Design and implementation of a PLC trainer workstation

Abstract

The Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is an important component for industrial automatic engineering operation. Hence, the need to comprehend its basis of operation becomes an inevitable task. Some of the problems is industrial PLC is an expensive, prebuilt hardware kit, acquisition of programming software and its requisite programming competence is a challenge. Thus, this paper present's the design steps for a desktop PLC trainer workstation for industrial automatic engineering operation. Although researchers have proposed and reported several PLC trainers but they fail to discuss the hardware connection of the input/output components neither is the basic PLC automatic - operation nor PLC component symbols with description discussed. These are the areas discussed in this paper to train participant on PLC programming knowledge. The develop PLC workstation consist of push buttons and switches for input signals and for output signal buzzer, indicator lights and blower. The control aspect comprises the PLC, timer and relay. The PLC module is the MITSUBISHI FX 1S-30MR-001, the simulation software is the MITSUBISHI FXTRN-BEG-EL and the programming software is the MITSUBISHI GX Developer version 8. Authors presented two automatic control application scenarios to train participants and evaluate how the trainer is applicable to real-world situation. We conducted a survey after training to measure the impact of our approach for PLC programming knowledge for participants and result show enhanced knowledge in design step module and LL programming module significantly with our approach.