Chapter 3 - Fundamental PLC Programming

Chapter 3 Review Questions and Problems

1.

Is a normally closed contact closed or open when the relay coil is energized?

2.

What is the limitation on the number of contacts associated with a particular

relay coil in a PLC program?

3.

How is the state of a relay coil represented inside the PLC?

4.

If a particular coil is to be an output of the PLC, when is the state of the coil
transferred to the outside world?

5.

Draw the ladder logic rung for a normally open IN1 AND'ed with a normally
closed IN2 driving a coil CR1.

6.

Repeat 5 above but OR IN1 and IN2.

7.

What physical changes would be required to system wiring if the PLC system
of problem 5 had to be modified to operate as problem 6?

8.

Draw the ladder logic rung for a circuit in which IN1, IN2 and IN3 all have to
be ON OR IN1, IN2 and IN3 all have to be OFF in order for OUT1 to
energize.

9.

It is desired to implement a switch system similar to a three-way switch

system in house wiring, that is, a light may be turned on or off from either of
two switches at doors on opposite ends of the room. If the light is turned on
at one switch, it may be turned off at the other switch and vice versa. Draw
the ladder logic rung which will provide this. Define the two switches and
IN10 and IN11 and the output which will control the light as OUT18.

10.

Draw the ladder logic rung for an oscillator which will operate only when IN3
and IN5 are both ON or both OFF.

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Chapter 4 - Advanced Programming Techniques

Chapter 4 - Advanced Programming Techniques

4-1.

Objectives

Upon completion of this chapter, you will know

how to take advantage of the order of program execution in a PLC to perform
unique functions.
how to construct fundamental asynchronous and clocked flip flops in ladder logic
including the RS, T, D, and JK types.
how the one-shot operates in a PLC program and how it can be used to edgetrigger flip flops.
how to use uni-directional and bidirectional counters PLC programs.
how sequencers functions and how they can be used in a PLC program..
how timers operate and the difference between retentive and non-retentive
timers.
4-2.

Introduction

In addition to the standard logical operations that a PLC can perform, seasoned PLC
programmers are aware that, by taking advantages of some of the unique features and
characteristics of a PLC, some very powerful operations can be performed. Some of these
are operations that would be very difficult to realize in hardwired relay logic, but are
relatively simple in PLC ladder programs. Many of the program segments in this chapter
are rather cookbook by nature. The student should not concentrate on memorizing these
programs, but instead, learn how they work and how they can be best applied to solve
programming problems.
4-3.

Ladder Program Execution Sequence

Many persons new to PLC ladder logic programming may tend to think that, because
a PLC executes its program synchronously (i.e., from left to right, top to bottom), instead
of asynchronously (i.e., each relay operates whenever it receives a signal) it is a hindrance
to the programming task. However, after gaining some experience with programming
PLCs, the programmer begins to learn how to use this to their advantage. We will see
several useful program segments in this chapter that do this. Keep in mind that the order
of the rungs in these programs is critical. If the rungs are rearranged in another order, it
is likely that these programs will not operate properly.

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Chapter 4 - Advanced Programming Techniques

4-4.

Flip Flops

As we will see in the following several sections, a few of the circuits you
learned to use in digital electronics can be developed for use in a ladder diagram. The
ones we will study are the R-S, D, T and J-K Flip Flops and the One Shot. The One Shot
will supply the clock pulse for the D, T and J-K Flip Flops. These are functions that can be
very useful in a control system and tend to be more familiar to the student since they have
been studied in previous courses.
4-5.

RS Flip Flop

The R-S Flip Flop is the most basic of the various types. It has two inputs, an R
(reset) and an S (set). Turning on the R input resets the flip flop and turning on the S input
sets the flip flop. As you may recall from the study of this type of flip flop, the condition
where R and S are both on is an undefined state. The truth table for an R-S Flip Flop is
shown in Table 4-1.
R

Q'

Q'

Table 4-1 - Truth

Table for RS Flip
Flop

For the purpose of our discussion, a 1 in the table indicates an energized condition
for a coil or contact (if energized, a normally closed contact will be open). An X in the table
indicates a don't care condition. The ladder diagram for such a circuit is shown in
Figure 4-1.

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Chapter 4 - Advanced Programming Techniques

Figure 4-1 - RS Flip Flop

S = IN1, R = IN2
If you study Figure 4-1, you can see that if IN2 energizes, coil CR1 will de-energize and if
IN2 de-energizes and IN1 energizes, coil CR1 will energize. Once CR1 energizes, contact
CR1 will close, holding coil CR1 in an energized state even after IN1 de-energizes until IN2
energizes to reset the coil. Relating to the truth table of Table 4-1, you can determine that
IN1 is the S input and IN2 is the R input to the flip flop. You may notice in the truth table
that both a Q and Q' outputs are indicated. If an inverted Q signal is required from this
ladder, one only needs to make the contact a normally closed CR1 (a normally closed
contact is open when it's coil is energized).
4-6.

One Shot

As with the oscillator covered in a previous chapter, the one shot has its own
definition in the world of ladder logic. In digital electronics a one shot is a monostable
multivibrator that has an output that is on for a predetermined length of time. This time is
adjusted by selecting the proper timing components. A one shot in ladder logic is a coil that
is on for one scan and one scan only each time it is triggered. The length of time the one
shot coil is on depends on the scan time of the PLC. The one shot can be triggered by an
outside input to the controller or from a contact associated with another coil in the ladder
diagram. It can also be a coil that energizes for one scan automatically at startup. It is this
type we will study first, then the externally triggered type.
A one shot that comes on for one scan at program startup is shown in Figure 4-2.

