Industrial Mechatronics (MTS 474)

» 4 Credits – 3 Lectures & 1 Lab

Zareena Kausar
Office: PF04, China Block
Email: zareena.kausar@mail.au.edu.pk
 Course Objective

• Mechatronics - a new interdisciplinary field

• Industrial applications - becoming increasingly multidisciplinary
• Industrial Mechatronics course - combine various fields
– to teach students a holistic approach to developing solutions for industrial
automation applications.
• Industrial Mechatronics course umbrella includes "practical"
knowledge of :
– Computer controls
– PLCs
– CNCs
– Robotics
– PID/Fuzzy Logic Control
 Course Outline
Week Topic
1 Introduction to Industrial Applications with Mechatronics
Systems; Types of Processes & Process Control Components
2-6 PLC Programming (Allen Bradley specifically)
· Basic Ladder Logic Elements
· Timers & Counters
· Math Instructions
· Case Study
• I/O Modules Wiring
An Over view of Rslogix 500 & 5000 will be given
7 Advanced PLC Programming

8 SCADA (Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition)

• Using RSview 32 & Open Control
9 Mid Term Exams
10 PID (Process & Instrumentation Diagrams), Industrial
Sensors & Actuators
 Course Outline
11 Continuous Process Control
· PID Loops
· Cascaded PID Loops
12, 13 Machine Tool Automation (CNC Machines)
 Overview
 Applications
 G Codes & M Codes
14 Application of Manipulators in Industry
15 Fuzzy Logic Controller : Introduction and example
16 Documentation in Industrial Projects ; Plant Communication

• Text Books & Reference:

•Jon Stenerson, “Fundamentals of PLC’s, Sensors & Communication”. 3rd Edition,
Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 2004
•Automation, Production Systems & Computer Integrated Manufacturing
Mikell P.Groover

•Hugh Jack “Automating Manufacturing Systems with PLC’s”- (Available online)

Distribution of Marks

Module Percentage

Quizzes 10

Labs (Manual) 20
Projects + Lab work
(10+10)
Assignments 5

Mid Term Exam 20

Final Exam 45
 Course Modules
• Basic Overview of Mechatronics Systems in Industry &
Applications:
• Automation

• Practical Aspects:
• PLC’s
– Ladder Logic
– Industrial Sensors & Actuators

• SCADA (Supervisory & Data Acquisition)

• CNC Machines (Computer Numerical Control)

– Applications
– Coding in CNC Machines
Basic Questions

• What is Automation?

• What are the advantages of Automation?

 Introduction to Industrial Mechatronics

• Automation:
• Use of Control Systems to
reduce Human Intervention
• A Step beyond Mechanization
(Pure Mechanical Systems)

• Key Ingredients:
– Sensors
– Controller
– Actuator

• Applications:
– Production Plants, Manipulation, Manufacturing parts
(Textile, Petroleum, Paper & Automotive
Industries )
 Introduction to Industrial Mechatronics

• Advantages of Industrial Automation:

– Improving Efficiency & Quality
– Improving Safety
– Reducing Operation time & Errors
– Performing Operations in Dangerous
Environments (High Temperatures, Nuclear
Installations, Space etc)
 Introduction to Industrial Mechatronics
• Manufacturing Process Automation:
– Automation of Industrial Processes
– Controllers: Mainly PLC’s
– Actuators: Variable Speed Drives, Valves etc
– Sensors: Flow, Pressure Temperature etc
– Additionally SCADA
Automation Using PLC’s
 Introduction to Industrial Mechatronics

• Applications of Manipulators:
– Mainly used for Pick & Drop Applications in Production lines
– Painting, Welding in Automotive Industry
 Industrial Manufacturing Using CNC
• Computer Numerical Control (CNC) is most widely for Industrial
Manufacturing (CNC Milling, Lathe Machines etc).
• Derived from Numerical Control (NC) which refers to control of
Machine tools by abstract languages coded in some storage.
• Manufacturing is done using CAD (Computer Aided Design) & CAM
(Computer Aided Manufacturing)
 Types of Automation
• Fixed Automation:
• Production facility where the sequence of operations is fixed by
process configuration
– Examples:
• Production Plants (Paper etc), Automotive Industry with fixed
equipment
– Features:
• High Initial Investment
• High Production Rates
• Relative Inflexibility

• Programmable Automation:
• The production equipment is made to change the sequence of
operations
• The sequence of operation is generally modified by a program
 Types of Automation
– Examples:
• Automation using Numerically Controlled Machine Tools, Industrial
Robots & PLC’s
– Features:
• High Initial Investment
• Flexibility to deal with Variation & Changes in Production
• Low Production rate then Fixed Automation
• Loss of time during change over
• Flexible Automation:
• An Extension of Programmable Automation
• Virtually no loss in time during change over (Tools, Machine
settings)
• Difference betweens parts is not significant
– Examples:
• Automotive production using Flexible Manufacturing systems
 Types of Automation

