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Design and implementation of PLC-based monitoring control system for

three-phase induction motors fed by PWM inverter

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 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS, ENGINEERING & DEVELOPMENT
Issue 3, Volume 2, 2008

Design and Implementation of PLC-Based Monitoring Control System for

Three-Phase Induction Motors Fed by PWM Inverter
YASAR BIRBIR*, H.SELCUK NOGAY
*Marmara University, Technical Education Faculty, Department of Electricity Education
Goztepe, 34722 Istanbul, TURKEY.
[email protected], [email protected]

world through its inputs and outputs. Since technology

Abstract— This paper presents a design and for motion control of electric drives became available,
implementation of a monitoring and control system the use of programmable logic controllers (PLC) with
for the three-phase induction motor based on power electronics in electric machines applications has
programmable logic controller (PLC) technology. been introduced in the manufacturing automation [1],
Also, the implementation of the hardware and [14]. This use offers advantages such as lower voltage
software for speed control and protection with the drop when turned on and the ability to control motors
results obtained from tests on induction motor and other equipment with a virtually unity power factor
performance is provided. The PLC correlates the [3]. Many factories use PLC in automation processes to
operational parameters to the speed requested by diminish production cost and to increase quality and
the user and monitors the system during normal reliability [4]–[7]. Other applications include machine
operation and under trip conditions. Tests of the tools with improved precision computerized numerical
induction motor system driven by inverter and control (CNC) due to the use of PLC [7]. To obtain
controlled by PLC prove a higher accuracy in speed accurate industrial electric drive systems, it is necessary
regulation as compared to a conventional V/f to use PLC interfaced with power converters, personal
control system. The efficiency of PLC control is computers, and other electric equipment. Nevertheless,
increased at high speeds up to 95% of the this makes the equipment more sophisticated, complex,
synchronous speed. Thus, PLC proves themselves and expensive. A power factor controller for a three-
as a very versatile and effective tool in industrial phase induction motor utilizes PLC to improve the
control of electric drives. power factor and to keep its voltage to frequency ratio
constant under the whole control conditions. The vector
Keywords— Computer-controlled systems, control integrated circuit uses a complex programmable
computerized monitoring, electric drives, induction logic device (CPLD) and integer arithmetic for the
motors, programmable logic controllers (PLC) voltage or current regulation of three-phase pulse-width
modulation (PWM) inverters. Many applications of
induction motors require besides the motor control
1. Introduction functionality, the handling of several specific analog and
digital I/O signals, home signals, trip signals,
With the rapidly changes on industries and on/off/reverse commands. In such cases, a control unit
information technologies in recent years, some involving a PLC must be added to the system structure.
traditional bulk electronic appliances have to be This paper presents a PLC-based monitoring and control
monitored for a long time. All of their control devices system for a three-phase induction motor. It describes
such as communication interfaces gradually enter the the design and implementation of the configured
Intemet information era. The control of all equipment hardware and software. The test results obtained on
has been performed through the use of computers. induction motor performance show improved efficiency
Most equipment uses PLC to connect with and increased accuracy in variable-load constant-speed-
computers to monitor each load and electricity controlled operation. Thus, the PLC correlates and
consuming devices. Programmable Logic Controllers controls the operational parameters to the speed set
(PLC) are widely used in industrial control because point requested by the user and monitors the induction
they are inexpensive, easy to install and very flexible motor system during normal operation and under trip
in applications. A PLC interacts with the external conditions [7, 14].

128 Manuscript Received April2, 2008; Revised Received September 24, 2008
 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS, ENGINEERING & DEVELOPMENT
Issue 3, Volume 2, 2008

