PLC Ladder Logic
Tanuja Sheorey
July 26th, 2020
Cursory
• A PLC repeatedly executes a scan cycle
sequence.
• The basic PLC scan cycle consists of
three steps
– An input scan, 10% time
– A user program scan, 80% time
– An output scan, 10% time
• The total time for one complete program
scan [typically 10-25 ms] is a function of
processor speed, I/O modules used, and
length of user program.
• Hundreds of complete scans can take
place in 1 second.
• Ladder Diagram
• Ladder diagram programming allows PLCs
to perform several different types of tasks,
including Boolean logic, timing, counting,
arithmetic, and special functions.
A practical control
Line / power Contacts Outputs
supply
Ground
Logical instructions
PLC SW Elements
• Contacts are used to develop set of logical
instructions for the flow of current in the circuit
diagram, from line to ground.
• When a voltage difference is established
between line and ground, output gets updated to
high and activated.
• Every contact in the circuit diagram can be
defined as either a make or break contact.
• Elements of Ladder Logic
– Contacts: Input devices
• Can be an external switch, internally set logic flags
(M) or time function (T).
– Coils: Output devices
• To operate motor, solenoid or other actuator. Also
used to operate internal timer, counter or flags.
• I/O Contacts / Coils and their symbols
used in PLC:
– I: Input
– Q: Output coil
– M: Marker flag
– T: Timer
– C: Counter
Inputs
• Actual physical devices.
• Inputs are represented as Contacts.
• Two types of contacts are used, namely,
normally open (NO) and normally closed
(NC) contacts.
Contact Open Contact Closed
Inputs
• Normally Open Type (NO):
• Default: Inactive
• When closed: Active
Most push
buttons
Contact Open
Inactive Contact Closed
Active
NO Inputs
Inputs
• Normally Closed Type (NC):
• Default: Inactive, but keeps current supply
• When closed: Active, current supply stops
Contact Closed Contact Open
Inactive Active
NC Inputs
Digital input
module
Memory location
PII
• Permanent contact: To energize a relay coil continuously, make a
connection of all contact fields. Output Q1 will remain on all the time.
• Permanent contact: To energize a relay coil continuously, make a
connection of all contact fields. Output Q1 will remain on all the time.
• Series Connection: Output relay Qx is controlled by a series circuit
consisting of a maximum of three make or break contacts. Marker relays
can be used to raise the flag if more than three contacts are required to be
connected in series.
• AND circuit: Three make contacts in series
• NOR circuit: Three break contacts in series
• The AND circuit consists of three inputs connected in series. When all the
three inputs I1, I2 and I3 are set-on, then only the output Q1 will be
switched-on.
• The NOR circuit consists of three negated inputs connected in series. When
all the three inputs I1, I2 and I3 are set-off, only then the output Q2 will be
set-on.
AND & NOR ckt
AND & NOR ckt
• Parallel Connection: Output relay Qx is controlled by a parallel circuit
consisting of either make or break inputs connected in parallel.
• OR circuit: Three make contacts in parallel
• NAND circuit: Three break contacts in parallel
• The OR circuit consists of three inputs connected in parallel. When any of
the three inputs I1, I2 or I3 are set-on, then the output Q1 will be switched-
on. If input I2 is only on and the other two inputs are off, then the circuit will
be complete from I2 to Q1.
• The NAND circuit consists of three negated inputs connected in parallel.
When any of the three inputs I1, I2 or I3 are set-off, then the output Q2 will
be switched-on. If input I1 is off and the other two inputs are on, then the
circuit will be completed from I1 to Q2.
NAND & OR Ckt
• Changover Circuit: It is made using two series connections
combined to form a parallel connection. It is called EXclusive OR
(XOR) circuit. Coil can be energized only when one contact
switches.
• The XOR circuit consists of two inputs connected in series, one
make and the other break contact and their combinations are
connected in parallel. When any of the two inputs I1 or I2 is set-on,
then the output Q1 will be set-on. If I1 is on, then the circuit will be
completed from I1 through negated I2 to Q1.
XOR Ckt
Lab 1
Simple gate exercises on ladder
logic
• A fire alarm detects smoke from 3 rooms
through three sensors.
• If it receives signal from any of the smoke
sensor, it would put-on the sound alarm.
• A fire alarm detects smoke from 3 rooms
through three sensors.
• If it receives signal from any of the room, it
would switch off the mains.
Exercise
• Construct a logic gate for the following
condition:
– There has to be no output when any one of
four sensors gives an output,
– otherwise there is to be an output.
Exercise
• Construct a logic gate for the following
condition:
– A central air conditioned system is connected
to three rooms.
– If any room is occupied, AC should remain on.
– It should be put-off if non of the room is
occupied.
• I/O Contacts / Coils and their symbols
used in PLC:
– I: Input
– Q: Output coil
– M: Marker flag
– T: Timer
– C: Counter
• Coil Functions:
– [ Contacter function, Output signal
follows input signal immediately
– S Set / latching: To set output on
– R Reset (unlatching): to set output off
Contacter Coil Function
Latching
Example
• Fire Alarm System
Timer
• Time is always a part of a control system.
• Typical examples are:
– drive to forward limit and stop drive,
– wait 50 second and apply parking brake,
– Do the mixing for 10 minutes
• A PLC system must therefore include
timers as part of its programming
language.
Timer Relay
• AC010 provides eight timer relays, T1 to T8.
• It is used
– to set the switching duration and
– make and break times of a relay contact.
• It is integrated into circuit diagram in the form of a
contact.
• The function is defined in terms of parameter display.
• The relay starts with coil function TTx (triggering timer
relay x) and can be reset via the reset coil function RTx.
• Reset coil has priority over the trigger coil.
Timer
• On delay
• Off delay
• Single pulse
• Multiple pulses
On Delay Timer
• A 0 to 1 transition is delayed for a preset time T.
• A 1 to 0 transition is instant with input signal.
• An input signal shorter than T is ignored.
• There will be an area of memory reserved
for internal signals which are used by the
program but are not connected directly to
the outside world.
• Timers, counters, storage bits.
Marker Flag
Off Delay Timer
• The off delay passes a 0 to 1 transition instantly but
delays the 1 to 0 transition by preset time.
• Eg.: In Xylo, the head lights remain on even after
ignition switch is put-off. It will remain on for preset
time. It is providing the driver to walk-off with ease
in the dark.
• Single Pulse
– It is an edge-triggered pulse timer.
– It gives a fixed width pulse for every 0 to 1
transition at the timer input.
Counters
• The PLC may be required to count the number of
items in a batch.
• Record the number of times some event occurs.
• Number of starts of a motor needs to be logged.
• The value of the count can be read, displayed and
used by other parts of the program.
Counter Relay
• It increments or decrements signals and switches
when the actual value is greater than the setpoint
value.
• A counter relay can be controlled via the counting
pulse CCx and reset RCx coil functions.
• The count-up instruction simply increases the value
of a counter by 1 each time an upward (OFF to ON)
transition is detected in the input.
• The reset instruction resets the value of the count to
0 or to a predetermined reset value.
Example
• Items passing along a conveyor are to be detected
by a photocell and counted.
• When a batch is complete, the conveyor is stopped
and a batch complete light is lit for the operator to
remove the batch.
• When he does this, a restart button sets the
sequence running again.
