TUTORIALS ON PLCs

PROBLEM I: MIXING PROCESS

Figure 1 shows a process that is part of an industry known and loved by many. In this
process, water is mixed with sugar and fermented barley in a predetermined ratio.
The mixing process should proceed as follows:
 Assume that the tank is empty at the start. When the start button (Start) is
pressed, magnetic valve MV1 opens so that water runs into the tank.
 When the level reaches sensor LT2, the water supply is closed and the motor for
the conveyor belt starts at the same time that the agitator (Stir) starts.
 When the level reaches transmitter LT3, the motor stops and the magnetic valve
MV2 at the outlet opens (the agitator will continue to run).
 When the level falls below LT2, the agitator is also stopped.
 When the level then falls below LT1, valve MV2 is closed. The sequence can be
initiated again by pushing the start button.

1. Draw the GRAFCET of the system.

2. Write his program using a PLC language.

Figure 1 : Mixing process

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 PROBLEM II: AUTOMATED PACKAGING LINE
Figure 2 shows an illustration of a packaging line. The facility consists of two single‐
working cylinders (1 and 2) that go into plus position when the valves Y1 and Y2 receive
a high signal (24 V). When Y1 and Y2 are set low (0 V), the cylinders will go back into
minus position.
Each cylinder has two built‐in sensors, A0/A1 and B0/B1, respectively, that detect when
the pistons are in the plus position (that is, when it is extended) and when the pistons
are in minus position.
Furthermore, there is a gripping mechanism at the end of each piston. These close and
hold the products when they receive a high signal (Y3 and Y4) from the control unit.
When the grips are closed, the sensors D1 and D2 send a high signal.
Two sensors, C1 and C2, detect when the cartons are in position at the magazines.
The facility shall function as follows:
 When the start button is pressed, the conveyor belt starts.
 When a carton has come into position at magazine 1, the following takes place (in
chronological order): The belt stops, piston 1 extends, the grip closes around the
product, the piston returns, the grip opens, and the belt starts. An identical
operation takes place at magazine 2.
 When 10 cartons have been filled with product 1 and product 2, both the conveyor
belt and the pistons stop so that the magazines can be refilled. The system is then
started again with the start button.
 If the stop switch is activated, the conveyor belt stops as soon as the active piston
has finished handling the product in question.

1. Draw the GRAFCET of the system.

2. Write his program using a PLC language.

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 Figure 2 : Automated packaging line

PROBLEM III: BATCH PROCESS

Figure 3 shows a process section in which two chemicals, A and B, are mixed together.
S1, S2, and S3 are level switches of the NC (normally closed) type that change state
when the fluid reaches the level in question. Ts is a temperature sensor. The facility also
has a starting button, Start and a stopping button, Stop1.

The facility is to function as follows:

- At the signal to start, valve A opens.

- At level S2, valve A closes, the heating element is turned on, the agitator starts,
and valve B opens.
- At level S3, valve B closes.
- When 85°C is reached, a timer is activated. 30 seconds after, the heating is
turned off and valve C is opened.
- Below level S2, the agitator stops.
- Below level S1, valve C closes and valve A opens again.
- The sequence is repeated until Stop1 is pressed.

1. Draw the GRAFCET of the system.

2. Write his program using a PLC language.

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 Figure 3 : Batch process

PROBLEM IV: WASH OPERATION

A bottling plant has a juice tank that is used in soft drink production. This tank is washed
after each batch. The wash operation functions as follows:
 When a starting switch is activated, the tank is filled with water by holding a valve
open until the tank is full (level sensor gives logical high signal).
 Then the water is heated with the help of a heating element.
 When the water has reached a temperature of 95°C, the heating is stopped and
an agitator starts.
 The agitator runs for 5 minutes.
 Then the tank is drained by holding a bottom valve open until the tank is empty
(another level sensor switches to logical low signal).
 The entire operation is repeated three times. After that, the program awaits a
new signal to start.

1. Draw the GRAFCET of the system.

2. Write his program using a PLC language.

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 PROBLEM V: LEVEL PROCESS
A PLC will be used for controlling the fluid level in the tank. The tank is provided with a
varying quantity of liquid (control of the fluid stream into the tank is not part of the
task). Two sump pumps, P1 and P2, will prevent the tank from getting full. The pumps
are controlled with the aid of signals from three level monitors, B1, B2, and B3, which
give a logical high signal when they are covered by fluid. See Figure 4.

The system will function as follows:

 When the level rises above B2, one of the pumps will start and then stop again
when the level drops below B1.
 The pumps will start alternately so that P1 and P2 start one at a time. The
changeover in which pump will start will not take place until the level has fallen
below B1 and then has come up to B2 again.
 If the level rises above B3, both pumps will run until the level is below B1 again.
 If B3 is on for more than three minutes, a warning lamp will light.

The facility also has a start button, a stop button, and a reset button that deactivates
the alarm.

1. Draw the GRAFCET of the system.

2. Write his program using a PLC language.

Figure 4 : Fluid tank with pumps

PROBLEM VI: PACKING FACILITY FOR APPLES

Figure 5 sketch of a facility for packing apples in crates.

 When Start is pressed, the conveyor belt 1, which carries the crates, begins to
move. The belt runs until a capacitive sensor gives a signal that indicates that an
empty crate has come up to the packing station. Then conveyor belt 2 starts.

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  Belt 2 transports the apples that are to be packed in the crates. A photocell
detects each individual apple on the belt. When 10 apples have passed the photocell
and thus fallen into the crate, belt 2 stops and belt 1 starts again.
 This will be repeated until the stop button is activated. Then the facility will finish
the ongoing packing operation and then shut down.
 If more than five seconds elapse between each apple when belt 2 is active, or more
than 10 seconds elapse before the crate arrives at the packing station when belt
1 is running, the operator will be warned and an alarm light will light. The belts will
not stop. The alarm resets automatically if a crate or an apple passes the
appropriate sensor. It can also be reset with a button.
 If the alarm is active, the facility will shut down immediately if Stop is pressed.

The stop button can obviously be activated at any time, so when we code, we must store
the event of Stop being pressed. Since an ongoing packing operation must be completed
before the facility shuts down, we check whether Stop has been activated because a
crate has been fully packed.

1. Draw the GRAFCET of the system.

2. Write his program using a PLC language.

Figure 5 : Production line packing of apples

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 PROBLEM VII

A ship’s engine must be capable of being stopped and started from both the bridge (S1
and S3) and from the engine room (S2 and S4). The relay control (contactor control) for
this operation is shown in the figure 6, where contactor K1 connects the main power
supply to the engine. Explain how the control functions. Draw the logical diagram (standard
digital ports).

Figure 6