Course detail

Programmable Logic Controllers

FEKT-BPC-PGAAcad. year: 2025/2026

The course deals with the issue of application of PLC in industry areas. Course contents are:
- Common features of programmable logic controllers, overview, construction features, hardware configuration, categories of programmable logic controllers, principles of PLC programming.
- Programming languages, program execution, memory areas in CPU, addressing, variables and constants.
- Analogue signals in PLC, representation of analogue values.
- Programmable logic controllers in process control, program standardisation.
- SCADA, Interconnection of programmable logic controllers, drivers, OPC.
- Program principles by EN 61512 standard – batch control.
- Program principles by EN 62264 standard – enterprise-control system integration.
- Safety PLC programming.
- Fault-tolerance PLC programming.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

6

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Ing. Radek Štohl, Ph.D.

Department

Department of Control and Instrumentation (UAMT)

Entry knowledge

The subject knowledge on the secondary school level and at the level of the 2nd year Bachelor studies are required.
Students should also have such language skills to understand educational materials in English.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Work of students is evaluated during study by tests in lab exercises. They can obtain maximum 30 points during semester (Minimum of 15 points awarded at lab exercises).
Final examination is evaluated by 70 points at maximum. Examination has two compulsory parts - written part (max. 50 points) and verbal part (max. 20 points). To qualify for verbal part it is necessary to gain at least 20 points from the written one. To pass the exam it is necessary to gain at least 15 point in the verbal part.
The content and forms of instruction in the evaluated course are specified by a regulation issued by the lecturer responsible for the course and updated for every academic year.

Aims

The aim is education in programmable logic controllers (PLC or PAC) that are frequently used for control of machines, production lines, technological processes, etc. Students make equating with architecture and circuits of PLC, basic features and modules. They will be able to develop programs in standard programming languages of PLCs (Ladder, FBD, ST, SFC). They will be informed about possibilities to interconnect PLCs and SCADA and be focused on fault-tolerance and safety PLC.
Absolvent is able to:
- Define general characteristics of programmable controllers.
- Know standard programming languages for PLC.
- Implement base instructions by standard programming languages.
- Implement analogue signal processing in PLC.
- Understand communication with PLC control and visualization systems.
- Know the principles of programming for safety and fault-tolerance PLCs.
- Understand principles of batch control.
- Know the principles of programs’ implementation for enterprise-control system integration.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Petruzella, F. D. : Programmable logic controllers. 5th ed. ISBN 978-0-07-337384-3 . McGraw-Hill.,New York 2017 (EN)

Recommended reading

Martinásková M., Šmejkal L.: PLC a automatizace 1, BEN, Praha 2002 (CS)
Martinásková M., Šmejkal L.: Řízení programovatelnými automaty, vydavatelství ČVUT, Praha, 2004 (CS)
Šmejkal L.: PLC a automatizace 2, BEN, Praha 2005 (CS)

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme BPC-AMT Bachelor's 3 year of study, summer semester, compulsory-optional
  • Programme BPC-ECT Bachelor's 3 year of study, summer semester, compulsory-optional
  • Programme BPC-SEE Bachelor's 3 year of study, summer semester, compulsory-optional

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Radek Štohl, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Lectures:
1. Introduction to laboratory trainings with PLC Allen Bradley programming.
2. Total control system for production enterprize (relais, PLC, SCADA, ERP, MES), general features of PLC, hardware configuration, types of PLC's, interconnection of PLC's, basics of PLC programming, memory areas.
3. Programming languages, prohram execution, block types, variables addressing, logical functions, memory functions (R-S), Load and Transfer, timers, counters, arithmetical a nd comparison operatioons, conversion functions.
4. Block functions, examples of block calls, examples of PLC programs with FC and FB blocks.
5. Execution of analogue signals in PLC, reprezentation of analogue values, handlimg of analogue signals in a control loop.
6. Programming tool for Siemens PLC - Simatic Manager.
7. Instructions and tips for programming tasks in laboratory trainings.
8. Sequential programming of PLC, functional description of control algorithms, graphic sequentional programming.
9. SIMATIC S7-GRAPH, Grafcet (Schneider Electric).
10. Standardization of PLC programs (S88), module hierarchy, functions of modular programming systems.
11. Communication between PLC's and SCADA systems, hw and sw support for the communication, drivers, OPC.
12. PC based control systems, Slot PLC control systems, Soft PLC control systems, SoftPLC versus PLC.
13. Overview of difficult topics / feedback of laboratory trainings.

Laboratory exercise

39 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Radek Štohl, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Training 1 to 5: Model programming PLC Allen Bradley (ladder diagram).
Training 6: Test
Training 7 to 9: Model programming PLC SIMATIC (ladder diagram and STL).
Training 10 to 11: Model programming PLC SIMATIC - S7 GRAPH (sequential programming).
Training 12: Test
Training 13: Substitute training, evaluation.