TILI Automation

 This article is about creating an application (screen) in HMI using Siemens TIA PORTAL. We all know how much HMI is useful, it allows us to gather all the data from one location. We can control processes, can see alarms, trends, see the level of the tanks, and can give a command to control valve to see its operation like what we do with HART to check loop. So, HMI is all in one place where you can do any stuff just you need have to communicate it with the PLC. In the above window, you can see an example of HMI how it carries all the information. In red symbol, you can see an error and a lot of another feature you can access within HMI. Create an Application in HMI Let’s learn how to create an application, to do that follow the below step as I do. Step 1: Open TIA PORTAL. Click on “create new project”. Give a name and hit “create”. Step 2: Now click on “visualization” and select any one of them. Step 3: Here click on “Add new device” and then select “HMI”. Step 4: Here, you will ge...

 First, before going through installing a GSD file, let’s understand what GSD file is and why we require to install them in the software. For example, we have a flow transmitter that has a function like flow totalizer. The transmitter will store the flow rate, totalizer value, and flow units. The transmitter is also capable of remote configuration from the PLC’s. It will accept the totalizer reset command, sending the flow parameters to PLC. The PLC can be communicated with flow transmitters only when it knows where to communicate, which addresses the flow transmitter data is available. The transmitters will be provided with a GSD file from the manufacturer which contains all the addresses where the flow parameters will be available. In such a case, GSD means General Station Definition which contains a form of the text which interprets by PLC which then converts it into proper command form. In short, we can say that the GSD file gives an identity of devices commands, and parameters...

 This article is about Open Platform Communication (OPC) which is one type of communication protocol used in industrial automation. As we know that Data is transferred from field to controller by using some sort of communication method. OPC Classic is one type of method used to transfer data from field device to controller and from controller to HMI. You receive every kind of signal from value to error to alarm generation in real-time which can be coming from different manufacturer’s devices, there should be one common protocol for communication and that is OPC. It was in 1996 when OPC was founded to share data of different manufacturers so they can talk to each other efficiently. In our daily usage of computers and laptops, there is one method DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) which is used to communicate between internal applications. With the DDE method, you can only communicate between two PC or laptops. Due to this limitation, this method can’t use in process control which led OPC t...

 Learn analog input scaling methods in RSLogix 500 software using Scale with parameters (SCP) and Scale (SCL) instructions. Analog inputs provide a way for us to understand the real-time parameters of the environment around. Example: Temperature of the surrounding, Humidity in air, Moisture in the air, level of the water in a tank, and speed of the flow of fluids in a plant. So all these parameters are going to be in a specific unit. Example: level in liters, pressure in bar, the temperature in degree celsius, and etc. But all the sensors we use to measure those parameters provide a variable voltage as output that is called Analog inputs to our Automation system. Each sensor has a specific range of output which you can refer to the sensor manual. Consider a sensor whose output range is 0 to 10v. 0v being the least and 10v being the maximum value of the sensor measured parameter. But these values cannot be read into PLC as they occur. All the values that a controller reads will be i...

 What is Profinet? Profinet or process field Net is an industrial communication standard for an industrial control system. Like Profibus, this communication protocol is mainly used by siemens PLC. Profinet is an industrial ethernet-based system. Using Profinet we can connect facilities like PLC, HMI, Distributed I/O, a different type of transmitters, sensor, actuator, VFD, etc. all on one network. Profinet provides faster response time so the collection of the data becomes even greater. Industrial Profinet comes with shielding provides better performance in an electrically noisy environment. To recognize Profinet devices it must be defined with IP address and device name. Each device in a network must be assigned with IP address to communicate. Like Profibus-DP you can use Profinet as remote I/O, provide a very fast rate of communication. So you can use Profinet with PLC, HMI, remote I/O, sensors, actuator, VFD. To connect Profinet in the larger network we can use network switch fo...

