2014 IEEE Students' Conference on Electrical, Electronics and Computer Science

Effect of PLC and SCADA in Boosting the

Working of Elevator System
Vikas Acharya

Saru SehgaJ
ECE Department, BMIET,

MAE Department, MAlT,

Sonepat, India

Delhi, India

sarusehgal1987@gmail.com

vikas acharya@rediff.com
_

Abstract- Elevators are used as main connectivity unit

of the floors, in malls, offices, industries and, buildings

PLC has the similar structure as that of a digital

computer, as shown in the Fig. 1. It has an input and

of the hospital. Generally, the chip based controllers are

output

used to control the working of the elevator system.

supply.

module,

CPU,

memory

card

and,

power

These controllers have some sharp specifications which

cannot be maintained at all the time and, that's why
faults occur from time to time. So, Programmable Logic

Power

Controller (PLC) is implemented in place of embedded

system. PLC can easily withstand the faulty situation

Supply

occurred in industrial environment and easily maintain

all the specific requirement of the elevator system. In

the present work, the ladder programming is used for

PLC. It has very simple and handy programming, i.e., if
we want to increase, decrease or skip any floor then
program

can

change

as

per

our

requirements.

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) is

also used to supervise and control the working of the
elevator. If somehow any fault occurs then SCADA
itself identifies the fault position and generates an
alarm.

The response on the fault can be taken within

no time by interfacing PLC and SCADA with the

elevator system.

Index Terms (PLC),

Programmable

Supervisory

Control

Logical

and

Data

Ladder

Normally open (NO), Normally Close (NC),

(LAD),

Infrared

Magnetic Flux Density

(B),

sensor

(IR),

Force

(F),

Current (I), Length of the

Conductor (L).

I.

Module

Central

>

Processing

Output

Module

H
Memory
Unit

Controller
Acquisition

(SCADA), Elevator System (ES).

Notations

Input

Fig. I. PLC Block Diagram [2]

Fig. 2 shows the working of PLC in which it scans all
the inputs continuously and energies the output coil
according to the program. Housekeeping program
stores the entire status bit which is used in the future
and, required for the continuity.

INTRODUCTION

Now-a-days, elevator becomes the most important

part of the human comfort in the offices, malls,
hospitals and industries to move across the different
floors.

Earlier,

the

chip

based

controller

circuit

boards are used to control the working of the elevator

but as they are not withstanding the harsh conditions
of industries and hospitals due to their slow processor
speed [1] that's why we need to move on the best
controller, i.e., Programming Logic Controller which
is widely used in the industrial environment for
providing the automation and has the ability to
overcome the faulty situation.
978-1-4799-2526-1/14/$31.00 2014 IEEE

"'OlJltlHt
Q.xDUiiolt

Fig. 2. PLC Working Cycle [2]

CPU 222 Description

Due to this functional programming, PLC has many

Specification

Power Supply

85-264 VAC

advantages over the embedded system which are as

follows: smaller physical size than hardwire solutions,

24.4-28.8 VDC

more flexibility, also have integrated diagnostics and,

override

functions

available

and

[1].

Diagnostics

applications

can

are

be

centrally

immediately

documented and duplicated in it whereas, SCADA is

used to supervise and control the working of the
elevator system due to its ability of data acquisition.
It,

also,

generates

problems

and

solutions

fault

which

for

the

may

upcoming

affect

in

the

programming related to floor skipping, door open at

Memory

4096 Byte

Backup (super cap)

50 Hours

Optional Battery

200 Days

Digital VO

8/6

Analog I/O

None

Timer

256

Counter

256

the middle floor and, loading efficiency [3].

11. HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE

Some hardware components like Siemens S7-200,

DC

motor,

etc.

and,

Siemens

software

are

implemented in the elevator system to achieve the

rejection of faulty alarms occur in the chip controller.
The main components used in this project are:

The S7-200 Micro PLC shown in Fig. 3 (a) and

figure 3 (b), is the smallest member of the SIMATIC

A. HARDWARE

S7 family of programmable controllers. The central

1) Siemens S7-200:

With

the

vast

choice

of

equipments now available, the engineers can usually

obtain

similar

systems

from

Original

Equipment

Manufacturers (OEM). These manufactures provides

different ratings of input/output devices and, certain
types of controller functions [4]. So, it is possible that
one system from a single manufacturer standing out as
more superior or cost effective than the other; but
normally this is rarely the case. To determine the most
suitable PLC to be used in the automation task, there

processing unit (CPU) is internal to the PLC, inputs

and outputs (I/O) are the system control points where
input monitor field devices, such as switches and
sensors and output control other devices, such as
motors and pumps. The programming port is the
connection to the programming device. There are five
S7-200 CPU types: CPU 221, CPU 222, CPU 243 and
CPU 224, CPU 224XP, and CPU 226 and two power
supply configurations for each type [5] . And we are
here using the CPU 222 for our requirement.

are several basic considerations to be made:

Necessary input/output capacity;

Types of I/O required;

Size of memory required;

Speed and power required of the CPU and

instruction set

Manufacturer's support and backup.

