Basics of PLC Programming

EE 100 Intro to EE Fall 2004 Dr. Stephen Williams, P.E.

Overview
How did we get where we are today? How does a project at GM in 1968 relate to the work of Henry Leland in the late 1800s?
PLC AB Autos GM Bus Ford SLC

Sensor Drive

Vocabulary
Programmable Logic Controllers
Definite-purpose computers design to control industrial processes and machines

Drives
Solid-state devices designed to control motors

Sensors
Transducers used to obtain information

First Programmable Controller

General Motors Corporation
Hydromatic Division

Replaced relay-controlled system PDP-8 minicomputers? MODICON 084

Modular Digital Controller

Information Flow

Genesis of Automation
Operation sheets
May date back to the 1830s

Listing of:
All machining operations The machine tools employed Tools, jigs, fixtures, and gauges

Organization and flow of work

Industrial Revolution
High-volume production Interchangeable parts Transportation system Inexpensive energy (coal) Frederick W. Taylor
Scientific management

Henry Ford

Purpose of Automation
Increase productivity Standardize components or processes Free workers from repetitive, and sometime dangerous, tasks

Early Automation Applications

1869 Refineries in Pennsylvania automatically covert crude oil to kerosene 1937 Pictured is the loading and unloading of stators via an overhead conveyor for dipping in continuous process oven

The Case Against Automation

Las Vegas Sun, August 2, 1961
Jimmy Hoffa saw a new industrial revolution forming with automation being a threat to his giant union more menacing than the Justice Department, Attorney General Bobby Kennedy and the president himself. He felt he could cope with the Senate committees, the FBI, and all the new legislation being written, which he thinks is aimed at unionism. It is with automation that all his talents, energy and ability must be directed.

Forces Driving Automation

Lower costs Faster production Better quality control How have they remained relevant today?

Engineering Resources
Why do you need all of these engineers running around to make all of this stuff work?

Breakthroughs and Plateaus

Where have we seen breakthroughs, and then plateaus of technology?
Microprocessors Graphical User Interfaces Power Electronics Software Systems

Brief Review of Technology

Traditional (ancient?) devices
Still used in many plants If it aint broke

Where are we going?

Traditional Relay Logic

Used since Control via a series of relay contacts On and off inputs Race conditions on the outputs Very expensive
Hard to design and construct Difficult to maintain

Traditional Devices
Relays Contactors Motor Starters Manually operated switches Mechanically operated switches Electrically operated switches

Relays
Original control elements Now used as auxiliary devices
The PLC is not designed to switch high currents or voltages
CR1-1 CR1

Contactors
Used for heavy-duty switching Provides isolation from high voltages and large currents Usefully for large inductive currents, such as motor starting

Motor Starters
Contactors + Overload Relay Overload relays were usually heaters and bimetal strips
The bimetal strip separates when heated

Next steps:
PLCs and motor starters Electronic overloads Intelligent starters

Manually Operated Switches

Pushbuttons
Normally open Normally closed Break-then-make Make-then-break

Selector switches
Maintained or spring return

Mechanically Operated Switches

Limit Switches Temperature Switches Pressure Switches Level Switches

Electrically Operated Switches

Photoelectric Switches Proximity Switches

What's ahead?
Solid state devices to replace motor starters Distributed smart sensors Micro- and nanomachines Adaptive control Smart maintenance

Summary
A very brief history of industrial automation Overview of some of the older technologies Some thoughts on the future

PLC Systems
CPU
Processor Memory
One Module

Power Supply
Part of the chassis or a separate module

Programming/ Monitoring Device I/0 Modules

Small Logic Controllers

Input and Output

Input Modules
Convert real world signal to PLC input
24 V, 120 V, Analog, etc.

Output Modules
Convert PLC signal to real world output
24 V, 120 V, Analog, etc.

Limiting values
PLC power supply

Configurations
Fixed I/O
Limited expandability

Rack
Many modules, with the possibility of chaining many racks together

SLC 500 is a fixed I/O device SLC 5/02 uses a rack configuration

Chassis Versus Rack

One Rack is 128 inputs/outputs A chassis is the outer shell of the PLC Chassis Rack SLC 5/02s in S-340 have a ten-slot chassis
Slots are numbered from 0 to 9

SLC Image Tables

Hex numbering Addressing
I1:2.0/01 I is for the file type 1 is the file number 2 is the element number .0 is the sub-element number (>16) /01 is the bit number

Real World Address

I1:3.0/01
I is the module type 1 is redundant 3 is the slot number .0 is for terminals above 15 /01 is the terminal number

