Slide 94

Section 3 : ON-OFF (Relay) Control

Section Aims:

On completion of this section, you should;

 Have an understanding of ON-OFF relay control systems.

 Be able to develop ON-OFF relay control systems to achieve any given logical
expression.
 Be able to develop ON-OFF relay control systems for given applications

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 Background Slide 95

 Control System design embraces many different technologies, depending upon

the application the appropriate control solution may be complex & challenging.

 Some classes of control problem can however be implemented with very simple
(& low cost) schemes. The most simple is simple switching control often
described as ON-OFF or BANG-BANG control.

 This approach is widely used and can implemented using simple relays,
contactors or by software implementation using a Programmable Logic
Controller.

 The control strategy is of course dictated by the application and the desired level
of performance:
 Temperature control in a washing machine controlled to +/- 2° C or +/-2% is fine.
 However 2% position error in a robot arm wouldn’t be acceptable.

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 Slide 96
Washing Machine Example
 Control circuits operate in 5v-15v DC range.
 Heater element is driven by 240v AC source
 Relay has useful ability to allow low voltage signals to control higher voltage
signals.

 Heater normally on – switched off when temperature reached.

 When temperature controlled switch S is operated magnetic field produced by
coil will attract blade to open contact between A&B isolating the heater.

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 Relay Type 1 Slide 97

 Two Variants – Normally Open and

Normally Closed

Normally Open Variant Normally Closed Variant

 Once switch S1 is operated the coil k1 is  Here the output k is energised UNTIL
2
energized and contactor/switch k1 closes the switch S1 is closed then coil k1
and remains closed as long as S1 energises and switch k1 opens.
remains closed. In this diagram the
output from the relay energises another
coil k2.

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 Relay Type 1 Limitations Slide 98

 The Relay output will only be affected as long as the operating switch S1 is
operated and held closed.

 For some applications the switch may be manually operated on a control panel.

 Obviously not practical so we need a mechanism which will latch the relay when
the button is pressed and released. We also need a mechanism to reset the
latch.

 This is achieved by adding another contactor/switch to the relay coil and wiring it
in parallel with the control switch S1.

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 Relay Type 2 –Latching & Reset Circuit Slide 99

Normally Open

Normally Closed

Note that in order to keep diagrams simple the reset element is often left out

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 Slide 100
Relay Implementation of Logical Expressions

 By combining these simple relay units and controlling the input switches it is
possible to implement logical (Boolean) expressions. [Indeed early computers
consisted of arrays of switches and electromagnetic relays!]

 These in turn can be used to implement simple logic based industrial control
systems.

 These principles are best illustrated by examples. In the following section we’ll
only be using Type 1 Relays

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 Example 1 : Logical Buffer Slide 101

 Create an auxiliary circuit using relays that will realise the logical
function of a BUFFER

 We need circuit that will energise the output X when the input A is ON or TRUE

 We assume that the input is switch A and the output is a coil X that is energised
by the circuit.
 This is the most simple logical expression to realise – it is just a single Type 1
relay:

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 Example 2 : NOT gate Slide 102

 Create an auxiliary circuit using relays that will realise the logical
function of a NOT gate.

 Here the circuit needs to energise the output X only when the input A is OFF or
FALSE. In this case we need to use a normally closed relay:

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 Example 3 : AND gate Slide 103

 Create a relay circuit that will realize the logical function of an AND Gate.

 Here we need a circuit that will energize the output coil X when both inputs A
and B are TRUE or ON.

 To achieve this we need two input switches A and B and two relay coils.

 By placing the contactors/switches operated by the energized coils in series we

can ensure that the output coil X is only energized when both input switches A
and B are closed.

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 Slide 104
Example 4 : Three-input OR gate

 Create a relay circuit that will realize the logical function of a three input OR
Gate.

 Equivalent circuit has three input switches energising three contactors/switches

wired in parallel.
 Thus if any input is TRUE or ON then at least one of the relay
contactors/switches is closed and the output relay X is energised.

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 Examples with Latching Relays Slide 105

 Latching versions of the NOT and AND gates:

 Latching NOT

 Latching AND

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 Logical Device Truth Tables Slide 106

 Table showing logical state of output X for possible states of inputs A&B

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 Class Exercise 1 Slide 107

 Create ON-OFF Control circuits using latching relays (neglect reset

circuits) for these logic gates:

(enjoy ………..  )

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 Class Exercise: XOR Gate Slide 108

 Truth table

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 Slide 109
Class Exercise: XNOR Gate
 Truth Table

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 Class Exercise 2 Slide 110

 Create an auxilliary circuit using relays for the following logical function:

 Hint – you might benefit from constructing the Truth Table first !!!

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 Class Exercise 2 Slide 111

 Truth Table

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 Class Exercise 2 Alternative Slide 112

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 Class Exercise 3 Slide 113

Create a relay based control scheme that will control the water level in a tank.

The system has valve that is either ON or OFF that controls the water flow

A water level sensor outputs a logic value 1 when the water level is higher than the
desired value.

The scheme must have a starting button and an emergency switch that will stop the
flow regardless of the level of the water.

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 Class Exercise 3 Slide 114

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 Slide 115
Auxiliary Circuits - Timers

 In examples so far as soon as a button is pressed or a switch closes the

associated relay energises immediately.

 There is often a need in control applications where we want a relay to energise

after some fixed time delay has passed following a button being pressed.

 A timer unit integrated into the relay system can achieve this.