 In siemens PLC, to execute the PLC programs the Organisational Block is used. In OB1 which is used to execute logic and we call other programming blocks from this OB1. In many small applications only requires OB1 block. But In the large application, you require to use other organization blocks too which siemens offer within the programming software. Types of Interrupt OB There are four types of interrupt OB is used which are listed below. Cyclic Interrupt Hardware Error Interrupt Time of day Interrupt Start-up Interrupt All the above-listed OBs don’t need to call from the main OB. They are used to execute based on events occur. There are many other types of interrupt OB that exists like diagnostic error interrupt, io access error, and many more. But the above listed four are very useful in some events. Let understand the above four listed interrupts OBs and when to use them in programming. 1) Cyclic interrupt (OB 30, OB 35) Cyclic interrupt OB is used when there is a requirement o...

 Why is RTO used in the place of T-ON? Timers are one of the most used instructions in a PLC program. To get started with the topic we need to know why the timers are used in the first place. Timers are used to keep a set of outputs ON/OFF for the specified amount of time. For example, I had to run a heater for 15 seconds I would go for a timer to make it happen. So there are two types of an ON delay  timer in RSlogix 500, T-ON – TImer On delay timer. RTO – Retentive TImer. Now consider an application we are programming requires a heater to be turned on for 15 seconds after a level sensor has sensed the level is high enough. Now we’re gonna write the logic for that using a TON. Now we completed our logic, I:0.0/0 – It is the sensor input address o:0.0/0- It is the output for the heater. T4:0/TT – It is called the timer timing bit. The following are the specifics on Timer block, Timer – The timer address has to be specified here. Time Base – The time base is the one that determ...

The memory structure of Siemens PLC First of all, let’s take a short look at all the types of Memories in general RAM: Random Access memory that is used in computers and most of the electronic devices why it’s called that? Because it’s not required to allocate a physical location of memory when performing an operation or data transitions which accelerate the process and saves time.  But in case of electricity cut off all the stored data in the RAM are lost. ROM: Read Only Memory, it’s non-volatile memory where the stored are readable but can’t be modified. EPROM: Erasable Read Only Memory it’s the same as ROM but the stored data can be edited, removed, and store new changes by exposing it to ultraviolet light. But the Way of UV exposure is a very difficult and complicated method. EEPROM: Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory It looks like the EPROM but the way of editing, removing, and store new changes for the data is done electrically not by UV light, But the number...

 Getting started with Allen Bradley Powerflex VFD  To get started with Variable Frequency Drives, we have to know why industries are using VFD?. As the name explains, the VFDs are used to vary the frequency of the AC wave they are receiving and send it to the output where an AC motor is wired. So ultimately we are using VFD to control the speed of the AC motor. We all have heard of Motor Control Center (MCC), they’re used to supply the power to motors and also used to start the motor in an efficient way with protection. Now we might have a question whether I should have a separate control to start the motor when we use a VFD? The answer is we don’t need a separate control when we use a VFD. VFD provides the following advantages, smooth starting smooth acceleration & deceleration time stopping methods reversal of motor reduce harmonics increase power factor Allen Bradley Powerflex VFD Now that we understand why we prefer VFD. we are gonna jump on to how it is being used and...

 What Is FIFO in Rockwell PLC Programming?  FIFO is a special programming instruction that can be used in the applications that require to store the sequence of data in order and unload it. FIFO Instruction Now we are gonna see how are loading and unloading done in FIFO. Yes! FIFO should be used in a pair. There should be an instruction to load and there should be an instruction to unload. The following are the block parameters in FIFO load instruction, Source: Here is where one should give an address where the values to be loaded are present. FIFO: Here is where one should specify the address where the values have to be loaded. This address seems weird right with an ‘#’ in the front. When we use an ‘#’ symbol in the front it is called an array of addresses. Obviously there will be a sequence of values present to be loaded arrays are capable of storing many values right? So why we gave ‘#’ in the front should make sense now. Control: Here is where one should specify the contro...