Programmable Logic Controller

Name: Viloria, Maureen C.

SR Code: J15-12667

1. Discuss what is a PLC.

A programmable logic controller (PLC) or programmable controller is an industrial
digital computer​ which has been​ ruggedized​ and adapted for the control of
manufacturing processes, such as​ assembly lines​, or​ robotic​ devices, or any activity that
requires high reliability, ease of programming and process fault diagnosis.

PLCs can range from small modular devices with tens of​ inputs and outputs (I/O)​,
in a housing integral with the processor, to large rack-mounted modular devices with a
count of thousands of I/O, and which are often networked to other PLC and​ SCADA
systems.

They can be designed for many arrangements of digital and analog I/O, extended
temperature ranges, immunity to​ electrical noise​, and resistance to vibration and impact.
Programs to control machine operation are typically stored in battery-backed-up or
non-volatile memory​.

PLCs were first developed in the automobile manufacturing industry to provide

flexible, rugged and easily programmable controllers to replace hard-wired​ relay logic
systems. Since then, they have been widely adopted as high-reliability automation
controllers suitable for harsh environments.

A PLC is an example of a "hard"​ real-time​ system since output results must be

produced in response to input conditions within a limited time, otherwise unintended
operation will result.

2. List and explain the different components of PLC.

Programmable Logic Controllers have three components. These three PLC
components are: ​processor​, ​power supply​, and an ​input/output (I/O)​ section.
The Processor
The processor, or the brain of the PLC system, is a solid-state device designed to
perform a wide variety of production, machine tool, and process-control functions.
Conventional electromechanical devices, relays and their associated wiring formerly
performed these functions. Processors provide these same functions, in a wider scope
and variety of control functions, with minimal effort, making the PLC a much more
popular choice.
The Power Supply
The Power supply for a Programmable Logic Controller converts the input source power
into voltages required for internal circuitry. In some cases, it also provides an isolated
 VDC supply to power DC input circuits, switches and other indicators. The Power Supply
of the PLC is an essential component to running the PLC.

The PLC Input/Output (I/O)

Electrical noise, such as spikes in the power lines or load kick-back would have serious
impact on a PLC's internal circuits since its CPU operates at very low voltages levels.
This is where the Input/Output (I/O) portion of a PLC plays a critical role. The I/O, both
inputs and outputs, protects the CPU from electrical noise. The I/O section is where
status signals are filtered to remove noise, validate voltage levels, and CPU decisions
are made and put into operation. The PLC Inputs provide their status to a storage area
within the CPU and outputs are driven from similar stored status in the CPU.

Real world devices such as pushbuttons, limit switches and sensors are
connected through the input modules in the PLC. These modules detect a change in the
state of input signals and provide a stored image to input elements in ladder logic. The
input elements simulate the actions of relay contacts within the Programmable Logic
Controller. In turn, output elements are "energized," which produces desired output
signals to drive loads such as motor controllers, contactors, solenoids, and pilot lights,
via the output modules in the I/O's. As a general rule, each instruction in ladder logic
requires one word of memory. Each instruction is programmed so that series contacts
are ANDed and parallel contacts are ORed.

3. What are the advantages of PLC to relays?

There are many advantages that a PLC system holds over a​ relay system​. One
of the first and simplest advantages is reliability.

There are many advantages that a PLC system holds over a​ ​relay system​. Today, we will dive
into some of those advantages. One of the first and simplest advantages is reliability.

1. Reliability

The internal relay systems of a PLC are solid state. This means that the relay function is
not mechanical like conventional relay systems and components.

Traditional mechanical relays wear out much faster than the electronics in a solid state
relay. Every time a mechanical relay opens and closes, the contacts will arc slightly. The arcing
can eventually destroy the contact. This is simply not the case with the solid state type relays
found in our PLC systems.

2. Ease of Troubleshooting

Another advantage of a PLC system is the ease of troubleshooting. In a PLC system, a good
technician can read through the programming and usually figure out what is and isn’t working.
 In a relay system, there will be several more wires plus the relays and possibly other
components that aren’t needed in a PLC. This makes finding problems much harder.Each
physical relay needs a minimum of four wires to operate and function.A relay output card on a
PLC sends out one wire to the output device.

You can only imagine how much easier it is to troubleshoot the PLC system with multiple
outputs versus the relay system with four times the number of wires.

3. Easy Expandability

One of the best features that a PLC system has over a traditional relay system is versatility with
the programming and easy expandability. For example, if you wanted to add a timer to make a
motor turn on after five seconds, you would just add it to the program and set it to five seconds
in the PLC.

For a relay system, you would have to add an entirely new physical component. On top of that,
you would have to add all of the proper wiring to make that timer work for the specific motor.
This also makes expanding a system much cheaper. Not only for component costs but labor
savings as well. If you have a relay system, someone will have to be paid to install a wire all of
the new components.

4. Smaller Size

The physical size requirements of a PLC system are far smaller than a cabinet needed for relay
logic circuitry.

