PLC Timer

Types of PLC timer

• In general, there are three types
of PLC timer delays,
• ON-delay timer
• OFF-delay timer
• Retentive Timer On (RTO).
TON
TOFF
 Timing Diagram
The following timing diagrams compare and contrast on-delay with
off-delay timers:
• The terms represented in the timer block
in the PLC are a ;
• Preset value which means the delay
period of the timer and an Accumulated
value which is the current delay of the
timer.
• A timer begins the counting on time-
based intervals and continues until the
accumulated value equals the preset
value.
• When the accumulated value equals
the preset time the output will be
energized. Then the timer sets the
output.
TON timer or ON delay timer
• An ON delay timer is used where we
need a time delay before an
instruction becomes true.
A representation TON timer is shown above, which
contains,
Timer number: The timer file name
Time base: which is shown in seconds,
Preset value: Numeric value set as the delay
required to the timer.
Accumulated value: The values are counting is
displayed from zero. Value becomes zero whenever
the timer is reset
The timer starts operating when the rung condition
becomes true. The timer delay starts counting when the
rung condition starts to accumulate.
When the Preset value becomes equal to the accumulated
value, the output is made true.
The timed output becomes true sometime after the timer
rung becomes true; hence, the timer is said to have an on-
delay.
The length of the delay can be adjusted by setting the
preset value.
 TOFF timer or OFF delay timer
• A TOFF timer will keep the output energized for a
preset time after the rung signal has gone false.
• The TOFF timer will have all the contents as in
the TON timer, with the similar function.
• When the rung timer is true, the output will be
true without any delay. When the rung signal
becomes false the timer starts operating.
• The timer starts accumulating times when the
rung condition becomes true, until the
accumulated value becomes equal to the Preset
value.
• The output turns off when the output will turn
false when the accumulated value equals the
preset value.
 Retentive timer
• A retentive timer is used when you want to
retain accumulated time value through the
power loss or the change in the rung state.
• A retentive timer accumulates time
whenever the device receives power, and it
maintains the current time should power be
removed from the device
• Loss of power to the timer after reaching its
preset value does not affect the state of the
contacts. The retentive timer must be
intentionally reset with a separate signal for
the accumulated time to be reset
• An example logic is shown above.
• When the push botton PB1 is pressed, the timer
starts working and the reading starts accumulating.
• When we push the PB1 button then rung become
false and the timer stops working. Consider we are
switching ON the push after a time, the timer starts
counting from the previous value before the timer
is stopped.
• We have to add another switch PB2 to reset the
values in the timer
Counters
 Difference Between timer and
counter in PLC
• Both have the same function of programming
instruction to control and to operate the
device. But the main difference in between is-
• Counter counts the sequential digital pulse in
binary form.
• Timer counts and controls the operation
based on time intervals.
 Types of the PLC Counter
• Counters in PLC are classified into three main
different parts.
• Up Counter (operates up mode)
• Down Counter (operated in down mode)
• Up/Down Counter (operates in bidirectional
mode)
In the above picture, there are totally three
parameter,
COUNTER: C5:0 – Counter File name (Timer C5:0,
C5:1, C5:2…)
PRESET –PRE: Limit value of COUNT-Up to how much
it should count
ACCUMULATOR –ACC: Running Value of counter
when condition turn ON.
• From the data file, along with preset and
accumulator, we have few more bits,
• CU: Count up Bit-whenever the counter is
enable makes this bit to go ON.
• DN: Done Bit-When accumulator value
reached preset value, done bit turns to ON.
• OV: Over Flow Bit-When accumulator value
reached the limit value (32767),it rolls back
to -32767 for the upcoming counter
operation, Overflow bit turns ON, in this
condition.
 Counter in LD Programming
• Ladder diagram programming language
consists of the multiple functions of
programming instructions.
• Let’s take an example of ladder diagram
where we are implementing ABB PLC counter.
 What is a Up Counter?
• Up counter counts from zero to the preset
value. Basically, it increases the pulse or
number.
• Up counter is known as the ‘CTU’ or ‘CNT’
‘CTR’.
 What is Down Counter?
• The down counter counts from the preset
value to zero. It decreases the pulse or
number.
• Down counter is shortly known as the ‘CTD’ or
‘CD’.
 What is Up-Down Counter?
• The up-down counter counts the value from zero
to the preset value or from the preset value to
zero.
• In other words, this counter can be act as down
counter or up counter.
• Up-down counter is known as ‘CTUD’.
• For the bidirectional operation mode, the up-
down counter is selected depending on the
status (high or low) of the specified count input
terminal.