Lecture 7

Manufacturing Automation for Assembly and Inspection MM453
Manufacturing Automation for Assembly and

Inspection
MM453
Dr. Nigel Kent

Rm S366
nigel.kent@dcu.ie
Dublin City University
Sem 1 2021
Dr. Nigel Kent Manufacturing Automation for Assembly and Inspection, MM453 1/13
Lecture 7
Lecture 7
Lecture 7
Example – Logic Control of a pick and place Robot
Lecture 7
PLC’s can be used to control robots. In this case a 4 axis robot is

used to transfer parts from a conveyor to a container. The four
axes are:
1 Base rotation
2 Arm raise/lower
3 Arm extend/retract
4 Grip open/close
Assume each axis can maintain its current position i.e. does not
return when the output is switched off. Therefore we need two
outputs from the PLC for each axis to enable the robot to move in
either direction.
Lecture 7
Assigning PLC Outputs to each axes and direction
20 = Rotate base counterclockwise

21 = Rotate base clockwise
22 = Lift arm
23 = Lower arm
24 = Extend arm
25 = Retract arm
26 = Close grip
27 = Open grip
Lecture 7
Because we are using logic control we need feedback from sensors

to indicate completion of a task. These form the inputs and can be
assigned as follows:
00 = Base rotated counterclockwise

01 = Base rotated clockwise
02 = Arm raised
03 = Arm lowered
04 = Arm extended
05 = Arm retracted
06 = Grip closed
07 = Grip open
These inputs correspond with the outputs
Lecture 7
On start up the robot ’home’ position should be defined. This is

set by the user and in this case is defined as
Axes and Position Corresponding High Input

Base rotated clockwise 01
Arm raised 02
Arm retracted 05
Grips open 07
From a defined home position it is possible to cycle through the

robots motion as it performs the operation and assign inputs and
outputs.
Lecture 7
Necessary
Step Action Out Prior Inputs Prior
00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 Inputs
1 Extend Arm 24 1 1 1 1
2 Lower Arm 23 1 1 1 1
3 Grip On 26 1 1 1 1
4 Raise Arm 22 1 1 1 1
5 Retract Arm 25 1 1 1 1
6 Rotate ccw 20 1 1 1 1
7 Extend Arm 24 1 1 1 1
8 Lower Arm 23 1 1 1 1
9 Grip Off 27 1 1 1 1
10 Raise Arm 22 1 1 1 1
11 Retract Arm 25 1 1 1 1
12 Rotate cw 21 1 1 1 1
Lecture 7
To minimise the number of inputs to trigger an output, look at the cases

where the result of that output is not permitted.
For the first step (Extend Arm) this means looking at steps 1,5,6,11 and
12 i.e. all the steps where the arm is in the ’Retract Arm’ position
Step 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07
1 1 1 1 1
5 1 1 1 1
6 1 1 1 1
11 1 1 1 1
12 1 1 1 1
Now try and find the combination of the least number of inputs
particular to step 1 alone.
02 is common to all therefore useless - the idea is to look for a unique
input set.
Choose 01 therefore look at steps 5 and 6 – need only 07 as well
Choose 05 therefore look at steps 6 and 12 – need 07 and 01
Choose 07 therefore look at steps 11 and 12 – need only 01 as well
Lecture 7
For the 5th step this means looking at tasks 1,2,3,4,7,8,9,10

Step 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07
5 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1
2 1 1 1 1
3 1 1 1 1
4 1 1 1 1
7 1 1 1 1
8 1 1 1 1
9 1 1 1 1
10 1 1 1 1
Looking across the table it can be observed that 01,02,06 is a

pattern unique to step 5. Therefore to enable step 5 only inputs
01,02 and 06 are required.
This should be repeated for all steps.
Lecture 7
Revised table showing necessary prior inputs
Necessary
Step Action Out Prior Inputs Prior
00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 Inputs
1 Extend Arm 24 1 1 1 1 01,07
2 Lower Arm 23 1 1 1 1 01,04,07
3 Grip On 26 1 1 1 1 01,03
4 Raise Arm 22 1 1 1 1 01,06
5 Retract Arm 25 1 1 1 1 01,02,06
6 Rotate ccw 20 1 1 1 1 05,06
7 Extend Arm 24 1 1 1 1 00,06
8 Lower Arm 23 1 1 1 1 00,04,06
9 Grip Off 27 1 1 1 1 00,03
10 Raise Arm 22 1 1 1 1 00,07
11 Retract Arm 25 1 1 1 1 00,02,07
12 Rotate cw 21 1 1 1 1 00,05,07
Lecture 7
Now when creating the ladder diagram we look at the output and OR together
the inputs of steps which result in that output. For example output 24, the
’Extend Arm’ function.
01 07 04 10 24
00 06
24
Contacts 01 and 07 come from step 1 Contacts 00 and 06 come from step 7
Contact 24 comes from the output itself and is required to latch the output
until it is completed when the contact (sensor) 04 is turned on and therefore
NOT 04 is turned off.
The contact 10 comes from a power switch and is included in all rungs
Lecture 7
Looking at the output 26, the ’Close grip’ function:

01 03 06 10 26
26
Contacts 01 and 03 are from step 3.

Contact 26 latches the output on.
NOT 06 switches the output off when the action is completed.
Contact 10 is the power switch.

Lecture 7

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Manufacturing Automation for Assembly and Inspection MM453

Manufacturing Automation for Assembly and

Dr. Nigel Kent

Dublin City University

PLC’s can be used to control robots. In this case a 4 axis robot is

Assigning PLC Outputs to each axes and direction

20 = Rotate base counterclockwise

Because we are using logic control we need feedback from sensors

00 = Base rotated counterclockwise

On start up the robot ’home’ position should be defined. This is

Axes and Position Corresponding High Input

From a defined home position it is possible to cycle through the

To minimise the number of inputs to trigger an output, look at the cases

For the 5th step this means looking at tasks 1,2,3,4,7,8,9,10

Looking across the table it can be observed that 01,02,06 is a

Revised table showing necessary prior inputs

Looking at the output 26, the ’Close grip’ function:

Contacts 01 and 03 are from step 3.

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