3.

PROGRAMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLERS

3.1 Architecture of a PLC.

Fig. 3.11(a) shows a simple single unit PLC, as it might appear from a front
view. Two screw terminals (labelled L1 and L2) provide connection to a
single-phase mains supply for powering the PLC's internal circuitry. Six
screw terminals on the left-hand side provide connection to input devices,
each terminal representing a different input "channel" with its own "X"
label. The lower-left screw terminal is a "Common" connection, which is
connected to L2 (neutral) of the ac mains supply.

(a) (b)
Fig. 3.11 Architecture of a PLC

Many commercially available PLCs are consist of three modules, that is;
an input module, a CPU module and an output module (Fig. 3.11(b)). This
figure clearly illustrates the fact that a PLC is a computer system adapted
for the monitoring control and automation of industrial plants. Inputs
devices are usually sensors while output devices include, relays coils,
contactor coils and solenoids. Programming (and compilation) is generally
done on a personal computer and uploaded to the CPU of the PLC via the
programming port.

Inside the PLC housing, connected between each input terminal and the Common
Terminal, is an opto isolator (or optocoupler, photo coupler, optical
isolator) that provides an electrically isolated "high" logic signal to the
computer's internal circuitry. The optocoupler is Light-Emitting Diode/photo-
transistor pair. Any other light activated solid state device such as a photo
TRIAC, SCR may be used in place of the phototransistor. At the input, the LED
of the optocoupler is part of the external circuit while the phototransistor
connects with the internal circuit. In most cases, an external LED is
activated (Fig. 3.12).

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Output signals are generated by the PLC's internal computer circuits that
also activate an output optocoupler. In this case, solid-state light
activated devices would be part of the external output circuit. These
elements connect the "Source" terminal to any of the "Y" labelled output
terminals. As with each input, an indicating LED on the front panel of the
PLC gives visual indication of an "energized" output (Fig. 3.13). The actual
logic of the control system is established inside the PLC by means of a
computer program. This program dictates which output gets energized under
specific input conditions. The program may be a ladder logic diagram (or
simply ladder diagram) or any other Standard PLC programming languages or
tool.

Fig. 3.12 PLC Input Fig. 3.13 PLC Output

3.2 PLC Programming.

The pioneer programming language for PLCs is what the ladder diagram
is. The ladder diagram is a programming language with a graphic syntax. It is
an expansion of the relay logic (electromechanical relay logic) concept. As
such, it has two basic graphic syntax which are: virtual contacts and virtual
coils. The virtual contacts can be normally opened or normally closed. In
most PLC programming platforms, virtual coils may also be normally active or
normally inactive. Consider the circuit and PLC program shown in Fig. 3.24.
According to the program indicated, when the pushbutton is un-pressed, no
‘current’ can flow from left to right. Note that the contact labelled X1
normally open and will only closed when the input attached to X1 is active.
The coil Y1 in series X1 will therefore remain inactive. Thus, the PLC’s Y1
output remains de-energized, and the indicator lamp connected to it remains
dark. If the pushbutton switch is pressed, however, power will be sent to the
PLC’s X1 input. All X1 contacts appearing in the program will assume the
actuated (non-normal) state, as though they were relay contacts actuated by
energizing of a relay coil named ”X1”. In this case, energizing the X1 input
will cause the normally-open X1 contact to ”close,” sending ”power” to the Y1

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coil. When the Y1 coil of the program ”energizes,” the real Y1 output will
become energized, lighting up the lamp connected to it. The outcome of a
similar ladder code but with “normally closed contact” is illustrated by Fig.
3.25

Fig. 3.24 A simple PLC program – Action of normally open contact

Fig. 3.25 A simple PLC program – Action of normally closed contact

One of the advantages of implementing logical control in software

rather than in hardware is that input signals can be re-used as many times in
the program as is necessary. For example, the following circuit and program
(Fig. 3.26) designed to energize the lamp if at least two of the three
pushbuttons are pressed at the same time. To build an equivalent circuit
using electromechanical relays, three relays with two normally open contacts
each would have to be used. Using a PLC, however, we can program as many
contacts as we wish for each ”X” input without adding additional hardware,
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since each input and each output is nothing more than a single bit in the
PLC’s digital memory (either 0 or 1), and can be recalled as many times as
necessary.

