Industrial Automation Using PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and STONE Touch screen LCD / HMI (Human Machine Interface)

We are going to implement a box sorting machine with PLC and conveyor belt including LCD/Touch screen for controlling and monitoring.

It has the following main parts:

1.      PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)

2.      HMI (Human Machine Interface)/ LCD Stone HMI

3.      Conveyor Belt

4.      Motors

5.      Sensors (Height and Weight sensor)

Prototype Arrangement can be seen as below.

Let’s discuss some details and causes of this application of HMI (Human Machine Interface)

Control system has become backbone of every industry overtime. Before, humans were the major source for controlling systems. In recent past controlling was done by electrical relays. In this modern and advance technology’s era electricity is used for controlling and monitoring purposes.Especially in industry it plays a vital rule in controlling the heavy machinery and hence the chances of hazards have been reduced on a huge scale and human security is ensured. Simply we can say that control system has made our lives much easy.  

There are many controllers available in market now a days such as PIC, AVR, 8051 and Arduino microcontrollers they all have their importance in many areas of control engineering. PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) has brought revolution and replaced hard wired electrical wiring and relays with simple program and controller.

PLC got favor in industry due to following benefits:

Ø  Cost effective for complex control systems

Ø  Constructed in modular form so that modules can be separated easily for repair

Ø  Computational abilities allow more sophisticated control.

Ø  Trouble shooting aids make programming easier and reduce downtime

Ø  Easy HMI LCD configuration (SONE HMI Touch screen LCD)

Ø  Reliable components make these likely to operate for years before failure

Ø  They are more immune to vibration, humidity and perfect to be operated in Industrial environment [2]

You can say PLC as minicomputer as it has CPU (Central Processing Unit) and memory.Languages used to program PLC include Ladder diagram, Sequential Function Charts, Function Block Diagram, Structured Text, and Instruction List. PLC is flexible a device, program in the PLC can easily be changed to include future enhancements in the system.