Adama Science and Technology

University

School of Engineering

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

PROJECT PAPER FOR THE COURSE SEMESTER PROJECT- II (EENG-5509)

A project paper on

PLC BASED ELEVATOR CONTROL SYSTEM

Proposed By:

N0. Group Members ID. No

1. Melaku Zewdu 02022654

2. Nathan Tarekegn 02021217
3. Rebira Guddisa 02021591
4. Yewhalaeshet Zeleke 02023517
5. Feleku Mulu 02022055
January 31 /2013

SUBMITTED TO: Department of Electrical And Computer Engineering

ASTU
ADVISOR: Instructor Zemenfes
 Chapter I
Introduction
1.1 Background And Significance Of The Project

This project has two main parts, although the controller is one PLC system (the HMI on a
computer is only used as an input to the PLC). The first is the user interface, to be put in the
elevator and outside the elevator doors. The second is the human machine interface that is
connected to the PLC device but resides in a separate computer software, maybe in a
control/security room.

In the user interface, inputs are given using push buttons and outputs are LEDs to display
different statuses of the system, and alarm sound speaker. On the outside of the elevators, on
each floor, there are two LEDs to indicate the direction of motion of the elevator, either up, or
down. There are also four LEDs to indicate the current location of the elevator. There is also an
elevator call push button. The following figure shows the interface put on the outside of each
door.

direction indicators elevator position

(Up/Down LEDs) indicators (LEDs)

call push button

Fig 1: user interface on the outside of elevator door (four for each floor)

There is also the other user interface on the inside of the elevator. It consists of four destination
request push buttons, one manual door open and one manual door close push buttons, and an
emergency push button. There will be two door opening and door closing indicator LEDs, four
elevator position indicator LEDs like on the outside panel, and direction indicators. There is also
overweight and emergency indicators and alarm sound speakers. There are also two indicators to
show door is opening and door is closing.

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 Fig 2: user interface inside elevator

The current position of the elevator is input to the PLC using four floor sensors. Also there is a
door block sensor to know when the door is being blocked by some object while closing. This
prevents the accident of hurting someone and also enables a person to stop the closing of a door
by only blocking it with his hand. When door block is sensed, the door is opened. The other
input to the PLC is an over-weight sensor that will open the doors so people can get out. It also
starts alarm sound and indicator. The final input is an emergency push button that is pressed
from inside the elevator when there is a problem.

Therefore, there are totally 17 input pins used on the PLC ranging from I0.0 to I2.0.

The push buttons are normally open switches whose one side is connected to the PLC input pin
and the other side to a voltage supply.

The outputs (up and down pins) of the PLC, in addition to the indicators, will go to the actuator/
motor driver/contactors. The motor running direction will be determined by the output. The door
opening and closing actuator/motor drivers also get signal from the PLC.

The other component the PLC output goes to (and gets input from) is the human machine
interface (HMI). As our advisor told us to use step 7 as our PLC, because it is the best choice, the

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HMI software we used is SIMATIC WinCC, as it the most compatible HMI with step 7, and
produced by the same company. WINCC also has GUI (graphical user interface) as application
which is very user friendly.

We decided that the most efficient way of transportation would be for the elevator to go in one
direction until all the callers in that direction are served, and reverse direction only when there
are no calls in that direction or it has finished the forward direction (reached first or fourth floor).
Reversing elevator direction unnecessarily is thought to kill extra power and time.

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1.2 Objectives

General objectives:

 The system can perfectly process the input it gets from the user and HMI.
 Input from the controller (HMI) overrides input from user.
 The elevator transportation will be managed efficiently.
 There will be real time inspection of the system from a personal computer (HMI).
 The system works fine even if the HMI software is disconnected

Specific objectives:

 The system will have minimum power requirements and will be compact.
 The human machine interface will be clear and easy enough to be managed by non-
professionals.

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1.3 Statement of the Problem

The main problem this project solves is the absence of HMI in the control of elevator systems.
And also PLCs can injure harsher conditions and environments, and is compact and power
saving.