of software across multiple processors, assigning inputs

2. PLC as a System Controller and outputs to I/O cards, etc. PLC software, once
Programmable logic controllers are modular, written must be easy and intuitive to follow. PLCs are
industrially hardened computers which perform an integrated part of the domain system, advances in
control functions through modular input and output the technology of the system will effect the
(I/O) modules. The modularity of PLC allows the requirements of the PLC software. PLC software must
user to combine generic I/O modules with a suitable therefore be maintainable and extensible [18].
controller to form a control system specific to his is In Fig. 2, the block diagram of the experimental system
most simply understood needs. The operation of a is illustrated. The following configurations can be
controller by envisioning that it repeatedly performs obtained from this setup.
three steps: a) A closed-loop control system for constant speed
a) Reads inputs from input modules operation, configured with speed feedback. The
b) Solves preprogrammed control logic induction motor drives a variable load, is fed by an
c) Generates outputs to output modules based on the inverter and the PLC controls the inverter output.
control logic solutions. Input devices and output b) An open-loop control system for variable speed and
devices of the process are connected to the PLC and variable frequency operation. The induction motor
the control program is entered into the PLC memory drives a variable load and is fed by control mode. The
(Fig.1)[1-2] PLC is an inverter in constant in activated.
c) The standard variable speed operation. The induction
motor drives a variable load and is fed by a constant
voltage-constant frequency standard three-phase supply.
The open-loop configuration b) can be obtained from
the closed-loop configuration a) by removing the speed
feedback. On the other hand, operation c) results if the
entire control system is bypassed. [6-7]

PLC’s programming is based on the logic demands of

input devices and the programs implemented are
predominantly logical rather than numerical
computational algorithms. Most of the programmed
Fig. 1. Control Action of a PLC operations work on a straightforward two-state “on or
off” basis and these alternate possibilities correspond to
In our application, it controls through analog and “true or false” (logical form) and“ 1 or 0” (binary form),
digital inputs and outputs the varying load-constant respectively. Thus, PLCs offer a flexible programmable
speed operation of an induction motor. Also, the PLC alternative to electrical circuit relay-based control
continuously monitors the inputs and activates the systems built using analog devices.
outputs according to the control program. This PLC The programming method used is the ladder diagram
system is of modular type composed of specific method. The PLC system provides a design environment
hardware building blocks (modules), which plug in the form of software tools running on a host computer
directly into a proprietary bus: a central processor unit terminal which allows ladder diagrams to be developed,
(CPU), a power supply unit, input-output modules I/O verified, tested, and diagnosed. First, the high-level
and a program terminal. Such a modular approach has program is written in ladder diagrams. Then, the ladder
the advantage that the initial configuration can be diagram is converted into binary instruction codes so
expanded for other future applications such as multi that they can be stored in random-access memory
machine systems or computer linking [2]. (RAM) or erasable programmable read-only memory
(EPROM). Each successive instruction is decoded and
3. Control System of Induction Motor executed by the CPU. The function of the CPU is to
control the operation of memory and I/O devices and to
process data according to the program. Each input and
The software models generated in the Software output connection point on a PLC has an address used to
Requirements Analysis phase of the development identify the I/O bit. The method for the direct
project are refined and embellished in the design representation of data associated with the inputs,
phase of the project. This phase involves making outputs, and memory is based on the fact that the PLC
implementation decisions such as the interfacing memory is organized into three regions: input image
between different software modules, the break down memory (I), output image memory (Q), and internal

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 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS, ENGINEERING & DEVELOPMENT
Issue 3, Volume 2, 2008

memory (M). Any memory location is referenced Y/380 50 2,7 1,1 0,8 1380
directly using %I, %Q, and %M (Table III).
The PLC program uses a cyclic scan in the main
program loop such that periodic checks are made to
the input variables (Fig.3). The program loop starts by Table 2. Inverter Technical Specifications
scanning the inputs to the system and storing their Output Output Output Output
states in fixed memory locations (input image memory Voltage Current Frequency Overload
I). The ladder program is then executed rung-by-rung. (V) (A) (Hz)
Scanning the program and solving the logic of the 380-460 1-6 0–150 Hz 150% 60s
various ladder rungs determine the output states. The
updated output states are stored in fixed memory
locations (output image memory Q). The output Table 3. PLC Configuration
values held in memory are then used to set and reset Available Used
the physical outputs of the PLC simultaneously at the Discreet 32 8
end of the program scan. For the given PLC, the time Inputs (%I)
taken to complete one cycle or the scan time is 0, 18 Discreet 16 9
ms/K (for 1000 steps) and with a maximum program Outputs (%Q)
capacity of 1000 steps. The development system Analogue 8 7
comprises a host computer (PC) connected via an Inputs (%AI)
RS232 port to the target PLC. The host computer Analogue 8 6
provides the software environment to perform file Outputs
editing, storage, printing, and program operation (%AQ)
monitoring. The process of developing the program to
Register 500
run on the PLC consists of: using an editor to draw the
Memory
source ladder program, converting the source program
(%M)
to binary object code which will run on the PLC’ s
microprocessor and downloading the object code from
the PC to the PLC system via the serial
communication port. The PLC system is online when
it is in active control of the machine and monitors any
data to check for correct operation.
Three Pha se
PC Power Supp ly

