 Introduction to Programmable

Logic Controllers
 Comparison of Control Systems
 First Generation PLCs
 Need for PLCs
 Structure and Features of PLCs
Programmable  Architectures of PLCs
Logic  Types based on configuration of
Controller PLCs
 Considerations in choosing a
(PLC) suitable PLCs
 Programming languages
 Advantages & Disadvantages of
PLCs
 Working example of PLC program
 PLC Fault Finding &
Troubleshooting Procedures 
 Programmable logic controllers (PLCs)
have been used in industry in one form
or another for the past twenty over
years.

Introduction
to
The PLC is designed as a replacement for the
Programmable hardwired relay and timer logic to be found in
traditional control panels, where PLC provides
Logic ease and flexibility of control based on
programming and executing logic instructions.
Controllers
The internal functions such as timers,
counters and shift registers making
sophisticated control possible using
even the smallest PLC.
Comparison of Control Systems

 The following table

Characteristic Relay systems Digital/Analog Computers PLC
logic systems provides a general
Price per Fairly low Low High Low
comparison between
function various control media
Physical size Bulky Very Compact Fairly Compact Very Compact in terms of the
capabilities.
Operating Slow Very Fast Fairly Fast Fast
speed

Electrical noise Excellent Good Quite Good Good

immunity

Installation Time- Design and test Programming Simple to

consuming to tuning time- extremely time- program and
design and consuming consuming install
install

Capable of No Yes Yes Yes

complicated
operations

Ease of Very difficult Difficult Quite simple Very simple

changing
functions

Ease of Poor- large Poor if ICs Poor- several Good- few

maintenance number of soldered custom boards standard cards
contacts
 First Generation PLCs
 PLC originated in the late 1960s in the automotive
industry in the USA and were designed to replace relay
logic systems.
 Modicon: In 1968, GM Hydramatic (the 
automatic transmission division of General Motors) issued
a request for proposals for an electronic replacement for
hard-wired relay systems based on a white paper written
by engineer Edward R. Clark. 
 Allen-Bradley: In a parallel development Odo Josef
Struger is sometimes known as the "father of the
programmable logic controller" as well. He was involved in
the invention of the Allen‑Bradley programmable logic
controller during 1958 to 1960 .
 Allen-Bradley (now a brand owned by Rockwell Automation
) became a major PLC manufacturer in the United States
during his tenure. Strugar played a leadership role in
developing IEC 61131-3 PLC programming language
standards.
 Rugged, noise immune equipment.

Modular plug-in construction, allowing easy

replacement or addition of units (e.g. input/output).

Need for
Standard input/output connections and signal levels.

PLCs Easily understood programming language.

Ease of programming and reprogramming in-plant.

Capable of communicating with other PLCs,

computers and intelligent devices.

Competitive in both cost and space occupied with

relay and solid-state logic systems
Structure and Features of PLCs
 The PLC is designed as a replacement
for the hardwired relay and timer logic
to be found in traditional control panels,
where PLC provides ease and flexibility
of control based on programming and
executing logic instructions.
 The structure of a PLC can be divided
into four parts. They are input/output
modules, central processing unit (CPU),
memory and programming terminal.
Architectures of PLCs
 Central Processing Unit
(CPU): Controls and
supervises all operations
within the PLCs.
 Memory
 EXECUTIVE MEMORY – ROM
 SYSTEM MEMORY – RAM
 I/O STATUS MEMORY - RAM
 DATA MEMORY – RAM
 USER MEMORY - RAM /
EPROM / EEPROM
 Input/output Module Units :
The input/output unit of
PLCs handles the job of
interfacing high power
industrial devices to the low-
power electronic circuitry
that stores and executes the
control program.
Internal Operation and Signal Processing
 The CPU of the PLC executes
the user-program over and over
again when it is in the RUN
mode.
 Input scan During the input
scan, the current status of
every input module is stored in
the input image (memory)
table, bringing it up-to-date.
 Program scan Following the
input scan, the CPU enters its
user program execution, or
program scan.
 Output scan During program
scan, the output modules
themselves are not kept
continually up to date.
Types based on configuration of PLCs
 The configuration of PLC refers to the packaging
of the components.
 Typical configurations are listed below from
largest to smallest.
 Rack Type : A rack can often be as large as
18” by 30” by 10”
 Mini: These are similar in function to PLC
racks, but about the half size. Dedicated
Backplanes can be used to support the
cards OR DIN rail mountable with
incorporated I/O bus in module.
 Shoebox: A compact, all-in-one unit that
has limited expansion capabilities. Lower
cost and compactness make these ideal for
small applications. DIN rail mountable.
 Micro: These units can be as small as a
deck of cards. They tend to have fixed
quantities of I/O and limited abilities, but
costs will be lowest. DIN rail mountable.
 Micro PLCs: I/O up to 32 points

Small PLC: I/O up to 128 points

Medium PLC: I/O up to 1024

Sizing points
of PLCs
Large PLC: I/O up to 4096 points

Very Large: I/O up to 8192 points

 Considerations
in choosing a
suitable PLCs
 To determine the most suitable
PLC to be used in the automation
task, there are several basic
considerations to be made:
 Necessary input/output capacity
 Types of I/O required
 Size of memory required
 Speed and power required of the
CPU and instruction set
 Manufacturer's support and
backup.
Programming languages

 Based on the “International

Electrotechnical
Commission(IEC)” standard,
PLC programming languages
are classified into five main
standards.
 Ladder diagram (LD)
 Instruction List (IL)
 Structured Text (ST)
 Function Block Diagram
(FBD)
 Sequential Function Charts
(SFC)
Advantages of PLCs
The advantages of PLC are as follows:
Flexible in Nature: One model of PLC can be used for different operations as per
requirement.