The presence of HMI solves so many problems in situations where control of elevator is very
important, mainly for security reasons. One of these situations is where a large number of people
may try to use the elevator simultaneously, and when the elevator cannot hold the weight. The
PLC by itself can alarm the passengers, but an HMI is needed if security personnel need to take
further action.

Also there may be a need for the elevator on some floor in an emergency, such as in a hospital to
transport a patient. In such case operators from the HMI can order the elevator to go to the floor,
and their order takes precedence over other users trying to use the elevator.

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1.4 Scope of the Project

This project focuses on the PLC code and HMI of an elevator system. We have made it to work
on four floor have been done.
The PLC does not need the HMI device (a computer) to operate. It can work by itself since all
the code is written on it and the HMI only sends commands to the PLC to process.
The project does not get deeply into the mechanical components of the elevator system such as
the motors that transport the elevator and that open and close the doors.
Hardware was not tested with the pushbuttons, sensors, indicators, and actuators.

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 Chapter II
Literature Review

PLC Overview

In this section we use the SIEMENS S7 200 to describe some of the characteristics of PLCs; it
should be known that these can be easily extended to other manufacturers PLCs since the
concepts and the design goals are mostly alike.

PLCs not only are capable of performing the same tasks as hard-wired control, but are also
capable of many more complex applications. In addition, the PLC program and electronic
communication lines replace much of the interconnecting wires required by hard-wired control.
Therefore, hard-wiring, though still required to connect field devices, is less intensive. This also
makes correcting errors and modifying the application easier. Some of the additional advantages
of PLCs are as follows:

• Smaller physical size than hard-wire solutions; PLCs came in to replace mechanical relay
systems which were very common back in the 60’s. PLCs themselves had a significantly big
size, but thanks to recent advancements in semiconductor technologies, the smallest PLC
available today can have the size of one physical –mechanical relay and from this we can
understand the phenomenal shift in the effectiveness and cleanness of designs achieved through
PLCs.

• Easier and faster to make changes; comparing the amount of work to what should have to be
done when mechanical relays were still in use, the complete wiring redesign in no longer
necessary and we only need to change the software inside the PLC’s CPU and a few wire
connection adjustments on Input/output ports of the PLC and we are ready to go.

• PLCs have integrated diagnostics and override functions. These come in handy when errors
have occurred.

• Diagnostics are centrally available. In contrast to systems where only the central control
computer featured diagnostics capabilities, each PLC device has its own built-in diagnostics
routines .This improves the reliability of the system since for example in case of network outage
the end device can still run diagnostics without the need to access the main server device.

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• Applications can be immediately documented. This is possible as a result of the ease of
connection of input and output modules to the PLC.

• Applications can be duplicated faster and less expensively. Since a great deal of work is
done by the program burned into the PLC memory, just by copying the control program into
another PLC device all that is left is to do some simple wiring and the same project is being
applied in two or more different locations in a remarkably short time. Control engineering has
evolved over time. In the past humans were the main method for controlling a system. More
recently electricity has been used for control and early electrical control was based on relays.
These relays allow power to be switched on and off without a mechanical switch. It is common
to use relays to make simple logical control decisions. The development of low cost computer
has brought the most recent revolution, the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). The advent
of the PLC began in the 1970s, and has become the most common choice for manufacturing
controls.

PLCs have been gaining popularity on the factory floor and will probably remain predominant
for some time to come. Most of this is because of the advantages they offer.

• Cost effective for controlling complex systems.

• Flexible and can be reapplied to control other systems quickly and easily.

• Computational abilities allow more sophisticated control.

• Troubleshooting aids make programming easier and reduce downtime.

• Reliable components make these likely to operate for years before failure.

Development

Early PLCs were designed to replace relay logic systems. These PLCs were programmed in
"ladder logic", which strongly resembles a schematic diagram of relay logic. This program
notation was chosen to reduce training demands for the existing technicians. Other early PLCs
used a form of instruction list programming, based on a stack-based logic solver.

