PLC Control Of Electro-Pneumatic System For Modern Manufacturing Plant

This report discusses the application of Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) control in
a modem manufacturing industry, the programming approach in the ladder diagram
design and development and the associated design software tools, namely the OMRON
CX programmer, Automation Studio and LADSIM simulator.
A case study on the development and simulation of a manufacturing plant process design
was conducted to investigate for the viable and efficient approach in design and
development of a PLC program. The usage of PLC has grown rapidly over the last 20
years to control process sequences ranging from small devices up to large process plant
applications. This project is very much related to mechatronics and instrumentation
design.
Throughout this research, rigorous literature review on the basic method of programming
a PLC programming and, the mechanical and the electronic devices used in the
manufacturing plant design had been conducted to produce a reliable system for the
design. Exposure to new design software such as Automation Studio and LADSIM has
allowed simulations of the process sequences to be performed.
In this research, the manufacturing process was divided into three sections of process
control systems. Each section has its own programming sequences. In the final program,
all the programming systems are integrated together to form a full programming system.
The work provides the following main conclusions; the systematic and organized
approach, as used in solving the sequential controls in a modem manufacturing plant,
provides a better and flexible approach as well as better documentation. Although this
research has been applied to a case study, however, the results and outcomes provide
possible means of solving other similar systems or subsystems.