industrial control system

Second year
Preparation / Ahmed ezat mohamed

18 / 4 / 2025

REPORT FOR PLC

supervisory skills

Dr.Golina Saimr
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.................................................................1
Experimental Background..................................................1
Objectives of Experiment.....................................................1
Scope of experiment............................................................2
LITERATURE REVIEW.......................................................3
Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)...............................3
Elements in PLC and their Characteristics..........................4
A typical modular PLC.....................................................5
Ladder Logic.......................................................................6
Basic Examples of Ladder Logic Diagram........................6
Methodology..........................................................................6
Preparation.........................................................................6
Coding Design....................................................................7
Start-up...............................................................................7
Shut down...........................................................................7
Discussion.............................................................................7
Conclusion............................................................................9
References...........................................................................10
INTRODUCTION

Experimental Background
Nowadays, the control system engineering has evolved greatly with
the improvement of technology. The construction of Programmable Logic
Controller had been led by the development of digital computer. PLC is
an important device for controlling the processes that are complicated
with many inputs and outputs. PLC has been commonly used in
industries, especially for manufacturing control. In PLC controller, the
input is received by an electronic device in the form of digital and analog
data and processes them via a programmed sequence using timers,
counters and mathematical elements to generate outputs to control a
determined process or processes. It is also a class of industrial devices
that perform logic functions that replace electro-mechanical and solid
state logic and other control functions. In this experiment, a simple
process that controlled by PLC is to be designed in the laboratory. A
ladder logic diagram is being drawn to convert it into a program. An
acceptable time scale has been used to scale down the process for
experimental work. The coding was transformed into a programming
instruction.

Objectives of Experiment
The main objective of this experiment is to study and understand
the basic concept of PLC and the application in industry process. By
using a simple lab scale and feasible time scale process, this experiment
enables students to learn the method to develop logic diagram and design
coding that are corresponding to the process. Lastly, the experiment also

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enables the students to understand how coding transform into instructions
in PLC and learn how to program the controller.

Scope of experiment
In this experiment, the simple process of mixing will be carried out
for the student to use the PLC to control the process. The PLC devices
will act as the controller for the valves, pump and stirrer by using suitable
codding. All the coding will only be done by referring to a ladder logic
diagram that is corresponding to the mixing process. An acceptable time
scale will be used in the whole experiment.

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LITERATURE REVIEW

Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)

Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is a digital computer for

automation of typically industrial electromechanical processes, such as
control of machinery on factory assembly lines, amusement rides or light
fixtures. PLCs are used in many machines in many industries. PLCs are
designed for multiple arrangements of digital and analog inputs and
outputs , extended temperature ranges, immunity to electrical noise
and resistance to vibration and impact. Programs are typically stored in
battery –backed-up or non-volatile memory. A PLC is an example of a
“hard” real-time system since output results must be produced in response
to input conditions within a limited time, otherwise unintended operation
will result.

Nowadays, the development of plant increases and all the system

need to be controlled and a controller is necessary. Controllers can be
divided into pneumatic, hydraulic, electrical and electronic controllers.
Frequently, a combination of different technologies is used such as
between hard-wired programmable and PLC. (Bliesener et. al, 2002).
PLC is widely used in batch process to execute the desired binary logic
operations and to implement the desired sequencing. The inputs to the
PLC are a set of relay contact representing various device states switches
indicate whether a valve fully open or closed. (Seborg, 2011). One of the
advantages of PLC is that it can reduce human effort. Besides, maximum
efficiency from machine can be obtained and they can be controlled by
using human logic. In addition, the use of PLCs can reduce complex
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circuitry of entire system and also eliminate the high cost associate with
inflexible, relay-controlled system. The features of PLCs are tabulated in
the table as shown below:

Features of PLCs:
i. Field programmable by the user.
ii. Contains preprogrammed functions e.g. logic, timing, counting
etc.
iii. Reduces hard wiring and wiring cost.
iv. Packaged appropriately to use in an industrial environment.
v. Monitoring, error checking and diagnostics capability.
vi. Analog, digital and voltage inputs.
vii. Industry standard programmable languages.
viii. Competitive in both cost and space requirements.
ix. Industry standard I/O interfaces; capable of communicating with
other PLCs, computers and intelligent devices.
Features of PLCs

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Elements in PLC and their Characteristics

A PLC consists of many elements, including power supply,

processor, inputs and outputs which are separated by functions and are
interconnected via a rack or base. The rack can accept different types of
input/output (I/O) modules that simply slide into rack and plug in.

