Automation is a fascinating field that allows us to control devices efficiently and conveniently. It offers us numerous benefits, such as an increase in production speed, a reduction in error and costs, and the ability to handle repetitive or complex tasks efficiently. Overall, automation plays a vital role in modernizing industries, driving innovation, and transforming the way we work and live.
In this article, we will explore how to use the Ladder language to program an output to activate every 2 seconds. The Ladder language is widely used in the industry and is a visual way to represent and control electrical circuits.
Blinking a light
Before we get started, it’s important to have a brief understanding of the Ladder language. The ladder program language, also known as Ladder Logic or LD, is a programming language commonly used in industrial automation. The execution flow of this visual programming language occurs from top to bottom. Ladder Logic derives its name from its visual representation, which resembles the rungs of a ladder.
Let’s now dive into the programming process to make a blinking cycle. Follow the steps below:
Step 1: Create a new project in your preferred Ladder programming software. In this case, we will use the CX-Program from Omron.
Step 2: Add an output that represents the light bulb. You can assign an address to a real output of your PLC.
Step 3: Create a timer to control the time that the light bulb is on. Add a timer and set the base time to 2 seconds. In Figure 2 the light will be on while the timer has not reached the 2 seconds.
Step 4: Now we need to create logic that turns the coil on and off at a 2-second interval. Add a timer that will count the off phase of the blinking cycle. This second timer will start counting after the first timer finishes counting. After the second timer finishes counting it will work as a switch and turn restart the circuit.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have learned how to blink a light bulb with a cycle of 2 seconds using Ladder language. Automation offers a wide range of possibilities, and Ladder language is a powerful tool for efficiently controlling electronic devices, but you have many ways to obtain this same result (for example Structured Text ST), maybe in the next tutorial. We hope this tutorial has been helpful and has sparked your interest in further exploring automation projects.
