infinite
number of values
 Typical analog inputs and outputs vary
from 0 to 20 mA, 4 to 20 mA, or 0 to
10 V
Analog I/O to a PLC
 The analog input interface module
contains the circuitry necessary to
accept an analog voltage or current
signal from the level transmitter field
device
 The input is converted from an analog
to a digital value for use by the
processor
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 Analog output module accepts the
digital value from the processor and
converts it back to an analog signal
that drives the field tank level meter
 Types of analog input modules
− Voltage sensing
− Current sensing
 Analog sensors measure a varying
physical quantity over a specific range
and generate a corresponding voltage
or current signal
 Common physical quantities measured
by a PLC analog module include
temperature, speed, level, flow,
weight, pressure, and position
 The transition of an analog signal to
digital values is accomplished by an
analog-to-digital (A/D) converter, the
main element of the analog input
module
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Special I/O Modules

 High-speed counter module: Used to  Stepper-motor module: Provides

provide an interface for applications pulse trains to a stepper-motor
requiring counter speeds that surpass translator, which enables control of a
the capability of the PLC ladder stepper motor
program  BCD-output module: Enables a PLC to
 Thumbwheel module: Allows the use operate devices that require BCD-coded
of thumbwheel switches for feeding signals such as seven-segment displays
information to the PLC to be used in the  PID module: Used in process control
control program applications that incorporate PID
 TTL module: Allows devices that algorithms
produce Transistor-Transistor-Logic  Motion and position control
(TTL)-level signals to communicate with modules: Used in applications
the PLC’s processor involving accurate high-speed
 Encoder-counter module: Allows the machining and packaging operations
user to read the signal from an encoder  Communications modules: Serial
on a real-time basis and stores this communications modules are used to
information so it can be read later by establish point-to-point connections
the processor with other intelligent devices for the
 BASIC or ASCII module: Runs user- exchange of data
written BASIC and C programs

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Input/Output processing

 A PLC continuously run through its −The O/P are latched so as to retain
program and update it depending on their status until the next updating
the results/status of input signals
 Each of such loop is called a cycle
 There are two methods that are used
for input/output processing.
− Continuous update
− Mass input/output copying

 Continuous update
− Involves the CPU scanning the I/O
channels as the occur in the program
instructions
− Each I/P point is examined individually
and its effects on the program
determined
− There is an in-built delay of 3 ms to
enable processor to avoid counting
input twice if there is contact bounce
at a switch

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Input/Output processing Cont’

 Mass I/O copying

− To allow for more rapid execution of Sequence for mass I/O copying
the program, a specific area of RAM is
used as a buffer to store between the
control logic and the I/O unit
− Each I/O has an address in this
memory
− At the start of each program cycle the
CPU scans all the inputs and copies
their status into the I/O addresses in
RAM
− As the program is executed the stored,
I/P data is read, as required, from
RAM and the logic operations carried
out
− The resulting O/P signals are stored
in the reserved I/O section of RAM
− At the end of each program cycle all
the O/Ps are transferred from RAM to
the O/P channels
− The O/Ps are latched so that they
retain their status until the next
updating.
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