– Features:
• High Initial Investment
• Flexibility to deal with Variation & Changes in
Production
• Medium Production rate
• Continuous Production of Mixtures of Products
• Minimal Loss of time during change over
 Coming up
• Classification of Industries
• Process Variables
• Control based on Process Variables
• Basic Control Requirements
• Process Description Tools
– State Diagrams
– Flow Charts
– Sequence Bits
Classification of Industries
Industries

Process Manufacturing Discrete Manufacturing

Industries Industries

Amount Quantity

Output Measure: Volume, Weight Output Measure: Number of Parts

Quality Measure: Concentration of Quality Measure: Surface Finish,
Solution, Consistency Dimensions
 Examples

• Examples of Process Industries

– Chemical Reactions (Urea, Paper etc)
– Distillation
– Mixing & Blending of Ingredients

• Examples of Discrete Manufacturing

Industries
– Casting
– Forging
– Machining
 Process Variables
• Definition:
– Characterize the states of the system as it evolves in time
– Variables which provide Information about the system
– Basic Variables that characterize both types of Industries (Process &
Discrete Manufacturing Industries)

Process Variables

Continuous Variables Discrete Variables

• What is the difference between Discrete Variables & Discrete

Binary Variables?
 Continuous Variables
• Definition:
– Variables Uninterrupted in time
– Referred to as Analog Values as they attain any value in an interval

 Typical Process Variables:

– Temperature, Flow, Pressure

 Typical Sensors:
– Thermocouples, RTD (resistance temperature detectors), Flow meters,
Pressure sensors
 Typical Actuators:
– Valves, Heaters
 Discrete Variables
• Definition:
– Can take up a finite set of values within a range
– Further distinguished as Discrete Binary Variables
 Typical Sensors:
– Limit Switches, Proximity Sensors
 Typical Actuators:
– Switches, Motors, Solenoid Valves

 Example:
– Counting Parts moving on a conveyer
 Basic Analog Control Loop

Process

Sensors

Actuator

Comparator Set Point

Amplifier Analog Controller

•What is the composition of this Analog Controllers?

• What is the difference between this Analog control loop and
Modern Discrete Control loops?
 Digital Control
• The introduction of Digital Computers around 1960 have complicated
matters
– Even Continuous Variables are no longer measured continuously
– Sampling takes place at periodic intervals and discrete sampled data
represents continuous variables
– Even Continuous output variables are approximated as step wise
functions

• Sampling using Zero Order Hold (ZOH)

• What is First Order Hold (FOH)?
 Types of Controls

• Based on types of Process Variables we have different

control techniques:
– Continuous Control
– Discrete Control
– Hybrid Control (an amalgamation of above two)
 Continuous Control:
– A control sequence characterized by analog inputs & outputs

– Examples:
 Feed forward Control
 Feed back Control
 Discrete Control

• Variables or Parameters of the system are Discrete.

• Control Variables can be changed under specific conditions or based
on time.
• Basic Classification of Discrete Control:

Discrete Control

Event Driven Time Driven

• Combinational Logic Control • Sequential Logic Control
 Discrete Control
• Event Driven Control:
– In response to a discrete event (certain conditions are satisfied) and it
causes an initiation of a sequence.
– Examples:
• Robot loading a piece into a CNC machine. Machines operates once it has
been loaded (condition based on limit switch).
• Objects on a conveyor (leads to counting).
• Junction counting during LTRC competition.

• Time Driven Control:

– Control Variables are changed as a function of time

– Examples:
• Operation of a time driven agitator in mixing liquids
• Heating for a specific period of time
 Requirements of Control Systems

• Basic Requirements:
– Deal with Discrete & Continuous Control.
– Real time controller  capable of responding to changing inputs
from the process
– Multi tasking
• Deals with Multiple task concurrently
– Provides tools for Event & Time driven control.
– Dealing with System initiated events
• Communication with Peripherals and other Elements on the Network.
– Dealing with Operator Based Events
• Changing Existing Logic
• Emergency Stoppage of Control Process
 Capabilities of Control Systems

• All control systems should have following capabilities which

allows it deal in real time with the process:
– Polling
– Interlocks
– Interrupts
– Exception Handling

• Polling:
– Sampling of Process variables.
– Important Characteristics:
• Polling Frequency  Time rate at which all the variables of the process
are sampled (variable or fixed frequency)

• Polling Order  Defines a sequence in which variables are sampled

 Capabilities of Control Systems
• Polling Format  specifies the manner in which sampling
procedure is designed
– Polling everything after a time cycle (time driven input)
– Polling after a change has occurred in variable (event driven input)

