ACC Automation: PLC & Industrial Control Learning
Practical Tips and Techniques
Join me as I take on the challenge of creating a simple start-stop circuit in ladder logic using DeepSeek AI—let’s see if it can nail it! In industrial automation, the ability to design and simulate control circuits is essential for ensuring the functionality and safety of various systems. One of the fundamental circuits used in … Read more
EasyPLC Software Suite is a complete PLC, HMI, and Machine Simulator Software package. This PLC learning package includes a Machine Simulator (MS). This virtual 3D world with real-time graphics and physical properties can communicate to several different programmable logic controllers. (PLC) We will be developing a Click PLC program for a transfer line. This is … Read more
The Click Plus PLC has now been released. This can only be programmed with version 3.00 or higher of the Click Programming Software. Version 3.00 will program all of the Click PLC CPU units and add additional features to the Click Ethernet CPU units. Features of the new Click PLUS PLC (C2-0xCPU) includes the following: … Read more
We will now look at the click plc modbus ascii protocol. This communication will happen in PLC ladder logic and communicate through the serial port (RS485) to a Solo process temperature controller. Modbus ASCII will be the communication protocol. Modbus is a communication method used for transmitting information over serial lines between electronic devices. The … Read more
The Click PLC can communicate to a remote I/O (input and output) controller modules using the Modbus protocol for communications. The BX-MBIO provides both Modbus RTU and Modbus TCP interfaces for remote IO. Modbus RTU is a serial communication and Modbus TCP is an Ethernet communication. Modbus RTU is supported over an RS-485 serial connection. … Read more
We will now look at logging data with time and date in the Click PLC. The Click PLC can perform indirect addressing. This means that I can ask for information to be moved to and from locations in the PLC using a pointer that will indicate the address. Stephen Covey in The 7 Habits of … Read more
A PID (Proportional, Integral, and Derivative) control is possible with the Click PLC. A sample program was written for this PLC by Bernie Carlton in the following thread from the Automation Direct Forum. This was based on the math/process presented by Tim Wescott on is paper titled PID without a Ph.D. We will be using … Read more
A dusk to dawn sensor usually is discrete on/off of the lighting control. If we want to vary the lights to mimic more of the sunset and rise, we would use an analog output to control the lights. I was recently asked about such a program. Every day they wanted the lights to go off … Read more
The Ethernet Click PLC high-speed counter has seven different modes of operation. In Part 1 we discussed the High Speed Count Mode, Interval Measurement Mode, Duration Measurement Mode and Frequency Measurement Mode. This 100 kHz counter can accept Up, Down, Up/Down, Pulse/Direction, or Quadrature (with Z) inputs. We will be looking at the last three … Read more
The Click PLC family has been updated, and now has the ability to use high speed counting. This is available on all of the Ethernet units that have DC inputs. The faster processor on the Ethernet unit (3 to 10 times faster than the basic unit) allows this capability. There are seven (7) different modes … Read more