The Micro PLC SIMATIC S7-200 is used because of

its compact, highly
fast

features,

powerful

real-time

great communication

easy-to-operate

software

and

responses,

options and,

hardware capability

making it user friendly technique for open loop

control

system.

It

also

incorporates

compact

modular design for customized solutions which aren't

too large, but flexible enough to be expanded any time
in the future.

Table T
S7-200 CPU Specifications [4]

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Fig.3(a). S7-200[4]

In Fig. 4, different connections of the field and

armature

winding

provide

different

inherent

speed/torque regulation characteristics [6] . The speed

of a DC motor can be controlled by changing the
voltage applied to the armature or by changing the
field

current.

The

introduction

of

the

variable

resistance in the armature circuit or field circuit

allowed speed control. Modern DC motors are often
control

by

power

electronics

system

called

DC

drivers.

SOFTWARE

B.

1) Semantics S7 Micro Win:

Fig. 3(b). S7-200[4]

2) DC Motor:

the ladder logic programming use for a Normally

DC Motor converts Direct Current

(DC) electric power into mechanical power. It works

on

the

principle

that

when

current

carrying

conductor is placed in a magnetic field, it experiences

a m chanical force whose direction is given by
Flemmg Left-Hand Rule and magnitude is given by
the equation 1
F

It is the programming

software of the Siemens for the S7-200. It provides

Open (NO) and Normally Closed (NC) contact logic,
.
the tuners and memory bit to make the program.

La der diagram is a graphic programming language

denved from the circuit diagram of directly wired
relay controls. It contains contact rails to the left and
the right of

the

diagram;

these

contact

rails

are

connected to switching elements (normally open /

normally closed contacts) via current paths and coil
elements. The LADDER (LAD) editor displays the

BIL new t cm

program as a graphical representation similar to

(1)

electrical wiring diagrams.

The DC motors have two basic parts: the rotating

part, i.e., called armature and the stationary part that
includes coils of wire called the field coils. The stator
is stationary in space by defmition and therefore the
current in the rotor is switched by the commutator
which is also stationary in space. This is how the
relative angle between the stator and rotor magnetic
flux is maintained near 90 degree, which generates
the maximum torque [6] .

A LAD program allow the program to emulate the

flow of electric current from a power source through a
series of logical input conditions that in turn enable
logical output conditions. It includes a left power rail
that is energized. Contacts that are closed allow
energy to flow through them to the next element, and
contacts that are open block that energy flow [7]. The
left vertical line of a ladder logic diagram represents
the power or energized conductor. The output element
or instruction represents the neutral or return path of
the circuit. The right vertical line, which represents

he reurn path on a hard-wired control line diagram,

IS omItted. These diagrams are read from left-to-right,

top-to-bottom. Rungs are sometimes referred to as
networks and these networks may have several control
elements, but only one output coil.

2) In touch:

It is the SCADA software which is used

to supervise the working of the elevator developed by

the Rockwell Automation. It is used in the present
work to see the change in the variables inside the
elevator system and is also used to find out the fault
location without any effort [4] .

3) Software Process of Elevator System:

The

software process first check the status of the floors

the

up

and

down

movements,

the

opening

an

shutting of the door, and the weight of persons to be

Fig. 4. DC Motor

carried on the elevator system by using sensors and

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then the LAD program is implemented in the system

signals of the elevator system, including the location

to control all the movements in time. The detailed

of the elevator, state of the signal of internal and

system can be explained with the help of the process

external command button, the door lock signal, the

flowchart given in Fig. 5

door zone signal, forced to slow down the signal

within the wells

and, fIre signals. On the other

hand, based on signals it has the elevator floor signal

and speed signal,
directional

relay

switch
and

gate

brake

signal,

relay

the

which runs

calculations to control the operation of the elevator

system.

Check the status of

the floor through
sensors

Conditional

branches

are

usually

used

in

elevator applications; the program is broken into

several functional blocks.

Check the status of

the press input in
the queue

On switching on the power, it starts its working

Move
motor
reverse
upto desire
level

cycle and scans for inputs and decides what to do

base on the program burned into its memory.
111UAC

PUSH BUIIOH

11.1

Ii.l

desire level

Open the door,

and after a delay
close the door

LED 1

Ill. INTERFACING FOR ELEV ATOR SYSTEM

Interfacing of PLC and SCADA with Elevator

System

For the interfacing of PLC and SCADA with the

QI.1

11.3

QI.3

II.

AC con'

11.1

AC con-

11.6

DC con

connected to the PLC through the relays

[8] .

connected to the PLC. It is the job of PLC to

in

response

to

relays for their forward and reverse motion.

