Programmable Logic Controllers

A Concise Exploration

I. Industrial Automation
Common knowledge: computers are used in factories... Robotic arm, CNC, injection molding

I. Industrial Automation
Donut machine, Ice cream sandwich machines

I. Industrial Automation
Not common knowledge: today this is usually accomplished with Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) PLCs are the answer to a variety of needs: durability, reliability, flexibility, scalability, reprogrammability, etc...

I. Industrial Automation
Why should you care? Because you will run into PLCs... Did you know? <Insert shocking Buckley statistic here> Median starting salary for entry-level Electrical Controls Engineer is $57,452. (EE is $55K, HW Eng is $48K, SW Eng is $53K) [monster.com] As long as there is industry, it will be computer controlled and engineers will earn paychecks.

II. History
Relentless trend toward tools in industry. Handicraft (forever) Water-powered silk mill (1721) Spinning Jenny (1764) Steam power (1780s) Gas lighting (1810s) Etc

II. History
Obvious next step: Electricity [Aside: why was Buffalo the place to be 100 years ago? ... Hydroelectric power! started circa 1853] Electric tools, but still micromanaged by humans.

II. History
Machines become autonomous.

Common method: relay logic

III. Relay Logic

Conditional logic can be represented in terms of contacts and coils. Contact: A simple input switch. Coil: An output load, e.g., a relay or motor. Symbolic representation called ladder logic.

III. Relay Logic

To clarify: Ladder Logic is a notation originally used to describe/document relay logic configurations. Later became the basis for PLC programming languages (This parallels HW Desc. Langs. (HDLs)... VHDL was intended by DoD to document ASICs... Learn more in CSE 341 and especially CSE 490)

IV. Ladder Logic

Power supply rails drawn as parallel vertical lines on left and right Connection of rails implies current will flow An output is on when a connection is completed and current flows through the loads coil

IV. Ladder Logic

Simple always on load:

[Always_On = 1]

Boring... Load controlled by a single contact:

[Switch_Con = Switch]

IV. Ladder Logic

Boolean logic - C = A and B

C = A or B

IV. Ladder Logic

C = not A

A contact with a slash through it is normally closed. This indicates a connection when A is NOT triggered. So when sensor/input A is activated, there is an open circuit

IV. Ladder Logic

Each rung of the ladder is a statement that is asynchronous when implemented in relay logic, but evaluated sequentially by the PLC.

X = (A or B) and (C or D), Y = ~A and [B or (C and D)]

IV. Ladder Logic

Converting between ladder logic and physical electronics is straight forward. So this

IV. Ladder Logic

becomes this:

V. PLC
The first PLC was invented by Dick Morely in 1978. Morely designed a computer with three components: a processor, memory, and a logic solver. [The logic solver] allowed us to get the speed we needed in this application-specific computer to solve the perceptually simple problem of several cabinets full of relay wiring. -Morely

V. PLC
The first PLC (the 084) was extremely durable and reliable... We used to test the programmable controllers with a Tesla coil that struck a quarter inch to half-inch arch anywhere on the system, and the programmable controller still had to continue to run. Morely FYI, this is a Tesla coil: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNrgXtCu4aU

V. PLC
Hello World on the PLC. Real hardware:

In ladder logic:

V. PLC
Not very interesting how about a stayon variation? (When the switch is released, the light stays on) PLC benefit: The state of an output in one rung may be used as a contact in another. In fact, there are internal utility relays virtual outputs that act as intermediate steps toward real outputs.

V. PLC
Latched (stay-on) Hello World:

When the switch is pressed, Neon will be active in the first evaluation. In subsequent evaluations, Neon will force itself to stay on.

V. PLC
A bit more convoluted: toggling Hello World with a single button.

Latch = (Switch AND notNeon) OR (Latch AND notNeon) Neon = (Latch AND notSwitch) OR (Neon AND Switch)

Remember - Switch state: ON OFF ON OFF Figure it out

V. PLC
PLCs also support a range of special functions: timers, counters, sequencers, memory instructions, etc Beyond the basics, they are non-standard and manufacturer-specific.

V. PLC
Timer:

Counter:

VI. Washing Machine

Washing machine example, using sequencer. Steps:
0. Fill with hot water -pump, hot water valve 1. Agitate spin motor, agitate motor 2. Agitate and drain spin motor, agitate motor, drain valve 3. Fill with hot water -pump, hot water valve 4. Agitate - spin motor, agitate motor 5. Agitate and drain - spin motor, agitate motor, drain valve 6. Fill with cold water -pump 7. Spin and drain spin motor, drain valve 8. Stop

VI. Washing Machine

Reorganize into the outputs: edit the I/O Table
Output Pump Hot water valve Spin Motor Agitate Motor Drain valve Active in steps 0, 3, and 6 0 and 3 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7 1, 2, 4, and 5 2, 5, and 7

Assignment complete the program due 2/27

I/O Table

st 1

step

Exercises
Turn 8 LEDs on and off in sequence, repeat. Turn a pump on for 60 seconds, then off for 40 seconds, then repeat. Use a switch to start it off.

Using a sequencer
Define a Counter output call it Seq1 Give it a set value 1 greater than your desired sequences:
e.g. if 4, then 0 thru 4 = a set value of 5

Use special bits as inputs Use Seq1:0 to reset the sequencer by defining an output FUNC

60 on / 40 off

60 on / 40 off
Latch an output (keeps it ON)

Count down TMR60 from 60 to 0

While TMR60 is counting down (not at 0) run PUMP

While TMR60 is at 0, count down TMR40

VII.
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmable_logic_controller http://www.plcs.net/contents.shtml http://www.plcdev.com/plc_timeline http://www.barn.org/FILES/historyofplc.html http://www.jach.hawaii.edu/ets/mech/JCMT/carousel/car_eng.html - Old relay logic http://www.rootcompromise.org/gallery/v/blackhat/bh-windows-2004/bh_windows_2004_014.jpg.html - Donut machine http://www.fiona.co.jp/BOOK_JUV_PAGE/homerprice.htm - Homer Price http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKzJqXSPuRE - Krispie Kreme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kiSQx0imxs Ice Cream Sandwiches http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PUFwwSDAWg DVD Boxes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibc69W_N2h0 Plasma Cutting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2mzjExWXzo Injection Molding http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9gnMiYBqv1FGjkBFlGjzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBsdmIydTZhBHNlYwNwcm9mBHZ0aWQDSTAwMV83MA-/SIG=12imesfu9/EXP=1174338433/**http%3A//www.plastic-gear-manufacturer.com/injection-molding.htm -- Injection Molding http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9gnMiIVqv1Fs60AJw.jzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBsdmIydTZhBHNlYwNwcm9mBHZ0aWQDSTAwMV83MA-/SIG=12pk1f58s/EXP=1174338453/**http%3A//www.offshoresolutions.com/products/plastic/injectionMolded.htm -- Injection Molding http://home.howstuffworks.com/washer.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_revolution http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niagara_falls#Historical_background http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VHDL