AUTOMATIC CONTROL USING P.L.

C’S
Incorporation of PLC’s into the existing control
systems.
ABSTRACT
Control system is the most important part of any industry. For bigger industries like
power plants, steel plants, oil refineries etc. which are growing both in size & complexity over
decades coupled with most thrilling technical advancements in control engineering where many
parameters are to be handled simultaneously its role becomes more significant. The control of
different variables can be efficient done through the recent and more advanced technology called
Programmable Logic Controllers-PLC’s.
PLCs are the control hubs for a wide variety of automated systems and processes. It
is a programmable microprocessor-based device that is used in discrete manufacturing to control
assembly lines and machinery on the shop floor as well as many other types of mechanical, electrical
and electronic equipment in a plant. Through PLC the total cost of the project and the time involved
in processing reduces drastically there by increasing the efficiency of the project.
In this paper the focus has been on PLC’s, its applications and mainly on the
INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION. A simple version of ladder logic has been introduced in the paper,
to understand the PLC programming.
INTRODUCTION:
NEED FOR SYSTEM AUTOMISATION
Any system has to function under specified norms and constraints accordance with a
directed action. As the size and complexity of the system consisting of drives, hoists, generators, auxillaries
, etc increases, the possibility of any contingency cropping up in its functioning also increases. As a result,
it becomes inevitable to have sophisticated system to monitor any discrepancy arising in the functioning of
the system and take predefined action.
These have been major reason for the development of PLC equipments that could
perform the operations, sense them and report back to its internal control center that the desired control
action had been satisfactorily effected . At the same time it is often important to sample the information
such as position of loads and condition of switchgear. In the absence of the logic system, these functions
are performed by a human operator which might become difficult to handle as the complexity of the system
grows .To overcome this problem industrial automisation using PLC’s have been developed..
PLC monitors the system in real time mode using the state of art in microprocessor and microcontroller
technologies.
 A PLC system :

A Programmable Logic
Controller is an industrial computer
control system used for automation of
real-world processes, such as control of
machinery,usually uses a microprocessor
that continuously monitors the state of
input devices and makes decisions based
upon a custom program that is stored in
battery backed memory or EEPROMs.

Unlike general-purpose computers, the PLC is packaged and designed for

extended temperature ranges, dirty or dusty conditions, immunity to electrical noise, and is
mechanically more rugged and resistant to vibration and impact.. In short a plc Is defined as “small
computers, dedicated to automation tasks in an industrial environment".

PLC Operations consist of four steps

1. Input Scan: Scans the state of the Inputs

2. Program Scan: Executes the program logic
3. Output Scan: Energize/de-energize the outputs
4. Housekeeping

PLCs are the control hubs for a wide variety of automated systems and
processes. They contain many "input" terminals, through which it interprets "high" and "low" logical
states from sensors and switches. It also has many output terminals, through which it outputs "high"
and "low" signals to power lights, solenoids, contactors, small motors, and other devices lending
themselves to on/off control. . They are programmable via software interfaced via standard computer
interfaces and proprietary languages and network options.
Features : The main difference from other computers are the special input/output arrangements.
These connect the PLC to sensors and actuators. PLCs read limit switches, temperature indicators
and the positions of complex positioning systems. Some even use machine vision. On the actuator
side, PLCs operate electric motors, pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders or diaphragms, magnetic relays
or solenoids. The input/output arrangements may be built into a simple PLC, or the PLC may have
external I/O modules attached to a proprietary computer network that plugs into the PLC.

PLCs were invented as replacements for automated systems that would use hundreds or
thousands of relays and cam timers. Often, a single PLC can be programmed to replace thousands of relays.
PLC’s were initially adopted by the automotive manufacturing industry, where software revision replaced the re-
wiring of hard-wired control panels when production models changed.

The earliest PLCs expressed all decision making logic in simple ladder logic which appeared
similar to electrical schematic diagrams. The electricians were quite able to trace out circuit problems with
schematic diagrams using ladder logic. This program notation was chosen to reduce training demands for the
existing technicians. PLCs can be programmed using structured programming languages or a graphical
programming notation called Sequential Function Charts.

The functionality of the PLC has evolved over the years to include sequential relay control, motion
control, process control, distributed control systems and networking. The data handling, storage, processing
power and communication capabilities of some modern PLCs are approximately equivalent to desktop
computers. PLC-like programming combined with remote I/O hardware, allow a general-purpose desktop
computer to overlap some PLCs in certain applications

Flexibility: This feature provides tools by which an existing system could be tailored according
to the changing taking place. Thus the user can mould the system according to demands thus making it more
flexible.
Programming :

Early PLCs, up to the mid-1980s, were programmed using proprietary programming panels or special-purpose
programming terminals, which often had dedicated function keys representing the various logical elements of
PLC programs. More recently, PLC programs are typically written in a special application on a personal computer,
then downloaded by a direct-connection cable or over a network to the PLC. These PLCs were programmed in
"ladder logic", which strongly resembles a schematic diagram of relay logic. Modern PLCs can be programmed in
a variety of ways, from ladder logic to more traditional programming languages such as BASIC and C. Five
programming languages for programmable control systems:

 FBD (Function block diagram)

 LD (Ladder diagram)
 ST (Structured text)
 IL (Instruction list)
 SFC (Sequential function chart).

