Islamic University of Technology (IUT) Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) EEE

4706 Control System Engineering Lab

Exp: 04 Introduction to Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) PLC and DCS:
The road taken by control systems for installations and industrial machinery was divided into two sectors: those simply dedicated to the management of digital signals and those dedicated to analogical signals. In reality, the heart of those devices was always based upon microprocessors, but the utilization was very different: 1. The PLCs ware stand-alone devices optimized for operations of single bits and were of contained cost 2. The DCS were conceived for the management of large numbers and complex mathematical processing, as well as being connected in network with more than one station. The DCS (distributed control systems) were developed for the large chemical, petroleum, pharmaceutical and thermo-electric and nuclear processing industries, giving them an appearance of greater reliability and professionalism in respect of the PLC systems. But this was paid for in terms of much greater costs both for the typically abundant hardware part and the software part, typically developed by highly specialized personnel. The PLC systems instead were conceived without a precise reason but to keep as many customers and application as happy as possible, making available large ranges of corollary accessories of each PLC and useful for any situation.

Programmable Logic Controllers:

To simplify the construction of circuits of machinery and installations, industrial electronics created the programmable logic controller, devices in which the old cabled logic was instead programmed inside a microprocessor. Their fundamental characteristic lies in the fact that being electronic devices, and therefore functioning at low voltage, they are suitable for use in industrial

environments with considerable electrical disturbance and high electric currents. In fact, inside them there is a simple but highly reliable microprocessor equipped with special input/output interfaces that can connect the microprocessor directly to electrical signals of installations and machinery.

The functioning of a PLC is quite simple: 1. In the first phase, the input interfaces (simply called inputs) acquire the status of the signals coming from the buttons, sensors and contacts. 2. In the second phase the microprocessor, processing the program on the basis of the inputs and internal data, produces signals that are sent to the output interfaces (simply called outputs). 3. In the third phase, the output signals that are transmitted to the actuators (motors, solenoid valves, consensuses etc) that put the machine in the motion.

Street light automation: A practical example

Basic principle:
A LDR (light dependent resistor) is used as the light sensor which will sense the amount of daylight falling on it. Depending on the LDR value a relay will be turned on or off. The output from the relay will be connected to PLC which will in turn switch on the street lights. When the sun rises in the morning, the LDR value will be changed which will turn off the street lights.

Circuit diagram:

560 LDR 12V DC

Op-Amp LM741

10K

10K

10 K

Relay

4007
470

PLC

Lights

2N2222

220 uF 1K 25V

PLC coding:
In PLC there are three conventions are followed for coding. They are as follows: 1. Ladder logic (LAD) 2. Functional block diagram (FBD)

3. Statement list (STL) Among all three most easy and widely used is Ladder Logic. It is nothing but drag and drop of graphical symbols according to desired operation. In PLC bit, byte and word operations can be executed.

** For further information about PLC programming you can collect the PLC
trainer manual from the lab