Modern PLCs can be programmed in a variety of ways, from the relay-derived ladder logic to
programming languages such as specially adapted dialects of BASIC and C. Another method is

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State Logic, a very high-level programming language designed to program PLCs based on state
transition diagrams.

Many early PLCs did not have accompanying programming terminals that were capable of
graphical representation of the logic, and so the logic was instead represented as a series of logic
expressions in some version of Boolean format, similar to Boolean algebra. As programming
terminals evolved, it became more common for ladder logic to be used, for the aforementioned
reasons and because it was a familiar format used for electromechanical control panels. Newer
formats such as State Logic and Function Block (which is similar to the way logic is depicted
when using digital integrated logic circuits) exist, but they are still not as popular as ladder logic.
primary reason for this is that PLCs solve the logic in a predictable and repeating sequence, and
ladder logic allows the programmer (the person writing the logic) to see any issues with the
timing of the logic sequence more easily than would be possible in other formats.

Functionality

The functionality of the PLC has evolved over the years to include sequential relay control,
motion control, process control, distributed control systems and networking. The data handling,
storage, processing power and communication capabilities of some modern PLCs are
approximately equivalent to desktop computers. PLC-like programming combined with remote
I/O hardware, allow a general-purpose desktop computer to overlap some PLCs in certain
applications. Regarding the practicality of these desktop computer based logic controllers, it is
important to note that they have not been generally accepted in heavy industry because the
desktop computers run on less stable operating systems than do PLCs, and because the desktop
computer hardware is typically not designed to the same levels of tolerance to temperature,
humidity, vibration, and longevity as the processors used in PLCs. In addition to the hardware
limitations of desktop based logic, operating systems such as Windows do not lend themselves to
deterministic logic execution, with the result that the logic may not always respond to changes in
logic state or input status with the extreme consistency in timing as is expected from PLCs. Still,

9
such desktop logic applications find use in less critical situations, such as laboratory automation
and use in small facilities where the application is less demanding and critical, because they are
generally much less expensive than PLCs.

User Interface

PLCs may need to interact with people for the purpose of configuration, alarm reporting or
everyday control. A human-machine interface (HMI) is employed for this purpose. HMIs are
also referred to as man-machine interfaces (MMIs) and graphical user interface (GUIs). A simple
system may use buttons and lights to interact with the user. Text displays are available as well as
graphical touch screens. More complex systems use programming and monitoring software
installed on a computer, with the PLC connected via a communication interface.

Communications

PLCs have built in communications ports, usually 9-pin RS-232, but optionally EIA-485 or
Ethernet. Modbus, BACnet or DF1 is usually included as one of the communications protocols.
Other options include various fieldbuses such as DeviceNet or Profibus. Other communications
protocols that may be used are listed in the List of automation protocols.

Most modern PLCs can communicate over a network to some other system, such as a computer
running a SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system or web browser.

PLCs used in larger I/O systems may have peer-to-peer (P2P) communication between
processors. This allows separate parts of a complex process to have individual control while
allowing the subsystems to co-ordinate over the communication link. These communication links
are also often used for HMI devices such as keypads or PC-type workstations.

Human Machine Interface

The user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space
where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of this interaction is effective
operation and control of the machine on the user's end, and feedback from the machine, which
aids the operator in making operational decisions. Examples of this broad concept of user
interfaces include the interactive aspects of computer operating systems, hand tools, heavy

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machinery operator controls, and process controls. The design considerations applicable when
creating user interfaces are related to or involve such disciplines as ergonomics and psychology.

A user interface is the system by which people (users) interact with a machine. The user interface
includes hardware (physical) and software (logical) components. User interfaces exist for various
systems, and provide a means of:

 Input, allowing the users to manipulate a system

 Output, allowing the system to indicate the effects of the users' manipulation

Generally, the goal of human-machine interaction engineering is to produce a user interface

which makes it easy (self-exploratory), efficient, and enjoyable (user friendly) to operate a
machine in the way which produces the desired result. This generally means that the operator
needs to provide minimal input to achieve the desired output, and also that the machine
minimizes undesired outputs to the human.