Another sensor for the door opening and closing is

devices

11.1

According to all these inputs PLC generates output

supply as well three floor position sensors are also

output

QI.I

which is given to the motors through the 2 set of

switches are connected to the PLC through 24V

the

S7-m

Fig. 6. Circuit Diagram of Elevator System [4]

elevator there are many steps towards it. Three

drive

QI.I

DC COl

Fig. 5. Process Flow Chart of Elevator System

A.

PLC

5irnen5

input

signals present at its Input ports. It act as the master

controller, on one hand it collects a variety of input

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Case 1:

If the elevator is on the ground floor and a

call button is pressed from the ground floor then

motor will not acuate and the doors will open simply.

But if the call button of the 1 st floor or 2nd floor is

pushed then the motor actuate in forward direction
and move to the desired floor and open the doors for
a while as shown in the Fig. 8 and 9.

Fig. 7. SCADA of Elevator System

SCADA is the computer software and is generated on
the screen of the computer. A cable is connected to
the PLC to the computer named as CP3. It gives all
the data to the computer and so through the SCADA
of Elevator System in figure 7 we can easily monitor
them.
B.
Application of PLC and SCADA in Elevator
System

1) PLC Application:
as

the

other

PLC gives very same working

controllers

provides.

It's

working

Fig. 8. Pictorial Back View of Elevator System

principle and programming features provides the

elevator to add many others extra features. We can
provide an alarm through the PLC as well we can
extend the number of floors and also decrease or skip
as

per

our requirements. Programming

language

provides user to store the mUltiple inputs and execute

them according to the first come first get method.

2) SCADA Application:
view

of

the

working

the

elevator.

For

acuate and the doors will open simply. But if the call
button of the ground floor then motor moves in

reverse direction or 2nd floor is pushed then the motor

floor and open the doors for a while.

the

maintenance of elevator, the supervisor not need to

go to the elevator but just check the status through
the computer screen [9] and also he can control and
command

the

elevator.

Through

SCADA

If the elevator is on the first floor and a call

actuate in forward direction and move to the desired

SCADA provides a pictorial

of

Case 2:

button is pressed from first floor then motor will not

faulty

location easily fmd out and action can be taken in no

time.
IV RESULT AND DISCUSSION
All the setup is made according to the circuit
diagram in Fig. 6 and all the devices are, checked
thoroughly. The elevator system comprises different
cases which are given below:

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SCADA is providing the best superViSiOn of the

working of elevator and also provide the supervision
of the internal component. It also provides the close
supervision on the variable changes in the elevator
process and, provides alarm as well as comments so
that fault can be alarmed and appropriate solution
comments provided on the alarm.
REFERENCES

[I] Pornjit Pratumsuwan and Watcharin Pongaen, "An Embedded

PLC Development for Teaching in Mechatronics Education", IEEE,
2011.
[2] S.Krishankant, "Computer Based instrumentation
New Delhi: PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd, 2009.

Controf',

[3] Substations Committee, "IEEE Standard for SCADA and

Automation Systems", IEEE Power Engineering Society, 2007.
[4]

Training

Manual,
PLC,
SCADA,
MOTOR,
Noida: Sofcon India Pvt. Ltd.

and

iNSTRUMENTATiON.

[5] Reiner Dudziak, Dirk Mohr et. AI, "Development Projects as an

Integral Element Education of Mechatronics Engineers", IEEE
Mectatronics-REM, 2012.
[6] B.L. Threja , A Textbook of Electrical
New Delhi: S.Chand & co. Ltd, 2004.

Fig. 9. Pictorial Front View of Elevator System

Case 3:

If the elevator is on the 2nd floor and a call

button is pressed from 2nd floor then motor will not

acuate and the doors will open simply. But if the call
button of the 151 floor or ground floor is pushed then
the motor actuate in reverse direction and move to the
desired floor and open the doors for a while.

Case

4: While the door is closing and someone put

his hand between the closing of the door then door

reopen and after removing the obstructer it waits for

[7] John R. Hackworth and Frederick D. Hackworth et. AI,

Programmable Logic Controllers: Programming. New Delhi:
Prentice Hall, 2004.
[8] Brendan Galloway and Gerhard P.Hancke, "Introduction to
Industrial Control Networks", IEEE Communications Surveys &
Tutorials, voU5, no.2, Second Quarter 2013.
[9] Rajeev Kumar et. aI, "Utility of SCADA in Power Generation
and Distribution System", IEEE, 2010.

the 10 sec. and, then recloses. This process will occur

all the time.
V CONCLUSION
After

implementation

of

the

above,

Technology Volume-ll.

some

conclusions are made as follows:

PLC can easily control the working of the elevator.
It is observed that PLC based elevator works better
than all other control system. It does not provide the
enough power to produce the torque in the motor so
we need to provide the internal power and we have to
use contactors to provide the controlling through PLC
and power through external source. It can be easily
programmed and program can be changed online i.e.
in process we can change program according to our
requirement.

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