Development of a relay ladder logic programming/debugging/simulation software package with graphical user interface

Author

Kevin Martin Hubbard

Abstract

"Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC’s) are widely used in industry for Logic and Sequencing Control. Typically, PLC’s are programmed using Relay Ladder Logic, in which the programmer draws a circuit diagram schematic for a set of conceptual logic circuits with which to control physical equipment. The PLC then emulates the activity of these circuits.

Many students experience difficulty when first exposed to Relay Ladder Logic programming. This difficulty arises due to many reasons, including the difficulty of imposing program execution flow control, and the parallel nature of Relay Ladder Logic program execution.

The research described here addresses these issues. A software package (LadderCAD) was developed which overcomes equipment specificity issues, and which addresses instructional issues by employing two interpreters: 1) A forward interpreter which translates Relay Ladder Logic diagrams into System State Language (SSL), a textual description of the system state for which any given physical output will be energized, and 2) A backward interpreter which translates SSL files into Relay Ladder Logic diagrams. Using these two interpreters, students may more easily make the transition from textual programming languages to Relay Ladder Logic programming.

A simulation utility was also developed which may be used by the student to run Ladder Logic programs on-screen for troubleshooting and verification purposes. This simulation package allows the user to monitor the status of all inputs and outputs simultaneously on a single screen"--Abstract, page iii.

Advisor(s)

Omurtag, Yildirim

Committee Member(s)

Wiebe, Henry Allen
Daily, Madison
Greenway, Gerald W.
Krishnamurthy, K.

Department(s)

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering

Degree Name

Ph. D. in Engineering Management

Publisher

University of Missouri--Rolla

Publication Date

Spring 1996

Pagination

ix, 188 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 184-187).

Rights

© 1996 Kevin Martin Hubbard, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Dissertation - Restricted Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Thesis Number

T 7112

Print OCLC #

35659906

Recommended Citation

Hubbard, Kevin Martin, "Development of a relay ladder logic programming/debugging/simulation software package with graphical user interface" (1996). Doctoral Dissertations. 1120.
https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/doctoral_dissertations/1120