 There are four basic variations of timer

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 Timer On Type 1 Slide 116

 When button S1 is pressed (& stays pressed) the coil at T1 is energized after t1
seconds and contactor/switch T1 closes energizing the output coil k1.

 Thus this circuit simply inserts a delay of t1 seconds before the effect of pressing
switch S1 takes effect.

 If S1 is released (at any time) then the timer coil is reset (and de-energized) and
output coil is also de-energized.

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 Slide 117
Timer On Type 2

 This is simply the latching equivalent of the first type; once S1 is pressed (&
stays pressed) the coil at T1 is energized after t1 seconds and the two
contactors/switches T1 close, latching the timer coil ON and energizing the
output coil.

 Unlike the first type if S1 is released after t1 seconds then the latch will hold the
output coil energized. The output then can only be de-energized by operating
the reset switch R1 which resets and de-energizes the timer coil.

 If S1 is released before t1 seconds then the timer coil doesn’t energize and the
output coil remains de-energized.
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 Slide 118
Timer Off Types 1 & 2

 These timers are very similar to the first two types in structure but the timer coil
energizes immediately on switch S1 being operated and stays energized for t1
seconds after which it de-energizes.

 Here is a timing diagram for ON and OFF type timers.

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 Example 4 Slide 119

 Create an auxilliary circuit that will do the following:-

 Energize a contactor coil, k1, immediately after pressing a button, S1.
Using a latching ON timer, T1, wait for t1 seconds after pressing S1 and
then energize a second contactor, k2.
 Once the second contactor is energized, reset the timer unit, T1.
 k2 will be used to turn ON the load, X.

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 Class Exercise 4 Slide 120

 A very high-speed cutting tool is used to make precision components. However,

it generates a lot of heat and therefore can only be run for a short period of time
before it starts to overheat.

 It is required to implement a control system that will only allow the cutter to run
for 10 minutes.

 Then, to ensure sufficient time to cool down, the control system must prevent the
cutting tool from running again for a further 20 minutes.

 Once the 20 minutes has elapsed the cutter should be started up again for a
further 10 minutes.

 The cutter should continue repetitively through this 10 minutes ON and 20

minutes OFF cycle until a stop button is pressed.

 Design a control system using relays and timers to carry out the process

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 Class Exercise 4 - Solution Slide 121

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 Slide 122
Auxiliary Circuits: Counters

 Counters are used for the counting of a specific number

of operations (switchings) of the system contacts.

 A simple counter will have two inputs; a Reset (R) that

resets the counter and an input (In) which provides the
pulses that are counted.

 All counters have a constant value associated with them that represents the
counter target value (Target).

 There are two kinds of simple counters, the up-counter and the down counter.

 The up-counter starts counting from zero and when it reaches the target value it
changes the status of its contacts.

 The down-counter starts from the target value and will count down to zero at
which it will change the status of its contacts.

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 Equivalent Circuit of Up Counter Slide 123

 This diagram shows an up-counter with a target value of 3 along with the time
sequence of operation of the input 1 , the counter and the reset port.

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 Example 5 Slide 124

Create an auxilliary circuit to do the following:-

 After pressing a start switch, wait for t1 seconds then energize a contactor k1.
Once contactor k1 is energized the timer T1 should be reset.

 Wait a further t2 seconds, then close a second contactor, k2. Once contactor k2
is energized, the timer T2 should be reset.

 Whilst contactor k1 is energized, an up counter is to be activated. The counter

should be reset if contactor k2 is ever de-energized.

Note that in this solution the reset lines on k1 and k2 aren’t drawn. Some external circuits will reset
them so the whole logic operates sequentially and C1 counts the number of times that k1 switches
state whilst k2 remains energized.
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 Slide 125
Class Exercise 5 : Bank Security System
 The diagram shows a security system
at a bank. To protect access to the safe
a security system controls access to the
vault. The specification of the system is
as follows:

 To open the main vault door, three

buttons must be pressed simultaneously.
These buttons are located in different
areas of the building, so it is necessary for
three people to press them at the same time.

 To allow for some margin in human response time; whenever a button is pressed it
will close a relay for 2 seconds only. After 2 seconds has elapsed, the relay will
open. If all three relays are closed at the same time, it will be deemed that the
buttons were pressed simultaneously and the vault door will be opened.

 Finally, if the bank alarm is activated, the vault door must be kept closed, even if all
three buttons are pressed.
 Design a control circuit to implement the security system.
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 Class Exercise 5 : Bank Security System Solution Slide 126

Note that k8 will have a reset line that must be powered in order to reset the system

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 Example 6 : Chemical Mixing System Slide 127

 The process requires two chemicals (A & B) to be simultaneously released into

the mixing tank for 10 seconds. They are then mixed together for 30 seconds with
a mixing blade. A third chemical (C) is then added to the mixing tank for 10
seconds. The final mixture is then rested for 60 seconds. Finally, the valve to the
outlet tank is opened and the contents of the mixing tank transferred to the outlet
tank.

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 Example 6 : Chemical Mixing System Slide 128

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 Relay Characteristics Slide 129

 Our discussion so far has assumed

that the relay is an ideal switch: as the
input signal goes from negative to positive
the switch immediately changes state from
OFF to ON and if the input signal goes
from positive to negative the switch state
changes from ON to OFF

 In practice relays exhibit hysteresis: as the

input signal goes from negative to positive
it actually needs to reach a threshold value (+t)
before the switch state changes. Likewise as
the input signal goes from positive to negative
it must reach a threshold value (-t) before the
switch state changes from ON to OFF

 The Simulink icon for a relay is

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