3. Model the control system
Once the system and all the sensors and actuators have been modeled, the PLC and the control laws for the automated system can be developed.
3.1 Automatic controllers
First, we need to identify the system's various operating modes in order to build the PLC. For our example of a tank heating system, the different modes are "off" and "on". The "on" mode can be broken down into sub-modes such as fast and slow heating.
A graphical representation of these different modes and the conditions for their passage is often made using Mathworks' Stateflow tool. Stateflow is an extension of the Simulink dynamic systems modeling software, with a design environment for the development of state machines.
The Ultimate Scientific and Technical Reference
This article is included in
Design and engineering management
This offer includes:
Knowledge Base
Updated and enriched with articles validated by our scientific committees
Services
A set of exclusive tools to complement the resources
Practical Path
Operational and didactic, to guarantee the acquisition of transversal skills
Doc & Quiz
Interactive articles with quizzes, for constructive reading
Model the control system
Validate control laws
