Programmable Logic Controllers

Third Edition

Frank D. Petruzella
McGraw-Hill

Chapter 8 Programming Counters

Counters
Common applications of counters include keeping track of the number of items moving past a given point, and determining the number of times a given action occurs.

A preset counter can control an external circuit when its counted total matches the user-entered preset limits.

Mechanical Counters
Programmed counters can serve the same functions as mechanical counters.

Every time the actuating lever is moved over the counter adds one number, while the actuating lever returns automatically to its original position. Resetting to zero is done with a pushbutton located on the side of the unit.

Electronic Counters
Electronic counters can count up, count down, or be combined to count up and down. They are dependent on external sources, such as parts traveling past a sensor or actuating a limit switch for counting.

Counter Applications

Coil-Formatted Counter Instruction

The coil is assigned an address as well as being identified as a counter

Increments counter by 1 for every false-to-true transition

Like the timer, preset and accumulated values are included

When the accumulated count equals the preset count, the output is energized and the counter output is closed. The counter contact can be used as many times as you wish throughout the program as an NO or NC contact.

Coil-Formatted Counter And Reset Instruction

Same address

Resets counter when true

Block-Formatted Counter Instruction

Count line
Type of counter Preset value Output line

Reset line

Accumulated value

PLC counters operate or count on the leading edge of the input signal. The counter will either increment or decrement whenever the count input transfers from an "off" state to an "on" state. The counter will not operate on the trailing edge, or on-to-off transition of the input condition.

Counter Counting Sequence

PLC counters are normally retentive. Whatever count was contained in the counter at the time of a processor shutdown will be restored to the counter on power-up. The counter may be reset, however, if the reset condition is activated at the time of power restoration.

PLC counters can be designed to count up to a preset value or to count down to a preset value.

Counter Counting Sequence

The up-counter is incremented by 1 each time the rung containing the counter is energized.

The counter will increment until the accumulated value is equal to or greater than the preset value, at which time an output will be produced.

Counter Counting Sequence

The down-counter decrements by 1 each time the rung containing the counter is energized.

A counter reset is always provided to cause the counter accumulated value to be reset to a predetermined value.

Simple Up-counter Program

Up-counter Program Timing Diagram

C5 Counter Data File

Each counter address is made of a 3-word element

Bit 0-9: Internal Use Bit 10: UAthe - Update accumulation value. the controller Specifies the value, which counter must reach before This is the number of times of false to true transitions that have occurred Bit 11: UN Underflow bit. sets the done bit. When the-accumulated value becomes equal to or since the counter was last reset. Bit 12: OV - Overflow greater than the preset value, the donebit. status bit is set. You can use this Bit 13: DN - Done bit to control an output device. Bit 14: CD - Count down is enabled. Bit 15: CU - Count up is enabled.

PLC-5 And SLC 500 Count-Up Counter Instruction

ControlLogix Count-Up Counter Instruction

The counter address in the PLC-5 and SLC 500 is a data table address, whereas in the ControlLogix it is a predefined structure of the data type.

In the PLC-5 and SLC 500, the max value for the preset and accumulated values is 32,767 and the min value is 32,768; for the ControlLogix controller the max value is 2,147,438,647 and the min value is 2,147,438,648.

RSLogic Counter Commands

Command

Name

Description

RES HSC CTD CTU

Decrements the accumulated Increments the accumulated Resets the accumulated Counts high-speed pulses Count-Down Count-Up value at each false-to-true value at each false-to-true High-Speed Reset value status bit of from aand fixed controller transition and retains the the transition and retains Counter the counter high-speed input accumulated value value when when accumulated power cycle cycle occurs occurs power

Parts Counting Program

Counter C5:2 counts the total number of parts coming off an assembly line for final packaging

Each package must contain 10 parts

When 10 parts are detected, counter C5:1 sets bit B3/1 to initiate the box closing sequence

Counter C5:3 counts the total number of packages filled per day
A pushbutton is used to restart the total part and package count from zero daily

Parts Counting Program

9 10 15

9 10 5

1. One common application for a counter is keeping track of the number of items moving past a given point. (True/False) 2. Timers, like counters, are not dependent on external sources for counting. (True/False)

3. The down-counter increments by 1 each time the rung containing the counter is energized. (True/False)

4. Normally, when power to your PLC system is lost, when power is restored the counter accumulated value will be: a. zero
b. whatever it was preset for

c. maximum
d. unchanged

5. The output of a PLC counter is switch from off to on any time the count input rung is "true". (True/False)
6. A PLC up-counter normally counts true-to-false transitions. (True/False) 7. In order for the PLC counter to reset, the counter reset rung must be false. (True/False)

8. The done bit of a counter is true whenever: a. the accumulated value is equal to the preset value b. the counter instruction is true c. the accumulated value is greater than the preset value. d. both a and c

9. The _________ value of a PLC counter is the current count based on the number of times the rung goes from false-to-true. a. preset b. overflow c. accumulated d. underflow

10. Count rung transitions can be caused by actuating:

a. a limit switch
b. a sensor

c. a pressure switch
d. any of these

One-Shot, Or Transitional, Contact Program

The transitional or one shot contact program can be used to automatically clear or reset a counter. The program is designed to generate an output pulse that, when triggered, goes on for the duration of one program scan and then goes off.

