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PLC Programming Case Study for Hydraulic Positioning Systems

Implementations

Article  in  International Journal of Computer Applications · June 2017

DOI: 10.5120/ijca2017914498

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 International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 167 – No.12, June 2017

PLC Programming Case Study for Hydraulic Positioning

Systems Implementations

M. Papoutsidakis A. Xatzopoulos G. P. Smyraiou D. Tseles

Dept. of Automation Dept. of Automation Dept. of Automation Dept. of Automation
Engineering Engineering Engineering Engineering
PUAS, Athens, Greec PUAS, Athens, Greece PUAS, Athens, Greece PUAS, Athens, Greece

ABSTRACT area of that surface.

With the rapid and vertiginous development of technology of So the pressure is given by the following form:
hydraulic automation systems is observed in our current era, P = F / A.
an ongoing effort to introduce engineering technology, • Hydraulic capacity: The hydraulic capacity of a
automated solutions in everyday life with an emphasis on the hydraulic size is associated with energy storage. It is
field of hydraulic automation systems. The systems sector defined as the ratio of the change in the volume of
develops increasingly their fields of application, whether fluid in a hydraulic device to the pressure variation.
simple or hydraulic circuits for modern hydraulic automation For the calculation of the hydraulic capacity it is
circuits. In the systems with automated processes, the systems necessary to produce the ratio of pressure to flow in
sector with the help of have only recently programmable logic the particular application.
controller has begun to make their appearance. In this
dissertation, the structure of a hydraulic circuit which has the • Hydraulic inertia: The hydraulic inertia is due to
purpose control and observation of the hydraulic system with inertia presenting a fluid to changes in speed. It is
the aid of a P.L.C. Moreover, it describes the properties of the defined as the ratio of the pressure difference in the
hydraulic system, its structural components and the detailed change of flow rate.
functional description of Programmable Logic Controller. • Hydraulic resistance: The hydraulic resistance is the
Finally, the work ends with the recording of the findings of resistance encountered by the fluid during the
the use of this integrated hydraulic circuit. movement of the pipelines. It expresses the ratio of
the pressure difference to the volume flow. The
Keywords hydraulic resistance depends on the shape of the
Programming language, hydraulic systems, hydraulic
fluid flow.
cylinders, hydraulic valves, hydraulic pumps, hydraulic
actuators, programmable logic controller A hydraulic automation system brings advantages and
disadvantages [2].
1. INTRODUCTION
The requirements of modern times and particularly the last The advantages are:
five years have imposed a rapidly developing technology in • Variable speed:
the hydraulic automation area. Common hydraulic motors have the possibility to
As a result, a new technology sector appeared: hydraulic. This change the speed.
remarkable growth is mainly due to the contribution of the
construction of hydraulic components and P.L.C, general. • Protection against overloads and control of loads:
By hydraulic system we mean that a device used to transmit The hydraulic valve in a hydraulic automation system protects
motion and power transmission from the motor to the driven the system from an uncontrolled increase of the load.
machine. The analysis, design and modeling hydraulic
• Small and limited volume:
automation systems, based on principles and laws, is widely
Hydraulic components and the whole hydraulic
applicable in fields such as the automotive industry and in
system provides high performance by combining
robotics [1].
small size and light weight.
Typical properties that consist a hydraulic system are the
• Wide range of control like, great possibilities to
following:
control a hydraulic circuit automation. Monitoring
• Fluid density: The density of a fluid is the mass of can be automated with the help of a P.L.C, manually
the fluid per unit volume in a particular location of using a start button, electronically controlled by
the fluid. If the fluid is incompressible, the density means of a sensor or a combination of all.
remains the same at all points of the fluid force:
The disadvantages are:
p = m / v [1].
• Small tolerances as the structures with high
• Specific weight: The specific weight of a fluid is the
accuracy result in the hydraulic components
fluid weight per unit volume, and it is as follows:
creating cost prohibitive.
C = B / v = mg / v = p * g.
• Heat dissipation, as the heat released due to internal
• Special pressure: The pressure is defined as the ratio
leakage is a limit for every machine
of the force exerted by the fluid on a surface to the

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 International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 167 – No.12, June 2017