Remote Racks
I/O racks located close to the equipment being monitored Simplifies wiring Communication modules
Similar to LAN Fiber Optic Coaxial cable

Discrete I/O Modules

Either on or off Bit oriented Various ratings
24 V 120 V TTL 4 20 mA

Special I/O Modules

Analog High speed counter Thumb-wheel TTL Encoder PID Servo

Memory Organization
Not the same on all manufactures
Allen Bradley uses two main types

Memory Maps
Data table User program Internal registers

Memory allocation could be fixed or variable

SLC Program File Structure

Program File Number 0 1 2 3-255 Use System Functions Reserved Main Program Subroutines

RSLogix 500 Screen

Define controller attributes
Model Memory Communication

Program files
Main program Subprograms

SLC Data File Structure

Data File Number 0 1 2 3 Use Output Image Table Input Image Table Status Table Bit Table

SLC Data File Structure

Data File Number 4 5 6 7 Use Timer Table Counter Table Control Table Integer Table

SLC Data File Structure

Data File Number 8 9 10-255 Use Reserved (Floating Point Value Table) Network Table Any combination of Bit, Timer, Counter, Control, or Integer Tables

RSLogix 500 Screen

Access to input and output tables Access to timer and control control files

Address Format
What type of device or module Where is it located physically or in memory For example, T4:0/DN is the done bit for timer 0 in file 4 I:2.0 is an input module in slot 2 Word versus bit addresses
I:3.0 is a word, I:3.0/04 is a bit

Multiword Elements
Timers, counters, and control elements Three words used
Control word to store status Preset word to store desired value Accumulated word to store present value Control file store a length and position value (on functions other than counters and timers)

Counter Element Example

Name Control Word Preset Word Accumulated Word Address C5:0 C5:0.PRE C5:0.ACC Example C5:0/DN 5000 1240

RSLogix 500 Screen

Counter C5:0

Program Scan
Each cycle through the program and I/O process is called a scan Scan times vary with the length of the program and the speed of the processor

Programming Environments
Languages available
Ladder logic Boolean Function chart

Ladder logic is the most common Function chart is the future C, BASIC, etc., are also possible

Transducers
Converts energy from one form to another Input transducers
Real world into the PLC

Output transducers
PLC to real world

Sensors
Sensors are transducers used to measure or detect Convert mechanical, magnetic, thermal, or optical variations into electrical quantities Sensor input is the basis for most of the decisions made in a large system

Proximity Sensors
Detect the presence of a object (target) without physically touching the object Solid-state devices Completely encapsulated Used when:
Detecting small objects Rapid response is required

Inductive Proximity Sensors

Senses a metallic object A change in the magnetic field occurs when a metallic object enters into range This type of sensor can see through cardboard boxes and other enclosures Current-sourcing or current-sinking output

Manually Operated Switches

Pushbuttons
Normally open Normally closed Break-then-make Make-then-break

Selector switches
Maintained or spring return

Counter Instructions
Count Up or Down Similar to timers, but without an internal source Two methods used: block and coil
SLC 5/02s use the coil format

PREset and ACCumlated values RESet similar to RTO

How Counters Work

Increment or decrement on a false to true input transition They are retentive
The accumulated value remains when the rung goes false

PREset can be changed by the program

Move a new value into C5:0.PRE

Control Bits
15 CU 14 CD 13 DN 12 OV 11 UN 10 UA

CU = Count Up CD = Count Down DN = Done OV = Overflow, UN = Underflow

Integer Limits
PREset and ACCumulator values must be integers Integers on the SLC 5/02 range from 32,767 to -32,768 Cascade counters to go beyond these limits

Cascading Example

Down Counters
The SLC 5/02 does not have a true down counter
The counter does not start at a value and become true when the ACCumulator is zero

The SLC 5/02 CTD works with another counter with the same address

Down Counter Example

Types of Data Instructions

Math Functions
Add, subtract, multiply, etc.

Data Conversion and Comparison

Integer to BCD, Less than, Equal, etc.

Logical Operations

Bits, Words, and Files

A bit is the smallest unit of information
T4:0/DN is a bit

A word is another name for a register

T4:0.PRE is a word

A file is a block of words, also known as a table

T4 is a file

Data Transfer Move

The move instruction takes a value from a register, or a constant value, and places it in another register

BCD Move Into a Register

Moves an integer value into a BCD device. In lab, the LED Display

BCD Move From a Register

Moves an BCD value into an integer register. In lab, the thumb-wheel inputs

Comparisons
Greater than, less than, equals, etc. When true, output is true

Todays Task
Use what you have learned to break the code Each bench has a PLC program The first bench to turn on all five lamps wins!