PLC AND ITS APPLICATION

BY

SOUVIK GANGULI
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, EIED
THAPAR UNIVERSITY, PATIALA
 PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)

It is basically a
controller

Not continuous but logic

state i.e. on-off controller

Sequence of logic states are

programmable
All operations are to control a process
FOR WHAT TYPE OF PROCESSES PLC IS SUITABLE ?

Automatic bottle filling system

An example of
discrete state
process control
Example of Discrete State Process Control

Liquid Level Monitoring

 Discrete State Process Control and PLC

• In majority of industrial process control, simply

a controlled variable is regulated , but there are
many processes where not a variable is
controlled but sequence of events are to be
controlled These are called discrete state process
control.
• So discrete state process control system works on
the basis of sequence of events.
• These sequence of events are programmed and
controlled by Programmable Logic Controller
(PLC).
 Relay and Switch

• Relay as primary control element of

Discrete State Process Control

Use of relay and switch to start a Use of relay for a latch

motor
When entire control system is implemented using relays ,
the system is called relay sequencer.
 LADDER DIAGRAM

• A special schematic representation of the hardware and its

connection has been developed that makes combination of
hardware and event sequence description clear. This schematic is
called ladder diagram.

• An industrial control system typically involves electric motors,

solenoids, heaters etc. which are operated from the a.c. power
line. e.g. when a conveyor motor is turned on it may mean
starting of a 50 H.P. motor. This will not be done by single toggle
switch but a small switch may be used to energize a relay with
contact ratings that can handle a heavy load as shown in previous
fig.
• When a relay panel is wired
to implement a ladder diagram ,
we say that it has been programmed
to satisfy the ladder diagram.
 Advantages of Computer Based Controller or
Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) over
Relay Logic Controller

• After wiring of relay panel if the event sequence

is to be changed , it is necessary to rewire all or
part of the panel.
• It may even be necessary to add more relays to
the system than the previous. This is quite
trouble some.
• The I/O variables of discrete state process control
systems are binary in nature just as with
computer.
• Many of the control relays of the ladder diagram
can be replaced by software which means less
hardwire failure.
 Advantages of Computer Based Controller or
Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) over
Relay Logic Controller

• Special functions such as time delay actions and

counters are easy to form in software.
• Solid state devices such as SCRs , TRIACs are
available that can control high power ac/dc in
response to low level commands from a
computer.
 BASIC BLOCK DIAGRAM OF PLC

• Processor executes a program to perform

operations such as arithmetic or logical
operations on input variables.
• The processor is usually able to accommodate a
number of I/P s called channels.
 INPUT AND OUTPUT MODULE OF PLC

• I/P module examines the state of physical switches and

other I/P devices and put their states into a form suitable
for the processor.
• O/P module supplies a.c power to external devices such as
motors, lights, solenoids etc.
• Internally O/P module accepts 1 or 0 I/P from the
processor and use this to turn on/off an a.c. power control
device such as triac.

I/P module O/P module

 PLC details

• PLC can actually be considered to be a box full of

hundreds or thousands of separate relays,
counters, timers and data storage locations .
• These counters timers etc. don’t really exist but
rather they are simulated and can be considered
software counters, timers etc.
• I/P relays and O/P relays are connected to the
outside world , they physically exist .
• There are some internal internal utility relays
(contacts ) . They don’t receive signals from the
outside world or not physically exist. They are
simulated relays.
 PLC OPERATION
(I/O SCAN MODE AND EXECUTION MODE )

• The operation of the PLC can be

considered in two modes,
I/O Scan Mode & Execution Mode CHECK I/P STATUS

In I/O Scan mode the processor

updates all outputs and inputs, EXECUTE PROGRAM
the state of all inputs one channel
at a time. The time required for this
depends on the speed of the
UPDATE O/P STATUS
processor.
 PLC EXECUTION MODE

• During this mode the processor evaluates each

rung of the ladder diagram program that is being
executed sequentially, starting from the first
rung and proceeding to the last rung.
• As a rung is evaluated the last known state of
each switch and relay contact in the rung is
considered and if any true path to the o/p device
is detected , then the o/p is indicated to be
energized, I.e. set on.
• At the end of the ladder diagram the I/O mode is
entered again and all O/P devices are provided
with on or off state determined from execution
of the ladder diagram program.
• All I/P s are sampled and execution mode is
 PLC SCAN TIME

• An important characteristics of the PLC is how

mach time is required for one complete cycle of I/
O scan and execution .
• This depends on how many I/P and O/P channels
are involved and on the length of the ladder
diagram program.
• The speed of the controller is dependent on the
clock frequency of the processor. The higher the
clock frequency the greater is the speed and
faster is the scan and execution time.
SYMBOLS FOR CONTROL ,TIMER RELAYS, etc
TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF PLC LADDER
DIAGRAM
LADDER DIAGRAM DURING START AND STOP
OF THE ELEVATOR SYSTEM

DURING START DURING STOP

FULL LADDER LIAGRAM FOR THE ELEVATOR SYSTEM