With the increased use of personal computers and the relative decline in societal awareness of
heavy machinery, the term user interface is generally assumed to mean the graphical user
interface, while industrial control panel and machinery control design discussions more
commonly refer to human-machine interfaces.

How PLC Works

There are four basic steps in the operation of all PLCs: which continually take place in a
repeating loop: Input Scan, Program Scan, Output Scan and Housekeeping.

Fig: PLC Working Cycle

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Input Scan: Detects the state of all input devices that are connected to the PLC

Program Scan: Executes the user created program logic.

Output Scan: Energizes or de-energize all output devices that are connected to the PLC.

Housekeeping: This step includes communications with programming terminals, internal

Diagnostics etc...

CHECK INPUT STATUS: First the PLC takes a look at each input to determine if it is on or off.
In other words, is the sensor connected to the first input on? Then the second input? Then the
third and so on…. It records this data into its memory to be used during the next step. EXECUTE
PROGRAM: Next the PLC executes your program one instruction at a time. Maybe the program
says that if the first input was on then it should turn on the first output.

Since it already knows which inputs are on/off from the previous step it will be able to decide
whether the first output should be turned on based on the state of the first input. It will store the
execution results for use later during the next step.

UPDATE OUTPUT STATUS: Finally the PLC updates the status of the outputs. It updates the
outputs based on which inputs were on during the first step and the results of executing your
program during the second step.

The basic elements of a PLC include input modules or points, a central processing unit (CPU),
output modules or points, and a programming device. The type of input modules or points used
by a PLC depends upon the types of input devices used. Some input modules or points respond
to digital inputs, also called discrete inputs, which are either on or off. Other modules or inputs
respond to analog signals. These analog signals represent machine or process conditions as a
range of voltage or current values. The primary function of a PLC’s input circuitry is to convert
the signals provided by these various switches and sensors into logic signals that can be used by
the CPU.

The CPU evaluates the status of inputs, outputs, and other variables as it executes a stored
program. The CPU then sends signals to update the status of outputs. Output modules convert
control signals from the CPU into digital or analog values that can be used to control various
output devices. The programming device is used to enter or change the PLC’s program or to

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monitor or change stored values. Once entered, the program and associated variables are stored
in the CPU. In addition to these basic elements, a PLC system may also incorporate an operator
interface device to simplify monitoring of the machine or process.

In our case the input module will be composed of an array of switches and sensors that help us to
input Logic ones or Logic zero’s to the PLC; the output module is made of LEDs to display the
status of the system; our programming device is the SIEMENS provided STEP 7 and the
operator interface is a WinCC based Human Machine Interface.

Fig.4: PLC Working Principle Block Diagram

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 Chapter III
Methodology

We used step 7 Simatic PLC as it was recommended by our advisor as being a more modern
alternative than GMWIN. We also used Simatic WINCC flexible as our HMI software. Then
since we could not download every time to test the PLC program, we had to use a simulator that
functions like a PLC on our PC. It is called S7-PLCSIM. We downloaded the program of the
PLC onto the S7-PLCSIM like a normal PLC and saw the result.

Indicators,
a speaker

DC push contactors/
power buttons,
source actuators
sensors
24V human
machine
interface
(PC)

Fig: Block diagram of the control system

In addition to a cable that connects it to a computer/HMI, the PLC device has input and output
modules which let it communicate with the outside world.

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 Chapter IV
Design and Implementation

The input devices are 11 push button switches that are not hard to connect to PLC and 6 sensors
connected as follows.

Push-button and sensor

Fig.6: input circuitry

The assignment of the input pins of the Placing our program is shown below.
Name address
gotoF1pb I 0.0
gotoF2pb I 0.1
gotoF3pb I 0.2
gotoF4pb I 0.3
call4Fpb I 0.4
call3Fpb I 0.5
call2Fpb I 0.6
call1Fpb I 0.7
manualDooropen I 1.0
manualDoorClose I 1.1
sensorF1 I 1.2
sensorF2 I 1.3
sensorF3 I 1.4
sensorF4 I 1.5
emergencyCall I 1.6
weightSensor I 1.7
doorBlocksensor I 2.0

Table 1: List of input pins

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The output devices connected to the PLC are 28 indicators, 4 contactors, and one speaker.