• Plumbing problems like that there are no laws for passage of the hydraulic fluid to the reservoir. The hydraulic
the design of hydraulic circuits, as for example, it valves protect hydraulics from the great pressure that can be
can be said electrical circuits. That is, there is brought to them from the pump. Flow Control Valves:
nothing like Ohms Law in the behavior of hydraulic The flow control valves are used for regulating the flow in
fluids. hydraulic automation. The hydraulic valves are used in
hydraulic systems which have constant pressure and do not
2. BASIC COMPONENTS have a different flow. A last structural hydraulic component
As hydraulic automation systems we can define transfer contained in the system is the hydraulic actuator, or otherwise
systems, which consist of hydraulic lines, hydraulic pumps, sensing hydraulics. Hydraulic actuators are devices that detect
hydraulic motors and hydraulic pistons used to generate the movement, velocity, displacement and the power of a
power or fluid torque. By fluid flow we refer to the movement hydraulic piston. They receive data and information from
of the fluid particles, because of flowing, but which piece P.L.C or hydraulic valves and give relevant signal through the
includes the concepts of the force that causes the movement, acceleration, the displacement, the position or the speed of the
speed and acceleration of the fluid. In hydraulic systems the hydraulic piston [5].
power transmission is performed using mainly incompressible
fluid such as oil [2]. An integrated hydraulic automation The essential characteristics of a hydraulic sensor are:
system consists of the following components: • Operating Range: The limits to which the hydraulic
automation system works reliably.
• Hydraulic cylinders • Accuracy: The proximity of the output value to the input
value.
• Hydraulic valves • Error: The difference between the measured value and actual
value.
• Hydraulic pumps • Delay: The delay of the change of the output to the input.
• Repeatability: Producing the same effect at different times
• Hydraulic actuators with the same input.
• Operating time: The estimated operation time as part of the
Hydraulic cylinders: hydraulic circuit specifications.

Hydraulic cylinders are classified as single and double acting Hydraulic actuators are divided into four categories and are as
cylinders, which are the most used. In addition, there are a follows [5], [6]:
large number of cylinder variants, each one designed for a
specific use. For example it is telescopic cylinders through • Displacement and motion sensors:
which path rod several times its original length is achieved These sensors determine the displacement and
[3], [4]. movement of a hydraulic piston, ie to what extent a
hydraulic piston is moved or rotated.
The hydraulic valves are key components of hydraulic Displacement sensors and drive a hydraulic piston
automation systems for regulating the position, acceleration of is:
a hydraulic piston. These valves are divided into two major  Linear potentiometer
categories: the hydraulic valves as how to set and hydraulic  Goniometer variable reluctance
valves as mode. Valves as how to set regulate fluid flow.  Linear reed switch
• Power Sensors:
The hydraulic valves are divided according to the flow-
The use of these sensors is capable of measuring the
regulating manner in the following categories:
power of a hydraulic piston.
The one piston force sensors are divided into two
• Piston type valves:
types, which are:
Here the hydraulic valves to regulate flow is
 The load cells
achieved by movement of a piston which permits
the passage or the stoppage of the hydraulic fluid  The spring yoke
from the valve ports. • Detection sensors:
The sensors detect the piston ie whether the
• Nozzle flap type valves: hydraulic piston is located inside or outside the
The hydraulic valves are based on the principle of range.
variable leakage achieved by moving a blade. The one piston sensors are divided into three
categories and are as follows:
While the valves as our mode show how the valve operates  inductive sensors
and how it conveys the flow to the other structural  Capacitive Sensors
components of the hydraulic system.  Magnetic sensors
• Optical indication sensors:
The categories on the principle of operation is as follows: The use of these sensors is to show us various
information necessary for the hydraulic piston.
• Directional valves or valves drivers: The visual indication sensors or optoaisthitires a
Hydraulic directional valve in a hydraulic circuit, hydraulic piston is:
which with the appropriate hydraulic actuation  The manometer
determine the direction of flow to a piston.  Sensor reflected beam
All the above briefly described components connected can be
The hydraulic valves are limiting the hydraulic pressure in illustrated in the below Figure 1:
hydraulic automation systems, which provide an escape

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 International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 167 – No.12, June 2017

