11/09/1444

ADVANCED PLC
Dr. Tamer Fetouh

Analog Inputs
• An analog PLC input is a continuous signal from a field input device to
the PLC control system.
• Analog inputs are characterized by signals with a range of values.
• The analog input module measures current or voltage signals from an
input device.
• These signals are usually measured in the range of
0-20 mA, 4-20 mA, 1-5 VDC, 0-10 VDC, etc.
• This means that the connected input device provides signals with any
intermittent value between the initial to the final range to the PLC’s
analog input module.

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Analog Inputs
Examples of Analog Input Devices in PLCs
1. Position/Displacement Sensors
Position sensors measure the distance between the location of the
target object and a specified reference point.
A. Linear and Rotary Potentiometers:
• These potentiometers operate on the principle of Ohm’s Law.
• Whereby, changes in their output voltages are used to represent
distance variations of the target objects.

Rotary
Potentiometers

Linear
Potentiometers

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Analog Inputs
B. Linear Variable Differential Transformer:
• This type of transformer is controlled by the displacement of a ferrous
magnetic core between a primary winding and two secondary
windings.

V1 – V2

Analog Inputs
2. Thermocouple Input Devices
• A thermocouple is a temperature sensor, that is used to measure
temperature variations.
• It is made up of two different types of metal wires connected together
to form a junction.
• Whenever the junction is cooled or heated, a small voltage signal is
produced in the electrical circuit of the thermocouple sensor.
• The generated voltage signals are usually small analog signals measured
in (mV) range.
• A thermocouple sensor can be used to measure very high operating
temperatures of up to 1600 °C.
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Analog Inputs

Analog Inputs
3. Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD) Inputs
• The RTDs are a class of sensors that change their resistance whenever
the temperature of the medium in which they are inserted changes.
• RTD sensors are similar in functionality to thermocouple sensors, but
they are generally more robust and accurate compared to the
thermocouple.
• They are used in many industrial processes which require accurate and
repeatable temperature measurements such as in chemical reactions,
heating, and cooling, pasteurization processes, etc.

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Analog Inputs
4. Pressure Transmitter
• Pressure transmitter is a mechanical device that
converts the expansion force of a liquid or gas sample
into an electrical output.
• The device converts the pressure into an electrical signal
by means of a transducer.

Measuring Ranges
• For the display of the measuring range, SIMATIC S7 distinguishes between the
rated range, the overrange and underrange, and the overflow or underflow.
• This distinction allows you to recognize whether the measured value is
actually in the measuring range determined in the technical specifications.
• The overflow and underflow ranges are reserved for error detection.
• At a resolution of 16 bits the theoretically possible 32768 increments are
distributed across a voltage range of 11.852 V, which means that only 27648
increments are actually available for the resolution of a measuring range of
10 V.
• The minimum value which can be represented is therefore 0.3617 mV.

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Measuring Ranges
• Example of resolution for the 0 to 10 V measuring range of a SIMATIC S7
module:

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Scaling analog values

PLC
Analog signal Digital signal

0 ~ 10 V
ADC 0 ~ 27648
IW10 : INT data Type

• The analog signal from sensor at the ADC

Move Control
level (0 ~ 10 V) is converted to a digital Program
To memory
signal equivalent to decimal (0 ~ 27648).
• The digital signal is transferred to the SCALE to
MW20 : INT data Type
Real
analog input IW10 for example.

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Scaling analog values

• The contents of the analog input IW10 is moved to MW20 for example.
• Hence the analog signal has more than one format in each stage.
• For example; if there is a temperature sensor with range 0 ~ 100 oC and we
need to handle it in a PLC program as (MD30), keep in mind that the signal
has different format as shown in Fig. below.

PLC
Temperature Voltage Digital MW20 Temperature
Signal Scale to
Sensor Conditioning ADC Real
0 ~ 100 oC
0 ~ 100 oC 0 ~ 10 V 0 ~ 27648
MD30

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Scaling analog values

• The sensor converts the temperature into voltage signal that is converted by
the ADC to digital signal which is transferred to the PLC through IW10 and
stored as integer value in MW20.
• In PLC program, it is better to use the actual value
100
rather than the integer value.
• So, MW20 is scaled to Real value MD30 MD30

as given below:
27648 ➔ 100 𝟏𝟎𝟎 ∗ 𝑴𝑾𝟐𝟎
𝑴𝑫𝟑𝟎 = 0
MW20 ➔ MD30 27648
0 MW20 27648

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Scaling analog values

• MW20 should be converted from INT into Real (MD24)
• MW24 should be Scaled & stored in MD30

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