PLCs can be found in a large number of sites performing the functions of controlling industrial processes, these processes become so different even within the same industrial complex, which are located ranging from simple procedures such as having under optimal levels the temperature value of a closed enclosure, to reach the most complex as an example of the entire sequence of steps to refine crude oil in an oil plant.
Reduced space - When the place where the control system has to be installed inside the plant is very small, the PLC is the best alternative, since even with all its necessary attachments they can occupy a minimum of space without this being detrimental to the productivity and safety of personnel and facilities.
Periodically changing production processes - There are industries such as the automotive industry that year after year sees the need to change the model of the vehicle that leaves its plants, which is why both the assembly sequence and the readjustment of the tolerance values of the parts with which the vehicle is armed have to be modified. Being the main weapon of these changes, the modifications that suffer the instructions of the program that controls the logic of operation of the PLC.
Sequential processes - It is well known that when an activity is repeated a great number of times during a certain interval of time, it becomes a monotonous activity for man, producing emotional fatigue at a certain moment, causing deconcentration and involuntary induction of errors that can be fatal, both for the integrity of man and for the facilities. With a PLC, this can be avoided by simply implementing control sequences, which, although repeated many times during the day, will not lose the precision with which they have to be done.
Different actuators in the same industrial process - With only one PLC you have the possibility of manipulating actuators of different nature among them, and even more, with the same PLC you can direct different production lines in which each one has assigned to its own actuators, this last one depends on the quantity of outputs and in general of the size as far as its capacity to lodge the program of user.
Verification of the different parts of the process in a centralized way - There are a large number of industries in which the production plant is far from the control room, or also, for example, as in oil plants, there is a need to verify the remote operation of all refineries. With a PLC, the design of communication networks is had in a natural way, so that the information is channeled to a central office from which it is possible to observe remotely how the automatic control system is operating, and the graphical representation of both the sensors and the actuators is visualized by means of monitors.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF USING PLCS
Disadvantages
This concludes another installment that I leave for you with much affection hoping that I can be of use to you and sincerely thanking you for the time you have taken to read my article.
All images used in this article are my own, photographs taken during my professional work. I allow the use of these images as long as they are mentioned to me in the article and the source is cited.
Steemit is expanding to other blog ecosystems, will soon be official with Smart Media Tokens and is already possible for WordPress thanks to the steempress plugin, a revolutionary initiative. If you wish to support the project I invite you to vote for @steempress as a witness by clicking here