One-Shot, Or Transitional, Contact Program

The transitional or one shot contact program can be used to automatically clear or reset a counter. The program is designed to generate an output pulse that, when triggered, goes on for the duration of one program scan and then goes off.

The one-shot can be triggered from a momentary signal, or one that comes on and stays on for some time.

Types Of Transitional Contacts

Off-To-On Transitional Contact
On
Off

Symbol
Off

On One scan

Is programmed to provide a one-shot pulse when the referenced trigger signal makes a positive (off-to-on) transition

On-To-Off Transitional Contact

On Off

Symbol
Off

On

One scan

Is programmed to provide a one-shot pulse when the referenced trigger signal makes a negative (on-to-off) transition

Conveyor Motor Circuit That Uses A Programmed One-Shot Reset Circuit

Proximity switch

Sequential Task: The start button is pressed to start the conveyor motor Cases move pass the proximity switch and increment the counter's accumulated value

Case

Conveyor motor Start/Stop station

Count reset button

After a count of 50, the conveyor motor stops automatically and the counter's accumulated value is reset to zero The conveyor motor can be stopped or started manually at anytime without loss of the accumulated count

Conveyor Motor Circuit That Uses A Programmed One-Shot Reset Circuit

50

One-Shot Rising (OSR) Instruction

Triggers a one-time event. The OSR instruction is a retentive input instruction that triggers an event to occur only one time. Use the OSR instruction when an event must start based on change of state of the rung from false to true. When the input instruction goes from false to true, the OSR instruction conditions the rung so that the output goes true for one scan. The output goes false and remains false for successive scans until the input makes another false to true transition.

Alarm Monitor Program

The alarm is triggered by the closing of liquid level switch LS1

The light will flash whenever the alarm condition is triggered and has not been acknowledged, even if the alarm condition clears in the meantime The alarm is acknowledged by closing selector switch SS1
The light will operate in the steady mode when the alarm trigger condition exists but has been acknowledged

Alarm Monitor Program

Down-Counter
The down-counter output instruction will count down or decrement by 1 each time the counted event occurs. Each time the down-count event occurs, the accumulated value is decremented. Normally the downcounter is used in conjunction with the up counter to form an up/down counter.

Generic up/down counter program

Up/Down Counter Timing diagram

Preset Value = 3

Parking Garage Counter Program

As a car enters, it triggers the up-counter output instruction and increments the accumulated count by 1. As a car leaves, it triggers the down-counter output instruction and decrements the accumulated count by 1.

Since both the up- and down-counters have the same address, the accumulated value will be the same in both.
Whenever the accumulated value equals the preset value, the counter output is energized to light up the Lot Full sign.

Parking Garage Counter Program

50 38 150

50 150 38

PLC-5 And SLC-500 Count-Down Counter Instruction

If the accumulation value is below the minimum range then the underflow (UN) bit will be true.

Up/Down-Counter Program

1 10

1 10 When the CTU Whenthe the CTD instruction instruction When accumulated value is true, C5:2/CU will be true is true, will be true Input CC5:2/CD going true will cause is greater than or equal to the causing output A to be true causing output B to be true both counter instructions preset value, C5:2/DN will to be resetcausing output C to be true, true

In-Process Monitoring System

After processing, finished parts appearing empty at the out-feed sensor Before start-up, the system is completely of parts, and When the operation begins, raw parts move through the in-feed generate down counts, so the accumulated count of the counter the counter is reset manually to zero. sensor, with each part generating an count. parts. continuously indicates the number ofup in-process

In-Process Monitoring System

5 8

8 5

Counting Beyond The Maximum Count

15000

Counter Speed
The maximum speed of transitions you can count is determined by your program's scan time. Any counter input signal must be fixed for one scan time to be counted reliably.
If the input changes faster than one scan period, the count value will become unreliable because counts will be missed. When this is the case you need to use a high-speed counter.

Cascading Counters

Depending on the application, it may be necessary to count events that exceed the maximum number allowable per counter instruction. One way of accomplishing this is by interconnection, or cascading, two counters.