Most of the physical relays, timers, counters, and controllers from a relay logic system are all
contained in the PLC itself.

Depending on the machine, a cabinet containing the PLC can easily be a third of the size of a
relay logic cabinet. Possibly even smaller.

4. What is redundancy in PLC?

Reliability in process control systems has a different meaning for each industry.
Depending on the type of interruption, the severity of the consequences or the governing
regulations, some automation systems require​ PLC redundancy​ to keep people and
equipment safe. Instrumentation & control engineers need to balance the cost of redundant
PLCs with the consequences of an outage.

For a relatively small investment, extra control hardware and intelligent software can
reduce the damage and inconvenience when a controller fails. After a risk assessment of the
specific application, it may make sense to beef up the reliability of a PLC-base control system.
The​ type of redundancy​ to implement depends on the technical & business consequences of a
failure.
 The amount of redundancy depends on many factors including the amount of
engineering effort required versus the prospect of financial loss and bad PR when a failure
does occur. Detrimental consequences may also cause environmental damage and loss of
human lives (i.e.​ sawmill explosions​).

5. What is DCS (Distributed Control System)?

A distributed control system (DCS) is a computerised​ control system​ for a process or
plant usually with many​ control loops​, in which autonomous controllers are distributed
throughout the system, but there is no central operator supervisory control. This is in contrast to
systems that use centralized controllers; either discrete controllers located at a central control
room or within a central computer. The DCS concept increases reliability and reduces
installation costs by localising control functions near the process plant, with remote monitoring
and supervision.

Distributed control systems first emerged in large, high value, safety critical process
industries, and were attractive because the DCS manufacturer would supply both the local
control level and central supervisory equipment as an integrated package, thus reducing design
integration risk. Today the functionality of​ SCADA​ and DCS systems are very similar, but DCS
tends to be used on large continuous process plants where high reliability and security is
important, and the control room is not geographically remote.

6. What is SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) ?

Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) is a​ control system​ architecture
comprising​ computers​, networked data communications and​ graphical user interfaces
(GUI)​ for​ high-level​ process supervisory management, while also comprising other
peripheral devices​ like​ programmable logic controllers​ (PLC) and discrete
proportional-integral-derivative​ (PID) controllers to interface with process plant or
machinery. The use of SCADA has been considered also for management and
operations of project-driven-process in construction.

7. What is HMI (Human Machine Interface)?

The user interface or ​human–machine interface​ is the part of the machine that
handles the human–machine interaction. Membrane switches, rubber keypads and
touchscreens are examples of the physical part of the Human Machine Interface which
we can see and touch.

In complex systems, the human–machine interface is typically computerized. The

term ​human–computer interface​ refers to this kind of system. In the context of
computing, the term typically extends as well to the software dedicated to control the
physical elements used for​ human-computer interaction​.
 The engineering of human–machine interfaces is enhanced by considering
ergonomics​ (​human factors​). The corresponding disciplines are​ human factors
engineering​ (HFE) and​ usability engineering​ (UE), which is part of​ systems engineering​.

8. How do you differentiate between PLC, SCADA DCS and HMI?

PLC stands for Programmable Logic Controllers. In the olden days, interlocks
and plant sequential operation were implemented using relay logic. The problem with
relay logic is that it is difficult to change the logic. If you wanted to change the logic, you
had to change the wiring. PLCs came into existence to address this problem of relay
logic. PLCs were microprocessor based devices which could be reprogrammed any
number of times. If the operation logic changed, only the PLC ladder program had to be
changed. The ladder language was very intuitive to the plant technicians and they didn't
need to have any experience in computer/ microprocessor programming. Initially PLCs
were meant to handle digital relay logic where as Distributed Control System handled
most of the analog control.

Distributed Control System architecture had analog and digital controllers

(microprocessor based devices) spread across the plant. These controllers sent data to
the control room through proprietary communication networks. The control rooms had
VDU (video display unit) where plant data was displayed. DCS systems were proprietary
in nature meaning that the complete solution was given by a single vendor. Major DCS
system suppliers were Honeywell, Yokogawa, ABB, Foxboro etc. The distributed nature
of the technology made it inherently reliable. The feature that made DCS so popular was
the fact that the DCS vendor took complete responsibility of the implementation.
Evolution of the DCS technology made it extremely reliable over time. DCS technology
had fault tolerance and reliability inbuilt and the DCS vendors utilised the expertise of the
best designers. DCS systems are still used in the process industry because of the
reliability.

SCADA stands for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition. SCADA technology
was used to connect remote sites spread geographically across thousands of kilometres.
The remote sites has RTU (Remote Telemetry Units) which transmits data to central
control rooms using radio communication. Since there is a lag in data transmission to
control room, real time control is done by RTU. Control room does supervisory control by
providing set points to the RTUs. To begin with, SCADA vendors supplied complete
SCADA solution with RTUs and SCADA software. Now there are many vendors who
supply only SCADA software packages (based on Windows platform) with which the
user can build his own HMI or control application by using PLC as RTUs.