LADDER LOGIC

Ladder logic is the main

programming method used for
PLCs. As mentioned before, ladder
logic has been developed to mimic
relay logic. By selecting ladder
logic as the main programming
method, the amount of retraining
needed for engineers and
tradespeople was greatly reduced.

A better understanding of the LADDER LOGIC is explained latter using

MOTOR START-STOP CONTROL example.
A AUTOMATED MOTOR START-STOP CONTROL USING PLC :

This section on programmable logic controllers illustrates just a small sample of their capabilities.
The pushbutton switch connected to input X1 serves as the "Start" switch, while the switch
connected to input X2 serves as the "Stop."

Another contact in the program, named Y1, uses the output

coil status as a seal-in contact, You can see the normally-
closed contact X2 appear in a colored block, showing that it
is in a closed ("electrically conducting") state.

STEP 1. If we were to press the "Start" button,

input X1 would energize, thus "closing" the X1 contact in
the program, sending "power" to the Y1 "coil," energizing
the Y1 output and applying 120 volt AC power to the real
motor contactor coil. The parallel Y1 contact will also
"close," thus latching the "circuit" in an energized state:

1.START BOTTON CLOSED

STEP.2 Now, if we release the "Start"

pushbutton, the normally-open X1
"contact" will return to its "open"
state, but the motor will continue to
run because the Y1 seal-in "contact"
continues to provide "continuity" to
"power" coil Y1, thus keeping the Y1
output energized:
2. AFTER RELEASE START BUTTON
STEP 3: To stop the motor, we must
momentarily press the "Stop" pushbutton,
which will energize the X2 input and "open"
the normally-closed "contact," breaking
continuity to the Y1 "coil:"

3 STOP BUTTON CLOSED

STEP :4 When the "Stop" pushbutton

is released, input X2 will de-energize,
returning "contact" X2 to its normal,
"closed" state. The motor, however,
will not start again until the "Start"
pushbutton is actuated, because the
"seal-in" of Y1 has been lost:
4.BACK TO INITIAL STATE

In addition to input (X) and output (Y) program elements, PLCs provide "internal" coils and
contacts with no intrinsic connection to the outside world. These are used much the same as
"control relays" (CR1, CR2, etc.) are used in standard relay circuits: to provide logic signal
inversion when necessary.

 From the inference of above simple example, we can able to conclude that
PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLERS can also be used to control more complex
systems and plays a vital role in INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION.
Communications
PLCs usually have builtin
communications ports for at least RS232,
and optionally for RS485 and ethernet.
Modbus is the lowest common
denominator communications protocol.
Others are various fieldbuses such as
Profibus.

PLC compared with other control systems :

PLCs are well-adapted to a certain range of automation tasks. These are typically industrial
processes in manufacturing where the cost of developing and maintaining the automation system is
high relative to the total cost of the automation, and where changes to the system would be expected
during its operational life. PLCs contain input and output devices compatible with industrial pilot
devices and controls; little electrical design is required, and the design problem centers on
expressing the desired sequence of operations in ladder logic (or function chart) notation. PLC
applications are typically highly customized systems so the cost of a packaged PLC is low compared
to the cost of a specific custom-built controller design.

For high volume or very simple fixed automation tasks, different techniques are used. A
microcontroller-based design would be appropriate where hundreds or thousands of units will be
produced and so the development cost (design of power supplies and input/output hardware) can be
spread over many sales, and where the end-user would not need to alter the control. Automotive
applications are an example; millions of units are built each year, and very few end-users alter the
programming of these controllers. (However, some specialty vehicles such as transit busses
economically use PLCs instead of custom-designed controls, because the volumes are low and the
development cost would be uneconomic.)

Very complex process control, such as used in the chemical industry, may require algorithms and
performance beyond the capability of even high-performance PLCs. Very high speed controls may
also require customised solutions; for example, aircraft flight controls.
PLCS AS POWER SYSTEMS Protection Devices:
In every sub station certain supervision, control and protection functions are necessary.

substation measurement communication to operator

transformers Human interface
for status
and
Ir settings
Is
It
Ur Programming
Us interface
UT

trip relay

Protection devices are highly specialized PLCs that measure the current & voltages
(Sampling: 4.8 kHz) in an electrical substation, along with other status to detect situations that could
endanger the equipment and trips the CB (reaction time: < 5 ms) to protect the substation. In
addition, it records disturbances and sends the reports to the substation’s SCADA.

User interface: PLCs may need to interact with people for the purpose of configuration, alarm
reporting or everyday control. A Human-Machine Interface is employed for this purpose. A simple
system may use buttons and lights to interact with the user. Most modern PLCs can communicate
over a network to some other system, such as a computer running a SCADA system
CONCLUSION:

It is realized that PLC systems play an indispensable role in the INDUSTRIAL

AUTOMATION viz, power generating stations, steel rolling mills and much complicated systems
such as Pharmaciticals which plays a vital role in displaying the exact rate at the appropriate time
and helping a lot in reducing the risks and restoting normalcy in case of occurrence of sudden
disturbances. After the efficient functioning of PLC’s ,the control engineers innovated the new
control systems “DISTRIBUTED CONTROL SYSTEMS (DCS)” to integrate all the individual
automation systems in most complex process plants. And if all this latest technologies are
incorporated in every industries, India would soon be able to win the race in global industrialization.