Saturday 3 August 2013

D.C Drive and its Applications

D.C Drive:

In Olden days, Diodes are used to convert Alternating Current to Direct Current. The Current flows through these diodes are not controllable and flows based on load. Latest Silicon generations slim these diodes in very compact mode up to surface mounting level from Olden days Vacuum Valve used for retification. Rectification word is used to convert A.C to D.C. Half wave and Full wave and Bridge type of rectifications are used to get Un controlled Direct Current. The size and Shape of the Diode will vary according to load current rate requirement.

The diagram shows the type rectification used suitable for required applicaitons,

Half Wave rectifier: 


Full Wave rectifier:
 

 Bridge wave Rectifier:


 

Wednesday 24 July 2013

0 - 10V, Analog Input Signal - Various Control Applications

Analog Signal 0 - 10Vdc, Input/Output - PLC Configration:

Analog Input Signal 0-10vdc is universally using control signal. It is used in various simple application in PLC as Input or Output analog signals to drive any kind of process variables.

In input cases, this signal used in PLC to monitor or configure the process active variable with respect to decided the output readings. In output cases, this signal delivered from PLC to drive the decided output readings. This 0-10vdc cannot be used for long distance due to rise in resistance in cables causes the drop voltage losses its accuracy.

Further, this voltage is converted into digital logic signal by PLC which can be easily intercepted by decided output reading to drive the process equipment with respect to input signal.

All analog signals are susceptible to electrical interference, and a 0-10V signal is certainly no exception. Devices such as motors, relays, and “noisy” power supplies can induce voltages in to signal lines that can degrade the 0-10V sensor signal. Also, a 0-10V signal is susceptible to voltage drops caused by wire resistance, especially over long cable runs.
Galvanic Isolation is possible with this signal to prevent possible damage to the PLC by Electro Magnetic Force or Dynamic Static Charges.
 
0-10V versus 4-20 mA
 
A 4-20 mA or 0-20 mA signal, on the other hand, offers increased immunity to both electrical interference and signal loss over long cable runs. And most newer industrial controllers will accept current signals.
 
As an added bonus, a 4-20 mA signal provides inherent error condition detection since the signal, even at its lowest value, is still active. Even at the extreme low end, or “zero” position, the sensor is still providing a 4 mA signal. If the value ever goes to 0 mA, something is wrong. The same can not be said for a 0-10V sensor. Zero volts could mean zero position, or it could mean that your sensor has ceased to function.

In some cases, 4-20 mA sensors can be slightly more costly compared to 0-10V sensors. But the cost difference is becoming increasingly smaller as more sensor types incorporate current-output capability.
In power electronics, like D.C Drives and A.C Drives and Soft starters and Heating Control, Fan Control Circuits deliveres proposational value of opto isolated 0-10vdc to monitor configrable speed/load current/frequency data to M.C (moving coil- indicating intruments) instruments or Digital Instruments.

The same signal is used in input use, to drive the above said power electronics units 0-10vdc remote drive signal or through 0-10kohm potentiometer to 0-10vdc converter.

0-10vdc signal will consume maximum 10mA current. Further the listed points are characterised for this kind of signal,
  • If the input signal wire get short it delivers the unexpected full output.
  • If the input signal wire get opens it delivers the zero output.
  • If 10vdc wire gets grounded the output will hang and no output will be deliver.
  • By using Screen cable, distortion due to harmonic or E.M.F can be prevented, but still considerable mV loss will appear
  • In order to change the direction of rotation in A.C or D.C Drives units, the -ve 10vdc is applied to the separate input results the motor will run at reverse direction without need of logic contact to reverse the motor direction. 
APPLICAION USED 0-10v SIGNAL:
    1. Pressure Transducer: This kind of transducer delivers 0-10v proposational to desired water pressure or air pressure or any gas pressure. The span and zero adjustment can be made by adjusting inbuilt potentiometer to control the required output.
    2. Flow Transducer: This kind of transducer used to monitor the liquid flow or gas flow etc to deliver the 0-10v signal proposational to flow rate. This flow rate transducer used to control the desired liquied flow in various applications.