A typical modular PLC

The power supply is the source of power to all the elements of the
PLC. The processor unit (CPU) is where all the processing is done. It
receives all information from the inputs. Next, the CPU processes them
and sends the information to the outputs. Inputs are elements that receive
information, either digital or analog data, from the field or process and
then transfer them to the processor whereas outputs are the blocks that
establish the interface between the processor and the variables to be
controlled in the process. Both digital and analog data can be sent from
outputs. Sensors are elements that receive information from the controlled
process. Different signals can be generated from different sensors. If

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digital signal is generated, it is connected to the digital inputs of the PLC
and vice versa. Besides, actuator like solenoid valve is connected to the
outputs of PLC so that the components of the system can be controlled by
adjusting them to the set point. Lastly, the user interface is used to
monitor the process through the information given in PLCs.
Ladder Logic
Ladder logic is the primary programming language of
programmable logic control. The language closely resembles the
diagrams used to document the relay logic. The basic examples of ladder
logic diagram are tabulated in the table as shown below:

Normally open (NO) contact. Passes power (on) if coil

driving the contact in on (closed).
Normally closed (NC) contact. Passes power (on) if
coil driving the contact in off (opened).
Output or coil. If any left-to-right path of contacts
passes powerm The output is energized. If there is no
continuous left-to-right path of contacts passing power,
the output is de-energized.
Basic Examples of Ladder Logic Diagram

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Methodology
Preparation
1. The process is design as a simple mixing process with acceptable
time scales. (Refer to diagram 3.1)
2. Both the water tanks are filled up to indicate 7 liters.
3. All the output devices cables are plugged to the corresponding
output devices terminal.

Coding Design
1. A suitable ladder diagram is draw.
2. The power supply of PLC device is switched on.
3. The key switch of programming console is set to ‘program’
position.
4. The password is cleared by entering CLR→MONTR→CLR
5. The previous coding is cleared by entering CLR→ PLAY/SET→
NOT→ REC/RESET→ MONTR→ CLR
6. The codding design is inserted.
7. The key switch is set to ‘run’ position
8. A test will be run by PLC controller before the experiment.

Start-up
1. The power supply for stirrer and pump is switched on.
2. The key switch is set as ‘run’ position.
3. The process is observed.

Shut down
1. All the devices are stopped.

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 2. All the devices are switched off.
3. The PIC controller is switched off.
4. The main power supply is switched off.

Discussion

From what we had suggested, a situation is created where we want

to make a production of 2 solutions in the mixer. The amount of each
substance entering in the mixer is being controlled by a PLC program.
Thus, we are using the PLC equipment in the Control Lab, UTM as a
practice of using PLC to control the desired substance entering in a mixer
which is water from two different pumps.

In this experiment, we had used the timer PLC. There were four
equipments needed for this experiment which were Pump 1, Pump 2,
Pump 3 and mixer. Both Pump 2 and Pump 3 were used to pump water
into reactor tank whereas Pump 1 was used to drain out the water from
reactor tank and the mixer was used to mix water in reactor tank. The
volume of reactor tank was decided to be 4 liters (L).

The time table for pump operation in Figure 4.0 shows the duration
of the Pump 1, Pump 2, Pump 3 and Mixer operated at each their
respectively time relay. Firstly, both Pump 2 and Pump 3 took 11 seconds
(s) to fill up 1L of water into reactor tank. Therefore, for 2L of each
storage container, each pump needs 22s to completely fill up the reactor
tank. Below was the process path flow:

2L of water 2L of water pump

Mixing
pump in out
(60 s)
(22 s) (180 s)

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 PLC is used in many industries to monitor and control building
system and production process. PLC is designed to be extremely robust,
often capable of withstanding extreme temperature, humidity, vibration
and electrical noise. Logic controllers are commonly asked with
monitoring and controlling very large number of sensors and actuators,
and therefore distinct from other computer systems in their extensive
input/output arrangement.

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Conclusion

The Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) program can be applied

to most of any chemical reaction process in laboratory scale, especially
for batch or semi-batch process. In this experiment, we had decided that
the total time taken for the whole mixing process to operate was 442
seconds in which 22, 60 and 360 seconds were allocated for the pumping
of contents into the mixer, mixing and draining of the resulting mixture
from the mixer respectively. We are using the programming training kit
and had developed a suitable coding using the programming console as a
practice to control the production process. Based on the experiment, we
were successfully using the PLC program to mix the water from two
different pumps at the specified time and opening the drain after the
mixing process. We were required to ensure the mixing and flowing
process begins and continues accordingly with only one switch from the
beginning. The ladder logic diagram was then applied beforehand by
determining the desired flow of the process and implementing logical
reasoning to come up with programmable codes to place order on the
process accordingly. The “AND”, “OR” and “AND NOT” notations were
mainly the important terms in deciding the outcome of every single
process flow as far as the ladder logic system is concerned. Therefore,
after the experiment is run, it can be concluded that this experiment had
fulfilled the objectives based on the ladder diagram and coding developed
where the students are able to run the experiment with a single unit
operation with the aid of PLC program in order for the experiment to be
controlled automatically.
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References

1) Seborg, D.E., Edgar, T.F., Mellichamp, D.A., Doyle III, F.J.

(2011). Process Dynamics and Control Third Edition. John Wiley
& Sons, Inc.

2) Zahurul haq,2010. Programmable Logic Controller (PLC).

Department of Mechanical Engineering Bangladesh University of
Engineering & Technology.

3) Bliesener et. al, 2002. Programmable Logic ControllersBasic

Level. Festo Didactic GmbH & Co

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