Three Pha se
Main Switc h

RS 232 The rma l

Overlo ad
1 O
Rela y DC Supp ly
PWM
PLC INVERTER

RS 232 3 phase
ind uc tion
m otor Elec trom a gnetic
Sta tor Bra ke
Current Speed
Hum an Sensor Sensor
Mac hine
Interfac e

Fig. 2. Experimental setup

Table 1. Induction Motor Technical Specifications

Volt Hz. A kW Cosφ 1/min. Fig.3. Flowchart of the main program
Δ/220 50 4,7 1,1 0,8 1380

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Issue 3, Volume 2, 2008

As a microprocessor-based system, the PLC system computations carried out by the CPU decreases or
hardware is designed and built up with the following increases the V/f of the inverter and, as a result, the
modules [7]: speed of the motor is corrected.
• central processor unit (CPU); The implemented control is of proportional and integral
• discrete output module (DOM); (PI) type (i.e., the error signal is multiplied by gain Kp,
• discrete input module (DIM); integrated and added to the requested speed). As a
• analog outputs module (AOM) result, the control signal is sent to the DOM and
• analog inputs module (AIM) connected to the digital input of the inverter to control
• power supply. V/f variations. At the beginning, the operator selects the
gain Kp, by using a rotary resistor mounted on the
InFig.4, the flowchart of the speed control software is control panel (gain adjust) and the AIM receives its
illustrated. The software regulates the speed and voltage drop as controller gain signal (0–10 V).
monitors the constant speed control regardless of The requested speed nsp is selected using a rotary
torque variation. The inverter being the power supply resistor and the AIM reads this signal. Its value is sent to
for the motor executes this while, at the same time, it the AOM and displayed at the control panel (speed set
is controlled by PLC’ s software. The inverter alone point display). Another display of the control panel
can not keep the speed constant without the control shows the actual speed computed from the speed
loop with feedback and PLC. From the control panel, feedback signal. In Fig. 5, the flowchart of this software
the operator selects the speed set point nsp and is shown. During motor operation, it is not possible to
forward/backward direction of rotation. Then, by reverse its direction of rotation by changing the switch
pushing the manual start pushbutton, the motor begins position. Before direction reversal, the stop button must
the rotation. If the stop button is pushed, then the be pushed. For motor protection against overloading
rotation stops. currents during starting and loading, the following
commands were programmed into the software.
i) Forward/backward signal is input to DIM.
ii) Speed set point signal nsp, the stator current IS ,
and the speed feedback signal are input to AIM.
iii) At no load, IS ≤ 2,5 A, if the speed set point is
lower than 20% or nsp< 300 r/min, the motor will not
start.
iv) At an increased load over 3,2 Nm (40% of rated
torque), IS ≥ ,3 A and a speed set point lower than 40%
or nsp< 600 r/min, the motor will not start.
v) If the load is increased more than 8,0Nm (rated
torque) IS ≥ 4 A and if the speed set point exceeds 100%
or nsp≥ 1500 r/min, the motor enters the cut off
procedure.
vi) In all other situations, the motor enters in the speed
control mode and the speed control software is executed
as described in Subsection A.

