THE MOTIVATED

ELECTRICIAN'S CHEATSHEET

TO UNDERSTANDING ANY PLC

SYSTEM

Discrete, analog, Modbus, I/O modules, Ladder Logic,

communication modules, ethernet, and on and on...ugh...how do
you make sense of all the pieces in a PLC automation system?? And
more importantly how does it all work together?

In this quick cheat sheet, I’m going to show you how everything in
a PLC automation system basically fits into 3 categories...and better
yet I’ll show you how it all works together.

Inputs
A PLC controller is like your brain. It needs an input before it can make
a decision to do anything. Inputs into your brain are your 5
senses...sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. 

Most inputs to a PLC are things like push-buttons or proximity

switches (like your garage door sensors that stop the door before it
crushes your kid's bike). These are called discrete inputs...meaning
they’re either ON or OFF...no in-between.

PLCs can also have analog inputs which are more like the light
dimmers you might have in your house. Instead of just ON and OFF, it
can be somewhere in between.

Inputs can come into a PLC controller through wiring to input modules
or through a communication signal (such as Modbus) from a touch-
screen HMI or another PLC.

Logic
This is where the magic happens...where you take your inputs and
make some decisions so you can do some action with your outputs.
Just like you’ve programmed your brain to stop at a red light, you can
program the PLC to make decisions and produce actions.

PLCs can can be programmed in different languages like ladder logic or

structured text. The programming language doesn’t matter much. It is
just a way to tell the PLC controller what to do with all the inputs it’s
getting.

For example if the PLC receives an input saying that a motor is running,
you could have logic that turns on a light on the front of a panel that
says “motor running”.  Which leads us to…

Outputs
Outputs in a PLC system are the equipment in the plant that actually
does stuff in your factory or plant. Outputs in the brain analogy would
be things like your hands and feet. 

Outputs in a PLC system are things like lights on a panel (“motor

running” or “motor stopped”), or motors. These are discrete outputs.
Which again, means they’re either ON or OFF.

Outputs, like inputs, can also be analog. This is useful when you need
to change the speed of a motor from 0 - 1000 RPM or somewhere
between. Analog outputs give you smooth ramp up/ramp down control,
instead of just ON/OFF control

Outputs are controlled from the PLC through hard-wired signal from
PLC output modules or through communication signals (like Modbus)
that are sent from the PLC to a motor drive or to another PLC.  

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