It is well known that Dick Morley invented the PLC, in the light of the need to automate the General Motors production facility. He is an American engineer who specialized in AI and automation. Throughout his work history, he won several awards. Morely created the PLC in 1968. He led the team which developed the first PLC.
The first PLC was named Modicon PLCs, which is an abbreviation of the term modular digital controller. This launch of the Modicon PLC led to a massive change in the industry and changed the way in which industrial processes and machines are automated.
Modicon PLC was first manufactured by a company called Modicon. Later on, it was acquired by AEG. Now Modicon is owned by Schneider. PLCs, passed in several developments since they were invented over a half-century ago.
So how does a PLC automate an industrial application?
Let us take an example. As we know, our brain relies on the information offered by the senses. Similarly, the PLC needs instrumentation to compute its environment. These are called PLC inputs. The programmable logic controller gathers the data from all devices and employs application software to discover what steps should be taken.
The data gathered via hardware is put in a memory which saves the information. While the application program is saved in what we call the program memory.
As our brain controls how our body should move, the programmable logic controller controls how a machine should move. Knowing that such a machine employs electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic devices. These are called the PLC outputs.
For example, let us attach a PLC with the input and output devices for a basic temperature control application. In case we attach the temperature sensor as the input to a PLC, we can know how hot it is. Later on, if we add an electric fan as PLC output we can manage the temperature.
A programmable logic controller is able to manage industrial automation applications. There are many applications that PLC can manage. Here are a few of them:
1- Managing a water tank level. This happens through watching the tank level and changing the inlet pump tempo.
2- Manage the temperature of a drying oven by watching the internal temperature and repositioning the burner control valve.
3- Manage the start and stop sequence of a group of materials holding the conveyors.
In case you want to get additional information about Modicon, visit the MRO Electric website.
