SCHOOL OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
EML 222 / 2 – ENGINEERING LABORATORY
( Please use this page as a front page of your report.)
EXPERIMENT AC MOTOR CONTROL USING PLC (LAB 5)
LOCATION AUTOMATION & CONTROL LAB (SM 1.38)
NAME / ID
GROUP NO.
DATE
DEMONSTRATOR
GROUP MEMBERS
NAME ID
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SCHOOL OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
Title: Alternating Current (AC) Motor Control Circuit using Programmable
Logic Controller (PLC) (AC motor controlled by using PLC)
Objective: Study the circuit program of a ladder diagram to control the movement
of AC motors.
Introduction
Many mechanical machines use AC motors as drivers. AC motors need to be controlled
properly to produce the desired drive. The simplest way to control the AC motor is to use a
relay. Relay can move or stop motor rotation. Furthermore, it can change the direction of AC
motor rotation. Based on a logical sequence, operations can be arranged using relays.
However, the circuit generated by the relay is complicated. PLCs that incorporate a number
of relays into one device can reduce the complexity of the circuit. Part of the circuit is
replaced with a program using a PLC. This makes the sequence easier and more flexible.
Figure 1
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Apparatus (See Figure 1)
1. Conveyor (1) 2. AC Motor (1) 3. Motor Controller (1)
4. Optical Sensors (2) 5. Relay (1) 6. Switches 12.0 (1)
7. Programmable Logic Controller (1) 8. Personal Computer (1)
9. Software STEP 7 (1) 10. Electric Wire
Experimental Procedures
1. Turn on the PLC.
2. Set the PLC switch to "STOP” and make sure "LED STOP” lights up.
3. Then set the PLC switch to “TERM" so that it can be controlled by the computer.
4. Turn on the Personal Computer.
5. Click the icon on the desktop to start the software STEP 7.
6. Click the button to open the program file.
7. Choose the file "conveyor.prj" from the directory "c:\microwin\projects" and click the
"OK" button. A ladder diagram (see Figure 2) to control the conveyor is displayed on
the screen.
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Motor Circuit
Timer Circuit
End Program
Figure 2 Ladder diagram program
8. Click button to send the program to the PLC.
9. Click the "OK' button in the "Download" dialog box.
10. Click the "OK" button again in the "Download" dialog box.
11. Click menu to run the PLC.
12. Click button to run the PC
13. Click the "Yes" button in the "Run" dialog box and make sure "RUN LED" is on.
14. Push the 12.0 switch at the PLC up to ON.
15. Notice that the conveyor starts moving.
16. Place the pallet above the conveyor at position A.
17. Look at the operating sequences that apply to motors and sensors.
18. When the pallet is at position C, push the 12.0 switch at the PLC down to OFF.
19. Repeat steps 14 through 18 to proceed with steps 20 to 23.
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20. Refer to Table 1 matching the operand listed in the first column with the tool listed in
the second column according to its physical connection. Matches should be written in
third column.
21. Notice the changes that occur to the LEDs at the PLC.
22. Compare the operations sequence with the ladder diagram displayed on the screen.
23. Answer questions 1 to 5.
24. Click button to turn off PLC.
25. Click the "Yes" button in the "Stop" dialog box and make sure "LED STOP" light up.
26. Close the software STEP 7.
27. Turn off the computer.
28. Turn off the PLC.
29. Write the conclusion of the experiments.
Results:
Table 1 : Operand connection to physical tools.
Operand Tool Operand
I0.0 Motor
I0.2 Timer
I2.0 End optical sensor
Q0.0 Middle optical sensor
T32 Switch
Answer the following questions based on ladder diagram program.
1. Explain how the conveyor is moved when the pallet is at position A.
2. Explain how the conveyor is stopped when the pallet is at position B.
3. Explain how the timer begins to calculate the time.
4. Explain how the conveyor is moved when the pallet is at position B.
5. Explain how the conveyor is stopped when the pallet is at position C.
Discussion
1. The summary of the answers above.
2. Sketch the logic gates for Questions 4 and 5 above.
3. Sketch and explain the differences between "always open" and "always close" symbols in
Network 1.
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