Fig. 3.26 Putting a lamp when at leeast two push buttons are pressed

Simple Example 1: Use of PLC to Control a Motor.

The circuit and PLC program shown in Fig. 3.27 can be used to control a
motor. Why is control circuit of Fig. 3.28 not suitable for the same purpose?
Hint: Fail Safe Design!

Fig. 3.27 Motor control –fail safe Fig. 3.28 Motor control – no fail safe

Simple Example 2 – Use of PLC to Implement a Logic Function

Consider the following circuit and program (Fig. 3.29), designed to emulate
the function of a three-input NAND gate. Since PLC program elements are
typically designated by single letters, we can denote an internal control
relay ”C1” as shown. In the first circuit, the lamp will remain lit so long

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as any of the pushbuttons remain un-actuated. To make the lamp turn off, we
will have to actuate (press) all three switches just like in the second
circuit of the Fig. 3.29.

Fig. 3.29 Use of PLC to emulate a three-input NAND gate

Other plc programming languages

Today, apart from ladder diagram, PLCs are programmed using sequential
function charts (SFC) and Function Blocks Diagrams (FBD). SFC and FBD are
both graphic syntax programming languages. We shall introduce SFC programming
in Chapter 4. Text based programming languages such as “Instruction lists”
and “structured texts” are also used.

Scanning
During each operating cycle, the CPU reads all the inputs, interpret their
values and energizes or de-energizes the output sequentially according to
user program. This process is known as scan. Scanning is actually made of
program scan and input/output scan. The time for programme scanning can be up
90% of the total scan time. Because the inputs and outputs can change at any
time the PLC must carry out the scanning process continuously. A typical scan
time is 1 μs. The scan time may be a problem in high-speed systems because a
change of state in the input may not be detected.

3.3 Ladder Diagram Programming

Ladder logic programming graphic syntax vary from one manufacturer to
another. We introduce just two basic graphic syntax developed by Modicon (the
first PLC manufacturer) and IEC 61131-3 in this lesson (see Table 3.31). As
computers, PLCs can also perform timing functions, drum sequencing and other

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advanced functions with far greater accuracy and reliability than what is
possible using electromechanical logic.

Table 3.31 Some Syntax for IEC and Modicon Ladder logic
IEC 61131-3 MODICON INTERPRETATION
SYNTAX SYNTAX
Normally open contact. Passes power (ON) if coil
driving the contact is ON (closed)

Normally closed contact Passes power (ON) if coil

driving the contact is off (open)

Positive transition sensing contact. If conditions

before this instruction change from off to on, this
instruction pass on power (i.e. contact is closed)
for only one scan.
Negative transition sensing contact. If conditions
before this instruction change from on to off, this
instruction pass on power (i.e. contact is closed)
for only one scan.
Output or coil. If any left to right instruction
passes power, the output is energised. If no
continuous left to right path instruction is passing
power, the coil is de-energized.

Negated Output or negated coil. If any left to right

instruction passes power, the output is de-energised.
If no continuous left to right path instruction is
passing power, the coil is energized.
Set coil. If any rung path passes power, the output
is energised and remains energised even the rung path
no longer passes power
Reset coil. If any rung path passes power, the output
is de-energised and remains de-energised even the
rung path no longer passes power

Positive transition sensing coil. If conditions

before this instruction change from off to on, coil
will is turned on for one scan.
negative transition sensing coil. If conditions
before this instruction change from on to off, coil
will is turned on for one scan.
Not Memory coil:
supported
Not Set Memory Coil:
supported
Not Reset Memory coil:
supported