 Units Mounting Frame

 Automation Units
 Power Unit
 Central processing unit
 Real time clock
 Developer
The key piece to a hydraulic circuit with PLC automation is
not the structural part, that is, the application simulation but
the software, ie the program that implements the desired
hydraulic automation system. Using commands to create a
program, determines the correct or not operation of a device.
The way that these orders will be transferred to specific PLC,
is called a programming language [7]. There are generally
three categories of programming languages for P.L.C, which
are:
Fig 1: A Typical Hydraulic System
For this given research project the hydraylic system which •LAD language or languages electrical graphics
was used for the experimentation can be provided in the •STL language or language of logic commands
below schematic diagram. •FDB language or language graphics logic
The placement of the LOG PLC inside the experimental
circuitry is provides in the next figure in an attempt to
highlight the ports connectivity of the PLC and the way the
PLC actually generates an interface between the system and
the user.

Fig 2: The Hydraulic System of the Task

3. PLC STRUCTURE AND HYRDAYLIC

RIG IMPLEMENTATION
The most significant part of the paper is the connectivity and
the programming of a PLC in order to operate the system
automatically. The PLC model which was selected for the task Fig 3: LOGO PLC connections
is LOGO P.L.C. Generally P.L.C is a digital microprocessor
that is tailored to implement any kind of automation from the The experimentation rig of the project relates to an integrated
start of a plunger to the full operation of the hydraulic circuit hydraulic automation system. The hydraulic circuit of
automation. automation is associated with two hydraulic pistons that make
A P.L.C is able to perform the calculation and communication some movements and operation of the hydraulic circuit begins
tasks. As the device is very flexible, strong, can be assembled with a start switch, which is based on the operation string of
at low cost and has some advantages [7]: Figure 2:

• The construction time of automation. A +, B +, A-, B-.

• The PLC is flexible in modifying the operation of The first programming language designed for the above
the hydraulic automation, where a change in operation scenario was LADDER and the control algorithm
automation is a few minutes, changing only the that follows classical electrical logic is illustrated in Figures 4
program. and 5.

• Minimize maintenance costs, since there is no

question of failure because the PLC rarely breaks
down.
• The structure of a programmable logic controller is
uniform and consists of the following components:

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 International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 167 – No.12, June 2017

On the other hand, FBD language and its language graphics

logic can be shown right below:

Fig 6: FBD language programing

STL language or language of logic commands

Fig 4: LADDER language programing (part1)

Fig 5: LADDER language programing (part2)

Fig 7: FDB language programing

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 International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 167 – No.12, June 2017

3.1 Industrial Wireless Sensor Network 5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

(IWSNs) and Security All authors would like to express their gratitude to the Post-
Wireless sensor solutions are now being used in countless Graduate Program of Studies “Automation of Productions and
situations where it is necessary to monitor remote, difficult, Services” of PUAS, for the financial support to undertake this
and costly to reach locations, or moving applications. When research project
choosing the best wireless approach, there are many
technology tradeoffs and vendors to consider [12-13]. See
6. REFERENCES
Tables 1 below, which offer means to compare network [1] Hydraulic automatic control systems, N. Pantazis,
selection criteria according to application needs. Publisher ION
[2] Electricity, Fluid Power, and Mechanical Systems for
4. CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE Industrial Maintenance, Thomas E. Kissell, 1st Edition
IMPROVEMENTS [3] Hydraulic Control Systems, Herbert E. Merritt
This paper tries to show the usefulness, design, modeling and
the importance of hydraulic automation systems in the [4] Hydraulic and Pneumatic Systems, Theodore N.
industrial workplace. The experimentation highlights to an Costopoulos, Simeon Publications, Athens 2009
engineer how to implement PLC technology with 3 different
programming languages and also illustrated its reliability. In [5] Automatic Control and Automation, N. Pantazis,
details the first step was about the theoretical background of Publisher Stamouli
building hydraulic components which contribute to an [6] Modern Industrial and Electrical Motor Controls,
integrated automation system. In addition a second step here Thomas E. Kissel
was comprehensive and detailed analysis of Programmable
Logic Controller and its implementation. [7] Automation programmable controllers, Stavros Roumpo,
Publisher Simeon
Of course there is room for future improvements, which can
indicatively be, voice control a hydraulic circuit automation
and automatic adjustment of structural mechanical parts on a
hydraulic circuit.

IJCATM : www.ijcaonline.org
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