The characteristics and trends of PLC, DCS and industrial PC

At present, widely used in industrial automation systems of the three large industrial PC, DCS and PLC. Here, for their economic and technological standards and development trends described.

First, the characteristics and Application of PLC

1. PLC Application

Early PLC (Programmable Logic Controller, PLC), mainly to replace relay logic control to achieve. With computer technology, communications technology and the rapid development of automatic control technology, the PLC will be the traditional relay control technology and the emerging computer technology and communications technology integration, with high reliability, strong function and flexible, Programming simple, easy to use and a series of advantages, as well as good performance of the industrial environment and control targets of performance in industrial production in a wide range of applications.

1969, the United States Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) developed the world's first programmable controller. Early separation from the programmable controller components and small and medium-sized integrated circuit component, the main function previously performed by the relay is completed sequence control, such as timing. The early 1970s, small size, strong function and cheaper microprocessors used PLC, makes the PLC function has been enhanced significantly. In terms of hardware, in addition to maintaining its original switch modules, has also increased the simulation module, remote I / O modules and special function modules all. In terms of software, easy to use PLC Electric staff in the ladder diagram programming language, in addition to maintaining the original logic functions, has also increased the arithmetic operations, data processing and transmission, communications and self-diagnostic capabilities. In the 1980's, the late, as ultra-large-scale integrated circuit technology is developing rapidly, microprocessor market a sharp price drop, the PLC makes the microprocessors used by the general improvement in grades. Furthermore, in order to further improve the processing speed of PLC, the manufacturer has developed a dedicated logic chip, greatly improving the PLC hardware and software functions.

2. Characteristics PLC

In the developed industrial countries, PLC has been widely used in all industrial sectors. According to "The United States market information" World PLC and software market report, in 1995 the global software PLC and its economies of scale of about 5 billion US dollars [5]. As electronic technology and the development of computer technology, the PLC functions are greatly enhanced, with the following characteristics:

(1) high reliability. PLC benefited from the high-reliability hardware and software on a series of anti-jamming measures and the cycle of its special scanning methods of work.

(2) with rich I / O interface module. PLC for different industrial field signal and the corresponding I / O modules and industrial devices or equipment at the scene of a direct connection. In addition to improving performance, it also has a variety of man-machine dialogue interface modules to the industrial composition of local area networks, it also multiple communications network interface module.

(3) modular structure. To meet the needs of various industrial control, in addition to a small PLC unit, the vast majority of PLC are modular structure. PLC various components, including the CPU, power supply, I / O, etc. is modular in design from the rack and cables will connect each module, the system's size and function in accordance with the needs of users of its own portfolio.

(4) easy to learn programming. Most of the PLC programming relay control circuit similar to the ladder diagram form, the user, do not have computer expertise, it is easy to general engineering and technical personnel understand and master.

(5) Installation is simple and easy maintenance. PLC does not require specialized equipment room in a variety of industrial environments can be directly run. Various modules are run and fault indication devices, user-friendly understanding of the operation and find fault. The modular structure, so any failure of a module, users can replace the module, allowing the system to rapidly resume operation.

Second, the characteristics and Application of industrial PC

1. Industrial PC industrial control applications

Industrial PC hardware and software support of a broad, diverse varieties can take full advantage of excellent graphical user interface capabilities, the industrial users an enormously attractive. Early PC but not suitable for industrial process control automation applications, such as increasing modified by strengthening the protection of the case, such as cooling damping taken measures to meet the industrial environment is the application of some of the requirements of the characteristics of its early development. In recent years, with the further integration of chips increase, the increase in functionality, system board technology, packaging components and surface mount technology improvements, and standard industrial bus, a standard operating system and graphical user interface software development, the Industrial PC development and application to enter its peak period, the complete machine reliability improved hardware, system software has continually improved, greatly enriched applications, in-depth industrial automation and control industries in various fields. According to incomplete statistics, in the industrial automation industrial PC usage in the total industrial control computer 65%, and an annual growth rate of 21 per cent continued to expand. PC manufacturing industry by buying rate of the PC market as a whole accounted for about 10 percent. In the industrial automation process control systems used in industrial management industry accounted for 44.1%, applied to the console operator of 36.4%, applied to the management of the quality of 18.8%, applied to monitor and control, engineers console, Data Acquisition System respectively of the total 18.2%, 12.6% and 11.1%.

Industrial PC A notable feature is independent of configuration, but also with the DCS, PLC, CNC and other computer connected network. At present, almost all DCS, PLC manufacturers use industrial PC control system preparation procedures, more and more companies use industrial control system operator interface PC as a workstation. Formed by the industrial PC computer control system in the field of industrial automation process control play a very important role, has been outstanding for factory and workshop level process control, data acquisition, batch processing, quality control, automation and machine optimization and experts control, and other tasks.

2. Main features of the PC industry

(1) an industry-standard application

In order to enable different computer manufacturers can be linked to one another, as well as take full advantage of the market varied PC components and the functions provided by the module, industrial PC with standard interface, which not only required by the IEEE, DIN and ISO standards, to adopt AT (ISA), EISA and STD, VME, Multibus Ⅱ, and other bus standards. Industrial PC now has been widely adopted PCI, PCMCIA bus standard, the two industry-standard bus for improved performance and speed of a PC great role.

(2) to take the necessary protection measures

Applications must be based on the control of environmental conditions on the PC industry adopt various protective measures, adapted from a project management departments to the scene operational control applications. Industrial PC must be able tolerance of the harsh conditions at the production environment, we must have good heat dissipation, ventilation, waterproof, dustproof, anti-jamming and anti-corrosion and anti-shock, anti-vibration and a series of protective features.

(3) industrial operating system

MS-DOS because of lack of memory, unable to support multi-task, the lack of real-time features networking capacity and poor, has been basically not used. Along with the main computer chip, the rapid development of higher speed and better performance of industrial PC endless. In addition, almost all software development companies have shifted the focus will be open to the OS / 2, Windows and Unix, and other operating systems. Especially suitable for industrial process control automation real-time multi-tasking operating system application of Windows NT/2000 PC industry has generally become the mainstream operating system.

(4) and automation equipment and communications systems

Industrial PC should be able to with a variety of automated equipment and systems for effective communication, such as PLC, DCS, data acquisition systems, as well as on a management computer communication. With the continuous development of new technologies, due to open systems and system integration technology for the development needs of the PC industry these communications will be increasingly important role in the show.

Standard communications network to the development of the industrial PC applications more open, and will enable its small computer pose a greater threat. MAP agreement to Ethernet-based communication networks to allow various computer systems communicate with each other directly. Different levels of automation in the mutual communication network systems, require separate handling of the communication channel. Industrial PC required monitoring level from the lower level data acquisition system and transmitted to a computer on.

(5) the safe operation of

In addition to the PC industry adopt various protective measures, the need for the operation of state industrial PC monitor, monitor the operation of computer systems and software, scheduled inspection procedures specified in the implementation of the cycle. Computer should be able to monitor the power supply, and failure or excessive deviation warning signal was issued.

2. Industrial PC the status quo and development trend