Introduction:

PLCs are industrial computers, with various inputs and outputs, used to
control and monitor industrial equipment based on custom programming.
The most popular ones are Siemens and ABB PLCs.
Environment:
Most PLCs run using ladder logic.
Under "File" by two lines, we have the ability to go offline, online,
download or upload a PLC program.
From "Comms" menu, we can select the system. Also, we may select
"Who active go online", to check the connections.
The left side contains the "project navigation plane".
The right side contains the "logic window".
Under "Help" by two lines, we have instructions to be inserted.
"Edit" menu has "Verify Project" and "Verify File" commands, which
checks the program.
Under "Tools" by one line, we can search an address on the program.
Basic Functionality:
The default ladder is ladder two and the execution will start from this
ladder.
You can add more ladders, and it's recommended.
You may use instruction to make the program jump from one ladder to
another.
Unless the jumped-to ladder has another jump command, it will return to
the original command.
The program will rescan ladder two after it's completely finished, the
total number of scans can be determined by going to the "project
navigation plane" and choosing "processor status" then "scan times" tab
and you will find the time it takes to scan completely.
I/O:
There are analog (continuous) signals and digital (discrete) signals.
Discrete includes switches, push buttons or anything that has (on and off).
Continuous includes voltage, current or anything that has a predetermined
range of quantities.
Discrete signals are easier to be programmed.
I/O Modules:
PLCs may have some I/O channels or may not.
PLCs with I/O channels can be inserted and programmed according to the
user's need.
PLCs without I/O channels require modules in order to receive and send
signals.
PLCs without I/O channels are more flexible and customizable.
Data Management:
On the left plane, we have “data files” folder, where all data are stored.
And there are a lot of data types. Right click on the folder, “New”, under
“Type” you will find these types. Only few of these options are mostly
used, that are “binary”, “integers” and “floats”.
Under “Data Files” folder, the name of each file starts with a letter and a
number. The letter represents the type of the data, while as the number
represents the bits number at which the data is stored in terms of zero and
one. Opening one of these files will clarify how data are stored.
Analog signals can be seen through “N” (integer) file while digital signals
can be seen through “F” file, and these files show an offset of “word”
level and not “bit” level.
If you don’t need to use decimal, use “N”. If you do need to use decimal,
use “F”.
Right click on any data file> properties> Elements> “modify number”.
The new number represents the number of “words” that a data file has.
This can be seen by left click that data file twice.
Any bit of any data file is meaningless unless we give it a description on
the logic window, and that discerption can be seen by left click any data
file twice, then left click any bit once.
Example: you have connected a light switch to an input that is
represented by the bit B3:0/0, then you may set a description to the bit as
“light switch”.
You may set any input on the logic window by setting its associated bit,
and the description will automatically appear.
Basic structure of an address:
[TYPE][FILE (if applicable)]:[ROW or WORD or SLOT][/ or .][BIT or
WORD or CHANNEL]
Examples:
I:2.2
TYPE is I which means this is an Input
FILE is not applicable because all inputs are stored in the same file
SLOT (since we're addressing IO) is 2 meaning this module is the second
module to the right of our PLC
PERIOD (.) since we're addressing a word meaning that this is an analog
input address
CHANNEL (since this is an IO address) is 2 meaning this sensor is
plugged into the third (0, 1, 2) position of the module

B3:12/15
TYPE is B which means this is a Bit (true or false data)
FILE is 3
WORD (in a bit file, each line contains 16 bits which represent a word) is
12 meaning this is looking at the 13th word in the file
SLASH (/) since we're addressing a bit meaning that this is storing true or
false (1 or 0) information
BIT (since this is a bit address) is 15 meaning this is the sixteenth bit in
the word

O:4/8
TYPE is O which means this is an Output
FILE is not applicable because all outputs are stored in the same file
SLOT (since we're addressing IO) is 4 meaning this module is the
fourth module to the right of our PLC
SLASH (/) since we're addressing a bit meaning that this is
a digital output address
CHANNEL (since this is an IO address) is 8 meaning this device is
plugged into the ninth position of the module.