 Interlocks:
– Safe guarding Mechanisms to coordinate activities of different
devices
– All controllers should be capable of providing interlock capabilities
– Classified as Input & Output Interlocks
– Examples:
 Pump and Valve connected in a pipe (should have interlocks).
 Robot putting work piece in CNC should provide interlocks
 Capabilities of Control Systems
• Interrupts:
– Certain conditions where controller should interrupt regular control
program to deal with other important matters
– Suspension of current program to deal with other matters
– Types of Interrupts:
• Internal  Polling of sensor data or Sending Commands to process.
• External  Process Initiated interrupts or Operator inputs
– Level Or Edge Triggered Process Interrupts
– Controllers should provide tools to effectively deal with sudden interrupts.
– An interrupt is a program with highest priority
– All programs are assigned priorities based on which decisions are taken.
 Capabilities of Control Systems

Controllers

Single Level Interrupt Systems Multi Level Interrupt Systems

Differences?
 Priority Assignment

Priority Level Function

1 Operator Inputs
2 System & Program Interrupts
3 Timer Interrupts
4 Process Interrupts
5 Emergency Stop
 Capabilities of Control Systems
• Exception Handling:
– An event outside the norms of process control.
– Dealing with exceptions is essential in Industrial Process Control.
– Termed as a process of Error Detection & Recovery.
• Error Detection:
– Random Errors  Due to stochastic nature of process
(difference in raw materials for process)
– Systematic Errors  can be assigned reason’s (such as
drift in Equipment settings)
– Aberrations  Due to equipment failure

– Examples:
• Controller Failure
• Process Variables outside normal range
 Process Description Tools

• Which Specific Information is missing that

a Mechatronics Engineer requires?
 Process Description Tools

• Three Basic Techniques are used to represent

Process Operation Conditions & Control:
• Flow Charts
• State Diagrams
• Sequence Bits
• Flow Charts & State Diagrams are Graphical Tools
• Among these Sequence Bits & Flow Charts are most
commonly used
• Can easily be converted to Ladder Logic
 Flow Charts
• Ideal for Description of Sequential Processes.
• A graphical tool consisting of different blocks connected using
arrows.

Start Block

Operation Block

Decision Block

Data Block
Flow Charts

• Basic Guidelines in Making Flow Charts:

– Understand the flow of the process
– All actions are drawn as operation blocks
– All sensor based inputs lead to decision thus
are used as decision blocks
Flow Charts

• Three Flow sensors (switch) mounted Start

on a pipe line leading to solenoid valve. Valve= ‘OFF’
The valve turns on only when all three
No
sensors detect some flow in the pipes. S1=1
Yes

No
S2=1
Yes

No
S3=1
Yes
Valve= ‘ON’
 Flow Charts
• A Tank which starts filling (Inlet Valve) when the start button is
pressed and flows out (Outlet valve) when either stop button is
pressed or the level (binary) switch specifies the tank as full
Start

Open Inlet Valve

Close Outlet Valve

Tank Yes Close Inlet Valve

Full Open Outlet Valve
No

Yes No Yes
Stop=1 Start=1

No
 State Diagrams
• Another Effective method to represent Process flow Conditions &
Control.

• Graphical tool for current mode of operation (states) and transition

(actions or inputs).

• Example:
– State diagram for light switch?

On_Push Button
Light Off Light On
Off_Push Button
 State Diagrams
• State Diagram of a Vending Machine

Coins Inserted Inserting Coins

Idle
Coins Returned

Cup Removed Right Amount

Coins Returned
Make Coffee User’s Choice
Push Button
Pressed
 State Diagrams
• A Tank which starts filling (Inlet Valve) when the start button is
pressed and flows out (Outlet valve) when either stop button is
pressed or the level (binary) switch specifies the tank as full

Stop or Full
Flow In Flow Out
Start
 Sequence Bits
• Quite commonly used and represents the scenario as a sequence of
steps

• Guidelines for Making Sequence Bits:

– Understand the process
– Write the operations in steps
– If process is repetitive go to first step

• Example:
– Consider a tank with level switches which trigger at 20% and 80% of
tanks capacity, when level goes below 20% inlet valves opens and at 80%
outlet valve opens
• Sequence Bits:
– When Level < 20% inlet valve opens
– When Level >80% outlet valve opens
 Sequence Bits
• A Tank which starts filling (Inlet Valve) when the start button is
pressed and flows out (Outlet valve) when either stop button is
pressed or the level (binary) switch specifies the tank as full

• Sequence Bits:
•When start button is pressed inlet valve opens
•When tank is full or stop button is pressed outlet valve
opens