ACC Automation: PLC & Industrial Control Learning
Practical Tips and Techniques
PLC Beginner’s Guide to PLC Programming There are many different PLC manufacturers with other hardware and software. All of the programmable logic controllers have similar basic features. Here is how I would approach learning about basic PLCs. What is a PLC? (Programmable Logic Controller) – Video Top 7 problems with beginners using ladder logic – … Read more
We will now look at wiring interposing relays to connect an NPN and PNP sensors into the PLC. Interposing relay means a device that will separate two different circuits. The isolation can be for current consumption, voltage differences, voltage references, or a combination of both current and voltage. We can use these relays to help … Read more
The Omron CP1H series of programmable logic controllers are capable of having 4096 basic counters. There are two basic counter instructions in the PLC. Each of the basic instructions can be either binary or BCD. The memory area for counters has separate areas for the Counter PVs (Present values) and the Counter Completion Flags. We … Read more
We will now establish Omron CP1H communication using the built-in USB connection. CX-Programmer will be used to communicate. The Omron CP1H series of programmable logic controllers are programmed from CX-Programmer. CX-Programmer is part of the Omron CX-One Factory Automation Integrated Tool Package. We will now establish communication with our CP1H PLC using CX-Programmer. We will … Read more
We will now communicate Modbus Serial RS485 from the Horner Master controller to the Solo process temperature controller. The Horner APG XL4 all in one controller has several different ports for communications. We have both serial and Ethernet-type ports that can be used for many different protocols. These protocols can be downloaded from the Horner … Read more
The Omron C20K, C28K, C40K, and C60K shoebox programmable logic controllers have been discontinued since March of 2002. These Omron ‘K’ series PLCs were popular controllers and have been in installations for over 25 years. We will take a look at this Omron PLC and review some troubleshooting techniques. Planning for the eventual fatal failure … Read more
We will now look at the Horner XL4 user interface. The HMI (Human Machine Interface) part of the XL4 all in one controller will be what the operator views. We will look at the features of the display and learn how our program will control what the display will show.
We will now look at the parts of a PLC system. When I was in school PLCs were just in their infancy. We were taught that the PLC consisted of the central processing unit (CPU), analog and digital inputs, and outputs. Everything was programmed with dedicated handheld devices and/or software devices on specialized hardware. We … Read more
Receive and Send instructions will allow you to send and receive serial data to an external device. The communication method that you setup can be ASCII or Modbus. ASCII (American Standard Communication for Information Interchange) can be used to send to devices such as a printer. Receiving ASCII can be used for connecting barcode scanners … Read more
Drum instructions are great tools when you have a simple sequence of events that need to occur at a set time interval or as a result of an event. They mimic an electromechanical drum sequencer. The Click PLC has a drum in the instruction set. We will discuss the drum instruction and look at an … Read more