Fig. 4. Flowchart of speed control software

The corresponding input signals are interfaced to the

DIM and the output signals to the DOM. The AIM
receives the trip signal from the stator current sensor,
the speed feedback signal from the tacho-generator,
and the signal from the control panel. In this way, the
PLC reads the requested speed and the actual speed of
the motor. The difference between the requested speed
by the operator and the actual speed of the motor gives
the error signal. If the error signal is not zero, but
positive or negative, then the PLC according to the

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Issue 3, Volume 2, 2008

beginning, for reference purposes, the performance of

induction motor supplied from a standard 380V, 50-Hz
network was measured. Then, the experimental control
system was operated between no load and full load (8, 0
Nm) in the two different modes described in Section 3:
a) induction motor fed by the inverter and with PLC
control;
b) induction motor fed by the inverter.
The range of load torque and of speed corresponds to
the design of the PLC hardware and software as
described in the previous sections. The speed versus
torque characteristics were studied in the range 500–
1500 r/min and are illustrated in Fig. 7. The results show
that configuration b) operates with varying speed-
varying load torque characteristics for different speed
set points nsp. Configuration a) operates with constant-
speed-varying load torque characteristics in the speed
range 0–1400 r/min and 0–100% loads. However, in the
range of speeds higher than 1400 r/min and loads higher
than 70%, the system operates with varying-speed-
varying-load and the constant speed was not possible to
be kept. Thus, for nsp ≥ 1400 r/min both con-figurations
a) and b) have a similar torque-speed response. This fact
shows that PI control for constant speed as implemented
by the software with PLC is effective at speeds lower
than 93% of the synchronous[4-7].

Fig. 5. Flowchart of monitor and protection

Software

In Fig. 6, the flowchart of this software is shown.

• In overloading situations, the motor is cut off and the
trip lamp (yellow) is lit. The operator must release the
thermal relays and then must turn off the trip lamp by
pushing trip or stop button. The thermal relays are set
to the motor rated current 4 A. Following this, the
motor can be started again.
• The motor can be cut off by the operator pushing the
stop button: the display of the actual speed is set to
zero, the start lamp (green) turns off, and the stop
lamp (red) turns on and remains lit for 3 s.
• The load must be disconnected immediately after the
motor cuts off and before the drive system is restarted.
The motor will not start before 3 s after cutoff even if
the start button is pushed.

4. Results
The system was tested during operation with varying
loads including tests on induction motor speed control
performance and tests for trip situations. The PLC
monitors the motor operation and correlates the
parameters according to the software. At the

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Issue 3, Volume 2, 2008

than configuration b). Also, at operation with loads

higher than 70%, the normalized efficiency is η(pu)> 1,
meaning that the obtained efficiency with PLC control is
higher than the efficiency of induction motor operated
from the standard 380-V, 50-Hz network without the
control of PLC and without the inverter. According to
this figure, the efficiency of PLC-controlled system is
increased up to 10–12% compared to the standard motor
operation. From a theoretical point of view, if we
neglect magnetizing current, an approximate value for
the efficiency is

1− s
ηs = (1)
1 − s RS RR

where is the slip and RS and RR are the stator and rotor
winding resistances, respectively. As can be seen from

RPM PLC RPM INVERTER

1520
1500
1480
1460
1440
RPM

1420
1400
1380
1360
1340
0 2 4 6 8 10
Applied torque

Fig. 7. Experimental speed torque characteristics with

PLC and inverter

Fig. 6. Flowchart of cutoff/restart motor software Fig. 7, the PLC controlled system a) works with very
low slip values, almost zero. In all speed and load torque
conditions, the configuration a) has a smaller slip than
configuration b), thus the higher values of efficiency can
Efficiency Efficiency
PLC Inverter be justified and especially at high speeds and
90 frequencies. At lower frequencies, the magnetic flux
80 increases and, thus, there is an increase in magnetizing
70 current resulting in increased losses. This system
60
presents a similar dynamic response as the closed-loop
Efficiency

50
40 system with V/f speed control. Its transient performance
30 is limited due to oscillations on torque and this behavior
20
restricts the application of this system to processes that
10
0
only require slow speed variation.
1250 1300 1350 1400 1450 1500 1550
RPM
5. Conclusion
Successful experimental results were obtained from the
Fig. 8. Efficiency of controlled system
previously described scheme indicating that the PLC can
be used in automated systems with an induction motor.
The efficiency for different values of nsp was also
The monitoring control system of the induction motor
studied. As depicted in Fig. 8, the results show that
driven by inverter and controlled by PLC proves its high
configuration a) in all cases has a higher efficiency

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 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS, ENGINEERING & DEVELOPMENT
Issue 3, Volume 2, 2008

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