Easy to install and trouble shooting: In hard wired relay based systems, installation
time is more as compared to the PLC based control panels.

Availability of Large contacts: PLC programming tools contain internal large number

of contacts that can be used for any change induced in different applications.

Cost effective: Advanced technology and large production of PLC makes it cheaper

than the other controller or relay based systems.

Simulation feature: PLC programming software comes with the simulation features

by default.

Simple programming methods: PLC is provided with simple programming methods to

program the PLC like Ladder or Boolean type of programming.

Ease of maintenance: As compared with the control systems like relay based or
micro-controller based systems, maintenance cost of PLC is low.

Documentation: The programmer can program and print easily the programs of PLC
for future use.
 • Small physical size & shorter project time.
• Cost effective for controlling complex system.
• Reliability.

Advantages
• Less and simple wiring.
Advantages: • Faster response.
• Remote control capability.
• More flexibility.

& • Ease of maintenance / troubleshooting.

Disadvantages
of PLCs • Fixed circuit operation.
• PLCs manufacturers offer only closed loop
architecture.
Disadvantages • PLCs are propitiatory, which means software
and parts one manufacturer can’t be easily
: used in combination with part of another
manufacturer.
• Number of optional modules must be added to
maximize flexibility and performance.
 Working example of PLC program

 Implement controlling of Traffic Lights in PLC using Ladder Diagram programming

language.
PLC Program : Here is PLC program to Control Traffic Lights, along with program
explanation and run time test cases.
List of Inputs and Outputs
I:1/0 = Start (Input)
I:1/1 = Stop (Input)
B3:0/0 = Latched Coil Bit(Bit)
T4:0 = Timer to update output sequence (Timer)
SQO = Sequencer output (Sequencer)
O:2/0 = North-South Green Light (Output)
O:2/1 = North-South Yellow Light (Output)
O:2/2 = North-South Red Light (Output)
O:2/3 = East-West Green Light (Output)
O:2/4 = East-West Yellow Light (Output)
O:2/5 = East-West Red Light (Output)
Ladder Diagram to control
Traffic Light Program Description
RUNG000 again here is for Master Start
and Stop the process.
File;#N7:0 and File length is 10, hence
output sequence is varied from N7:0 to
N7:10 with each input.
Destination is set to O:2 hence with each
transition, N7:0 to N7:10 are moved to O:2
with masking.
O:2/0 to O:2/5 are used as the output
address to Traffic Lights and hence Mask
has value 003Fh which means data flow of
N7:0/0…N7:10/0 to N7:0/5…N7:10/5 is
passed and the remaining N7:0/6…N7:10/6
to N7:0/15…N7:10/15 are blocked.
Control parameters are assigned to
register R6:0.
Sequence of traffic lights to be operated
are stored in the registers from N7:0 to
N7:10 as following.
PLC Fault Finding & Troubleshooting
Procedures 
Symptom Troubleshooting and
Corrective Actions for PLC system
All LEDs are OFF   1. Check the power supply wiring.
PLC Fault Finding & Troubleshooting
Procedures Corrective Actions for PLC
system
2. Check If the power supplied to the PLC
control units is in the range of the rating.
3. Be sure to check the fluctuation in the
power supply.
4. Disconnect the power supply wiring to the
other devices if the power supplied to the
PLC control unit is shared with them. If the
LEDs on the PLC control unit turn ON at this
moment, the
capacity of the power supply is not enough to
control other devices
as well. Prepare another power supply for
other devices or increase
the capacity of the power supply.
5. If the POWER LED still does not light up
when the power is on after the above
corrective actions, the PLC should be sent
back to the dealer or the distributor whom
you purchased the product from
 PLC Fault Finding & Troubleshooting
Procedures 
Symptom Troubleshooting and Corrective Actions for PLC PLC Fault Finding & Troubleshooting Procedures Corrective Actions
system for PLC system

ERROR LED is 1. If the ERROR LED is flashing, the problem may be an

flashing invalid
commands, communication error, invalid operation, or
missing
instructions, error indication is given by self-checking
function and
corresponding error code and error step are stored in
special
registers. The corresponding error codes can be read from
the
WPLSoft or HPP. Error codes and error steps are stored in
the
following special registers.
                             Error code: D1004
                             Error step: D1137
2. If the connections between the PLC are failed and the
LED will flash
rapidly, this indicates the DC24V power supply is down
and please
check for possible DC24V overload.
3. The LED will be steady if the program loop execution
time is over the preset time (set in D1000), check the
programs or the WDT (Watch Dog Timer). If the LED
remains steady, download user program again and then
power up to see if the LED will be OFF. If not, please check
if there is any noise interference or any foreign object in
the PLC.