Counting Beyond The Maximum Count

The status bits of both counters are programmed in series to produce an output

The output of the first counter is programmed into the input of the second counter These two counters allow twice as many counts to be measured

Cascading Counters For Extremely Large Counts

500 0

Whenever counter C5:1 reaches 500, its done bit resets counter C5:1 and increments counter C5:2 by 1

The output light turns on after 500 x 500, or 250,000 transitions of the count input

24 Hour Clock Program

The timer times for a 60 s period, after which its done bit is set. This, in turn cases C5:0 to increment 1 count. On the next processor scan, the timer is reset and begins timing again. Whenever C5:0 reaches its preset value of 60, its done bit is set. This, in turn causes it to reset itself and C5:1 to increment 1 count. Whenever C5:1 reaches its preset value of 24, its done bit is set to reset itself.

Program For Monitoring The Time Of An Event

Incremental Encoder
An incremental encoder creates a series of square waves as its shaft is rotated.
The encoder disk interrupts the light as the encoder shaft is rotated to produce the square wave output waveform.

Incremental Encoder
The number of square waves obtained from the output of the encoder can be made to correspond to the mechanical movement required.

To divide a shaft revolution into 100 parts, an encoder could be selected to supply 100 square wave cycles per revolution. By using a counter to those cycles, we could tell how far the shaft has rotated.

Cutting Objects To A Specific Size

The object is advanced for a specific distance and measured by encoder pulses to determine the correct length for cutting.

Counter Used For Length Measurement

Count input pulses are generated by the magnetic sensor, which detects passing teeth on a conveyor drive sprocket. If 10 teeth per foot of conveyor motion pass the sensor, the accumulated count of the counter would indicate feet in tenths.

The photoelectric sensor monitors a reference point on the conveyor. When activated, it prevents the unit from counting, thus permitting the counter to accumulate counts only when bar stock is moving.

Counter Used For Length Measurement

10

Photo sensor activated, therefore, accumulated count remains at 10

Combining Counter And Timer Functions

When the start button is pressed, conveyor M1 begins running. After 15 plates have been stacked, conveyor M1 stops and conveyor M2 begins running. After conveyor M2 has been operated for 5 s, it stops and the sequence is repeated automatically.

Automatic Stacking Process

The done bit of the timer resets the timer and counter, and provides a momentary pulse to automatically restart conveyor M1.

Automatic Stacking Program

Motor Lock-Out Program

Designed to prevent a machine operator from starting a motor that has tripped off more than 5 times in an hour.
The normally open (OL) relay contact momentarily closes each time an overload current is sensed. Every time the the motor stops due to an overload condition, the motor start circuit is locked out for 5 min. If the motor trips off more than 5 times in an hour, the motor stat circuit is permanently locked out and cannot be started until the reset button is actuated.

Motor Lock-Out Program

Product Flow Rate Program

Parts

This program is designed to indicate how many parts per minute pass a given process point.

Sensor

When the start switch is closed, both the counter and timer are enabled. The counter is pulsed for each part passing the sensor. The counting begins and the timer starts timing through its 1-min time interval. At the end of 1 min, the timer done bit causes the counter rung to go false. Sensor pulses continue but do not affect the PLC counter. The number of parts for the past minutes are represented by the accumulated value of the counter.

Product Flow Rate Program

60

28

Timer Driving A Counter For Long Time-Delay Period

0 10,000

Each timer T4:0 input closes for 10,000 s, its done bit resets itself and increments C5:0 by 1.

The output light turns on 10,000 x 100, or 1,000,000 seconds after the timer input contact closes.

11. A _______ contact is designed to generate an output pulse that, when triggered, goes on for the duration of one program scan and then goes off.
(a) examine if open (b) examine if closed

(c) internal relay

(d) transitional

12. The down-counter output instruction will increment by 1 each time the counted event occurs. (True/False)

13. Normally the down-counter is used in conjunction with the up counter. (True/False)

14. The individual up- and down-counters of an up/down counter program must have the same address. (True/False)

15. PLC counters can be used for: a. straight counting in a process

b. two counters used to give the difference

between two counts

c. two counters used to give the sum of the

two counts

d. all of these

16. Interconnecting or cascading two PLC counters involves: a. programming the outputs of each in parallel

b. hardwiring the two in series

c. programming the output of the first counter into the input of the second counter d. hardwiring the two in parallel

17. The incremental encoder creates:

a. a pure dc waveform
b. a sawtooth waveform

c. an ac sine waveform
d. a series of square waves

18. The maximum speed of transitions you can count is determined by: a. the amount of PLC memory b. the preset value of the counter c. your program's scan time d. all of these

19. For the program shown, if the in-feed switch is pulsed 9 times followed immediately by 5 out-feed switch pulses, the accumulated count would be: (a) 0 (b) 14 (c) 50 (d) 4

20. For the program shown, the light turns on ___ seconds after the timer input contact closes. (a) 1,000,000 (b) 50,000,000 (c) 500,000 (d) 100,000