T4:3/DN
TYPE is T which means this is a Timer
FILE is 4
ROW (in a timer file, each line contains a separate timer and all of its
information) is 3 meaning this is looking at the 4th timer in the file
SLASH (/) since we're addressing a bit meaning that this is storing true or
false (1 or 0) information
BIT (since this is a bit address) is DN meaning this is the DONE bit
How ladder scans?
On the logic window, if all the conditions (written on the left) of any
single branch are met, then the actions (written on the right) will be
performed.
It’s possible to stack multiple conditions on a branch.
Only one action on a branch can be performed, additional actions may be
placed on additional branches. Otherwise, an error will appear.
This goes from top to bottom.
The entire program is performed within milli of seconds.
Program Instructions:
Actions can be viewed and changed by right clicking the block, and then
pressing “Change Instruction Type”.
Each instruction has a unique symbol representation.
The following red instructions are input instructions, while the green
instructions are output instructions. Black instructions can be either input
or output.
XIC (examine if closed): perform the action if the input is closed (1).
XIO (examine if open): perform the action if the input is open (0).
OTE (output energize): set the specified output to be (1) and keep it as
long as the specified condition is still met.
OTL (output latch): set the specified output to be (1) whenever the
specified condition is met and keep it that way.
OTU (output unlatch): set the specified output to be (0) whenever the
specified condition is met and keep it that way.
It’s always recommended to use OTE instead of OTL and OTU, because
you don’t want to energize an output more than once for easier use and
debug. The use of OTE will ensure that an output will energize in only
one place and deenergize in only one place.
Case Study: An input button is pushed (pressed), and it takes 15 mS for
the button to return to its original position. If the PLC takes only 5 mS to
rescan, how to avoid repeating the same instruction again?
Ans.: The following three instructions can be used.
ONS (one shot): becomes true only for one scan after the previous
conditions become true, and then turns to false and will not reset until the
previous conditions become false.
OSR (one shot rising): Output bit becomes true only for one scan after the
conditions are met, and then turns false and will not reset until a condition
becomes false. Storage bit follows the state of the conditions.
OSF (one shot falling): Output bit becomes true only for one scan after
the conditions are NOT met, and then turns false and will not reset until
the conditions become true. Storage bit opposes the state of the
conditions.
Notes:
1- OSR and OSF may or may not be available on other PLCs.
2- ONS instruction is simpler and more popular.
3- Some processors don’t allow multiple branches in the right of ONS
instruction while some processors don’t allow multiple branches on
the ONS instruction its-self.
4- It’s more practical to use ONS instruction before each output of
multiple output branches.
 5- It’s more practical to assign a different address for each output
ONS. However, it’s ok to use one address ONS for the input.
Timers:
TON (timer on): if the condition is true, energizes both (EN= energize)
and (TT= timing) bits until Accum (accumulator) equals to the Time Base
multiplied by the Preset, then energizes (DN= done) and deenergizes
(TT) until the condition becomes false or reset command is used. If the
condition became false before the accumulator matched the Time Base
multiplied by the Preset, the accumulator will reset to zero.
Accum= Time
Condition Bit Name Bit Condition
Base * Preset
EN ON
No DN OFF
TT ON
True
EN ON
Yes DN ON
TT OFF
EN
False (should
- DN OFF
confirm)
TT

TOF (timer off): if the condition is false, energizes both (EN= energize)
and (TT= timing) bits until Accum (accumulator) equals to the Time Base
multiplied by the Preset, then energizes (DN= done) and deenergizes
(TT) until the condition becomes false or reset command is used. If the
condition became false before the accumulator matched the Time Base
multiplied by the Preset, the accumulator will reset to zero.
RTO (retentive timer on): if the condition is true, energizes both (EN=
energize) and (TT= timing) bits until Accum (accumulator) equals to the
Time Base multiplied by the Preset, then energizes (DN= done) and
deenergizes (TT) until the condition becomes false or reset command is
used. If the condition became false before the accumulator matched the
Time Base multiplied by the Preset, the accumulator will not reset to zero
unless a reset command is used.
Notes:
1- TON is more practical, but more complex.
 2- EN, DN and TT bits may be combined with XIC or XIO as an
input condition, each bit in a different rung.
Counters:
CTU (count up): for every true condition, CU will energize for only an
instant and Accum will increase by one up to the Preset setting, where
DN would be energized until reset button is pushed.
CTD (count down): for every true condition, CU will energize for only an
instant and Accum will decrease by one up to the Preset setting, where
DN would be energized until reset button is pushed.
Res (reset): resets the associated bit.
Note:
1- Counter requires reset which can be inserted in another rung.