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Chapter 4 - Advanced Programming Techniques

Figure 4-2 - Automatic One Shot

This one shot consists of two rungs of logic. The two rungs are placed at the
beginning of the ladder diagram. Coil CR1 is the one shot coil. If you analyze the first
rung, you can see that, since all coils are off at the beginning of operation, normally closed
contact CR2 will be closed (coil CR2 is de-energized). This will result in coil CR1 being
energized in the first rung of the ladder. The PLC then moves to the second rung which
contains the remaining part of the one shot. When the controller solves the contact logic
of this rung, normally open contact CR1 will be closed (CR1 was energized in the first
rung). Normally open contact CR2 is open (CR2 is still de-energized from startup). Since
contact CR1 is closed, coil CR2 will be energized in the second rung. The PLC will then
proceed with solutions of the remaining rungs of the ladder diagram. After I/O update, the
controller will return to rung one. At this time contact CR2 will be open (coil CR2 was
energized on the previous scan). The solution to the contact logic will be false and coil
CR1 will be de-energized. When the PLC solves the logic for rung two, the contact logic
will be true because even though coil CR1 is de-energized making contact CR1 open, coil
CR2 is still energized from the previous scan. This makes contact CR2 closed which will
keep coil CR2 energized for as long as the controller is operating. Coil CR2 will remain
closed because each time the controller arrives at the second rung, contact CR2 will be
closed due to coil CR2 being energized from the previous scan. The result of this ladder
is that coil CR1 will energize on the first scan of operation, de-energize on the second scan
and remain de-energized for the remaining time the controller is in operation. On the other
hand, coil CR2 will be de-energized until the first solution of rung two on the first scan of
operation, then energize and remain energized for the remaining time the controller is in
operation. Each time the controller is turned off then turned back on, this sequence will
take place. This is because the controller resets all coils to their de-energized state at the
onset of operation. If any operation in the ladder requires that a contact be closed or open
for the first scan after startup, this type of network can be used. Coil CR1 will remain
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Chapter 4 - Advanced Programming Techniques

closed for the length of time that is required to complete the first scan of operation
regardless of the time required.
Notice, however, that we have two coils, CR1 and CR2 that are complements of
each other. Whenever one is on, the other is off. In ladder logic, this is redundant because
if we need the complement of a coil, we merely need to use a normally closed contact from
the coil instead of a normally open contact. For this reason, a simpler type of one shot that
is in one state for the first scan and the other state for all succeeding scans can be used.
This is a coil that is off for the first scan and on for all other scans. Any time a contact from
this coil is required, a normally closed contact may be used. This contact would be closed
for the first scan (the scan that the coil is de-energized) and open for all other scans (the
coil is energized). Such a ladder diagram is shown in Figure 4-3.

Figure 4-3 - One Shot Ladder Diagram

This one shot only consists of one rung of logic which is placed at the end of the
ladder diagram. Notice that the contact logic for the rung includes two contacts, one
normally open and one normally closed. Since both contacts are for the same coil (CR2),
no matter what the status of CR2 the contact logic will be true. This can be proven by
writing the Boolean expression for the contact logic and reducing. An expression which
contains a signal OR it's complement is always true ( A + A = 1 ). This means that CR2
will be off until the controller arrives at the last rung of logic. When the last rung is solved,
the result will be that CR2 is turned on. Each time the controller arrives at the last rung of
logic on each scan, the result will be the same. CR2 will be off for the first scan and on for
every scan thereafter until the controller is turned off and back on. Any rung that requires
a contact that is on for the first scan only would include a normally closed CR2 contact.

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Chapter 4 - Advanced Programming Techniques

Any rung that requires a contact that is off for the first rung only would contain a normally
open CR2 contact.
The other type of one shot mentioned is one that is triggered from an external
source such as a contact input from inside or outside the controller. We will study one
triggered from an input contact. Once the operation is understood, it does not matter what
the reference for the contact is, coil or input, the operation is the same. The ladder diagram
for such a one shot is shown in Figure 4-4.

Figure 4-4 - Externally Triggered One Shot

You will notice that this type of one shot is also composed of two rungs of logic. In
this case, the portion of the ladder that needs the one shot contact is place after the two
rungs. In operation, with IN1 de-energized (open), the two coils, CR1 and CR2 are both
de-energized. On the first scan after IN1 is turned on, CR1 will be energized in the first
rung and CR2 in the second. On the second scan after IN1 is turned on, CR1 will deenergize due to the normally closed CR2 contact in the first rung. CR2 will remain on for
every scan that IN1 is on. The result is that coil CR1 will energize for only the first scan
after IN1 turns on. After that first scan, coil CR1 will de-energize. The system will remain
in that state, CR1 off and CR2 on until the scan after IN1 turns off. On that scan, coil CR1
will de-energize in the first rung and coil CR2 will de-energize in the second rung. This
places the system ready to again produce a one shot signal on the next IN1 closure with
coil CR1 controlling the contact that will perform the function. If a contact closure is
required for the function requiring the one shot signal, a normally open CR1 contact may
be used. If a contact opening is required, a normally closed CR1 contact may be used.
This type of one shot function is helpful in implementing the next types of flip flops, the D,
T and J-K Flip Flops. The D flip flop may be designed with or without the one shot while
the T and J-K flip flops require a clock signal, in this case we will use IN1 for our input
clock and a one shot to produce the single scan contact closure each time IN1 is turned on.
4-7.

D Flip Flop
4-6