Fig: output circuitry for an indicator

Fig: output circuitry for a contactor

The assignment of the output pins of the PLC in our program is shown below.

Name address output devices connected

indicatorF1 Q 0.0 5 indicators
indicatorF2 Q 0.1 5 indicators
indicatorF3 Q 0.2 5 indicators
indicatorF4 Q 0.3 5 indicators
downDxn Q 0.4 1 indicator and 1 contactor
upDxn Q 0.5 1 indicator and 1 contactor
door closing Q 0.6 1 indicator and 1 contactor
door openinig Q 0.7 1 indicator and 1 contactor
overweightAlarm Q 1.0 1 indicator and 1 speaker
emergencyStopIndicator Q 1.1 1 indicator

Table: List of output pins

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The following is the list of timers used in the PLC program.

Name address
doorOpeningTimer T 1
startClosingTimer T 2
goDownTimer T 3
goUpTimer T 4
doorOpenedTimer T 5

Table: List of Timers

The remaining memory bits we used range from M 0.0 (memory byte zero – bit zero) to M 0.6
(memory byte zero – bit six). They are used to store memory for various purposes in the
program.

Output pins Q0.0 to Q0.3 show the current location of the elevator. Only one of them will have
set value at a time and each is connected to five indicators. Four of the indicators are located on
each floor outside the elevator. One is located inside the elevator. Voltage from each output pins
are taken in parallel to the five indicators.

The output pins from Q0.4 to Q0.7, in addition to indicators inside the elevator, send their output
to a contactor. Q0.4 and Q0.5 send their outputs to two contactors that control the direction of
motion of the elevator. The elevator direction is changed by changing the direction of rotation of
the three-phase motor that takes the elevator up and down. The same is true for the two
contactors that control the opening and closing of the elevator door. They are connected to pins
Q0.6 and Q0.7

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 Down
contactor
Q 0.4 Q 0.4
r Down
direction
PLC indicator
output
Up contactor
module Q 0.5 Q 0.4
r
Up
direction
indicator

Door close
contactor
Q 0.6
Door
closing
indicator

Door open
contactor
Q 0.7
Door
opening
indicator

Fig: output pins Q0.4 to Q0.7 connections diagram

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The overweight alarm indicator pin Q0.8 is connected to an indicator (called overweight
indicator located inside the elevator) and speaker that will emit alarm sound. It is activated by the
overweight sensor (see the ladder logic diagram).

Q1.1 is connected to an emergency stop indicator located inside the elevator. It is activated either
by the emergency push button inside the elevator or by the HMI.

The programming language we used in developing the program is ladder logic as it was the most
widely used type, and the one we knew well.

There are also 5 timers inside our ladder logic diagram. They are T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, and
count the time it takes to: open elevator door (5 seconds), close elevator door (5 seconds), go
down from one floor to next (5 seconds), go up from one floor to next (5 seconds), time door
stays open (5 seconds) respectively.

Implementation

The following shows the flowchart of the ladder logic we built using Simatic step7.

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 Fig: main flow chart of ladder logic

Fig: sub-flow chart of go to next destination floor for floor 1

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Fig: sub-flow chart of go to next destination floor for floor 2

Fig: sub-flow chart of go to next destination floor for floor 3

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Fig: sub-flow chart of go to next destination floor for floor 4

The complete ladder logic diagram is included in the appendix.

Testing the PLC Ladder Logic

Test was done using the S7-PLCSIM software, a PLC simulator which operates just like a real
PLC provided by Siemens. We simply downloaded the whole program and symbol table of the
program onto it and run the PLCSIM.

A screen capture of the PLCSIM window as we simulated the program is shown below. The
program is not as user friendly as an HMI, but it shows the binary values of each bits in the PLC
including the input pins, output pins, and memory bits.