     
 

Sunday 21 July 2013

Analog Signal - 4-20mA Current Control In/Out - Process Signal Controller

Analog Signal to Digital Signal Conversion in new Era.,,,

We live in an analog world and we often find ourselves in need of high-performance analog measurements as we push the limits of automation technology.
  • 4-20mA Analog input/output Signal is used to read the process signal precisiously for long distance Control output/input.
  • Minimum Current 4mA is used to identify the Cable broken or loop failed detection purpose.
  • 20mA is used to get maximum process input/output signal.
  • This signal current while travelling in long distance beside the 3 phase power cables can be distorted due to EMF (Electro Magnetic interference) and creates the accuracy error.
  • In order to aviod this kind of (current) signal loss, can be prevented by using shielded the signal cable in addition with two wires can be twisted.
  • The Signal wires once it reached to Control Panel can be easily converted to digital signal without any loss of accuracy. ref.fig-1  
fig-1

National Instruments-USA providing the excellent solution with updated technology to control the analog signal to digital signal to interface with PLC.

There are a few axioms that all automation engineers know:
  1. Your outputs are only as good as your inputs. (Zero signal distortion)
  2. The faster you close the loop, the more precise and efficient your control.
However, due to the generalized functionality of PLCs, getting high-speed, high-quality measurements, such as dynamic signal analysis, high-precision voltage, and current measurements, is often challenging without using specialized PLC hardware.

fig-1A

Further, 4-20mA Current based signal transmitter unit can be damaged due to Dynamic Static Charges produced by the process materials. This can be protected by stroung earthing the sensor connected to transmitter. In case of earth wire failure, the current signal sensor will transmit the high voltage static charges to the PLC. Due to the high spike voltage produced bye the process material can damage the current signal transmitter and PLC input or output module. ref fig-1A.

Latest invention to aviod such worst senorio, the current sensing signal transmitter unit has been optically isolated between the sensor portion and signal converting electronic control section. This galvanic isolation is protecting the equipment up to 4Kv spike voltage.


fig-2
 
 
Screening the two wire current signal wires, will protect the signal transmission from harmonics produced from the variable frequency drives or soft starters or any power electronics equipment. ref.fig-2.

fig-3

The 4-20mA current signal can be connected to the device in 2 wire loop power supply or external 24 vdc power supply connected in series with the transmitter device. The same unit can also be connected 3 wire provided with 24 vdc external power supply. ref.fig-3.

The 4-20mA current loop can be used to measure temperature and linear measurement and speed and liquied flow control and Gate value damping oscillation control and other various process input and output measurements. 
 
fig-4
 
A 10 Kohm potentiometer is used to tune-up Minimum and Maximum input signal to electronic board to convert 0 to 10K to 4-20mA current convertion. ref.fig-4    










 

Wednesday 17 July 2013

Excellent Development in Automation Tec.

Technology Development in Aerospace Field has growing rapidly, these latest Monitoring Equipments so valuable and Reliable


"Through the use of advanced software architecture and NI hardware, G Systems was able to provide Lockheed Martin Aeronautics with a highly-configurable, expandable system to meet current and future requirements of the F-35 VSIF."

http://www.ni.com/aerospace-defense/ate/

Further, Advanced Development in the area of Radar Technology for Flight control
Monitoring and Controlling factors NI - USA has updating the technology. Here is the
link which might helpful.


"With NI software and hardware, we created an automated solution to successfully test antenna operations in just five minutes, which is considerably less time compared to the 30 minutes we needed to manually perform a test. This equates to more than 500 hours saved annually with automated testing."
- Peter Aschof - Tel Instrument Electronics Corp.

Radar - Defence AeroSpace
 
Virtual Based Instrumentation Technology interacting with Human to Machine
is doing great roll. New Generation 3D Tech in MMI (Man Machine Interface)
explain the manufacturing process very user friendly. Any body can interact with machine very quickly and reliably.

Further Details in LabView Instrumentation Tech


Image of the Software used to create Process in 3D as well as normal User friedly MMI.