"Instrumentación y Control Industrial" by W. Bolton is a comprehensive text covering measurement systems, sensor technology, and control strategies for industrial automation. It is widely used in engineering programs, focusing on topics like accuracy, signal conditioning, and PLC applications, as detailed in materials from the Facultad Politécnica (UNA) Facultad Politécnica Instrumentación Industrial - Facultad Politécnica
Communication Networks:
Modern industrial control systems often rely on networks to communicate between devices and systems. This includes fieldbuses, Ethernet, and wireless networks.
Technicians:
Can benefit from the practical aspects, such as installation, calibration, and maintenance of instruments and control systems.
- Ladder Diagram (LD): The most common language. It visually resembles electrical relay logic diagrams with rails (power) and rungs. Components include normally open (NO) contacts, normally closed (NC) contacts, and output coils.
- Function Block Diagram (FBD): Uses blocks representing functions (AND, OR, timers, PID) connected by wires.
- Structured Text (ST): A high-level text language similar to Pascal or C (e.g.,
IF Pressure > 100 THEN Valve := 1;).
- Flexibility: Changing logic requires modifying software, not rewiring.
- Reliability: No mechanical relay contacts to wear out; solid-state switching.
- Diagnostics: Built-in error checking (CPU watchdog, I/O module fault detection).
- Space Efficiency: One PLC replaces hundreds of relays and timers.
- Communication: PLCs can connect to SCADA systems, HMIs, and other PLCs via Ethernet, Profibus, or Modbus.
Control Strategies and Algorithms:
Various strategies are used in industrial control, such as PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) control, cascade control, and feedforward control. The choice of strategy depends on the process requirements and complexity.