Input from sensors and push buttons are simulated by ticking checkboxes. A ticked checkbox has
1 bit in it, and a checkbox not ticked has 0 bit saved in it. The timers can also be seen. The effect
of the elevator moving, door opening-closing, or indicators is seen by the bit value of output pins
(Q0.0 to Q1.1).

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Fig.15: PLCSIM screen capture while simulating the elevator system

Design of HMI

The HMI is designed using Simatic WINCC flexible as explained above. It has 12 buttons that
can be clicked as input and 14 output buttons that function as indicators.

Two of the input buttons are not shown in the figure below. They are “enable emergency stop”
button that is hidden behind the “disable emergency stop” button, and “enable elevator buttons”
button that is hidden behind the “disable elevator buttons” button.

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There are also three output buttons hidden behind the “door closed” button. They are “door
opened”, “door opening”, and “door closing” buttons. There is a “going up” button hidden
behind the “going down “ button.

Fig: screen capture of HMI using WINCC flexible

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 Chapter V
Conclusions and Recommendations
This project involves using the PLC to control a four floor elevator system. The basic functions
of the elevator system have been simulated.
PLC simulator tool was used for quick test purposes or in case the PLC hardware was
not available.
After successful operation of ladder logic sections of our design, it was time for Human Machine
Interface design. Communication was configured between WinCC and our automation system
(PLC). Ladder logic and HMI software were tested together and possible remedies have been
carried out for problems that occurred.
We recommend that future project workers improve the HMI to be animated.
They should also expand the project to include the electro-mechanical components such as
motors in the design. If the implement the project, the can use push-buttons in place of sensors
when they are not available.

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 References

"Programmable logic controller - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia", October 2013,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmable_logic_controller

"User interface - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia", October 2013,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_machine_interface

"Electrical Wiring Diagram Forward Reverse Motor Control and Power Circuit Using Mitsubishi
PLC | Technovation-technological innovation and advanced industrial control technologies",
October 2013, http://ijyam.blogspot.com/2013/05/electrical-wiring-diagram-forward.html

"Automated Manufacturing Systems PLCs (Second Draft)", Hugh Jack, 2001.

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 Appendix

Ladder Logic Diagram

Network: 1 variable initialization

Network: 2 floor position scan floor 1

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Network: 3 floor position scan floor 2

Network: 4 floor position scan floor 3

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Network: 5 floor position scan floor 4

Network: 6 push-bootons disable HMI

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Network: 7 push button scan 1F

30
Network: 8 push button scan 2F

Network: 9 push button scan F3

Network: 10 push button scan F4

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Network: 11 destination reached / manual door open

32
Network: 12 manual door close pb

Network: 13 over weight

Network: 14 emrgency stop

33
Network: 15 door close blocked

Network: 16 door open sequence

34
Network: 17 door opened

35
Network: 18 door close sequence

Network: 19 elevator direction reverse second floor

36
Network: 20 elevator direction reverse third floor

Network: 21 first floor

37
Network: 22 2nd floor

38
39
Network: 23 3rd floor

40
Network: 24 4th floor

Network: 25

41
Network: 26 go down sequence

42
43
Network: 27 go up sequence

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List of figures

figure name
1 user interface on the outside of elevator door (four for each floor)
2 user interface inside elevator
3 PLC Working Cycle
4 : PLC Working Principle Block Diagram
5 Block diagram of the control system
6 input circuitry
7 output circuitry for an indicator
8 output circuitry for a contactor
9 output pins Q0.4 to Q0.7 connections diagram
10 main flow chart of ladder logic
11 sub-flow chart of go to next destination floor for floor 1
12 sub-flow chart of go to next destination floor for floor 2
13 sub-flow chart of go to next destination floor for floor 3
14 sub-flow chart of go to next destination floor for floor 4
15 PLCSIM screen capture while simulating the elevator system
16 screen capture of HMI using WINCC flexible

List of Tables

table name
1 List of input pins
2 List of output pins
3 List ofTimers

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