ACC Automation: PLC & Industrial Control Learning
Practical Tips and Techniques
Accelerate Learning … Accelerate Machines… Accelerate Knowledge… ACC Automation Each year we like to take a few minutes and reflect on the past, current, and future of ACC Automation. You have helped us build the site you see today through questions, comments, and suggestions. Thank you. In this Covid-19 world, we are continuing to adapt. … Read more
This tutorial is for beginners who are just starting to program PLCs. Using the EasyPLC simple conveyor, we will move a box back and forth on the conveyor. We will learn to write the PLC ladder logic program for this operation. Using the five steps to PLC programming development, we will determine what must be … Read more
The Machine Simulator (MS) is part of the EasyPLC software suite. It has many built-in machines that are used to show different programming techniques. The solder robot example is one of these machines. This will demonstrate a sequencer robot example. In this case, four rivets are welded using a robot. The logic will step through … Read more
Previously we looked at the easy PLC machine editor design simulation. We created a mixing tank simulation using the EasyPLC machine editor. The tank included a control panel and operation indication. We will now use the Do-More designer programming software to program the ladder logic for this EasyPLC mixing tank application. The built-in simulator of … Read more
You’ve had this idea for years since you were a kid. You want to be an electrical engineer, and you’re finally going to follow through on it and learn PLC programming to start your career off right! What? That’s what you thought, anyway. But then you started googling around, trying to figure out how to … Read more
Most programmable logic controller (PLC) programs will include a counter instruction. The Productivity 2000 Series PLC has two different counter instructions for your program. These can be used in several different ways to adapt to your application. Basically, counters are used to count up or down to a specific limit. When the limit is reached, … Read more
The EasyPLC palletizing robot will demonstrate sequencing and robot control using a PLC. This palletization process will fill a box container with six cans. A servo-controlled gantry robot using x and y is used to do this operation. The complete box will then travel along to another conveyor to an unloading area. A robot will … Read more
The EasyPLC machining center loading robots will demonstrate sequencing and robot control using a PLC. Two input lines feed blanks to the robot. The robot will alternate taking the blanks and putting them into the CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine. The robot moves the piece to the finished conveyor when the part has been machined. … Read more
PLC ladder logic counters are used in just about every PLC program. They will indicate how many times something has happened within the controller logic. Counters then can be used to trigger other outputs or items in the PLC. You can find counter applications in a variety of things every day. We will discuss three … Read more
Normally open (NO) contacts or inputs in the PLC ladder logic program do not mean the same as a wired normally open switch. NO contacts on the ladder logic provide the logic condition for the rung to turn on the output. We will be looking at three things about the normally open (NO) contact on … Read more