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2025/01/14 13:52:07

Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)

Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) - specialized devices used to automate industrial processes - make it possible to organize a controlled connection between software and industrial equipment, replacing unchanged relays with static software content.

Content

Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) or programmable controller is an electronic component of an industrial controller, a specialized (computerized) device used to automate technological processes. The main mode of long-term operation of PLC, often in adverse environmental conditions, is its autonomous use, without serious maintenance and practically without[1] intervention[1]

Computer numerical control (CNC) systems are sometimes built on PLCs. PLCs are real-time devices.

Unlike

  • microcontroller (single-chip computer), microcircuit designed to control electronic devices, PLC applications are usually automated industrial processes, in the context of a manufacturing enterprise;
  • computers, PLCs have developed I/O devices for sensor signals and actuators as opposed to weak control I/O capabilities (keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.);
  • embedded systems - PLC is installed separately from the equipment controlled by it.

The first logic controllers appeared in the form of cabinets with a set of interconnected relays and contacts. This scheme was set harshly at the design stage and could not be changed further.

The world's first PLC, MOdular DIgital CONtroller (Modicon) 084, which has 4 kB memory, was produced in 1968.

In the first PLCs that replaced conventional logic controllers, the connection logic was programmed with a LD (Ladder logic Diagram) connection scheme. The device had the same principle of operation, but relays and contacts (except input and output) were virtual, that is, they existed in the form of a program executed by the PLC microcontroller. Modern PLCs are "freely programmable."

In process object control systems, logic commands prevail over numerical operations, which allows, with the comparative simplicity of a microcontroller (buses with a width of 8 or 16 bits), to obtain powerful systems operating in real time. In modern PLCs, numerical operations are implemented on a par with logical ones. At the same time, unlike most computer processors, the PLC provides access to individual memory bits.

Market estimates

2024: Growth of the volume of the Russian PLC market to 15 billion rubles

At the end of 2024, the volume of the Russian market for programmable logic controllers (PLC) for industrial applications amounted to about 15 billion rubles. This is stated in a study by J'son & Partners Consulting, the results of which were published in mid-December 2024.

By PLC analytics is meant a digital electronic device based on an industrial class microcontroller that operates in real time, uses programmable memory to store instructions for controlling various types of machines or processes using digital or analog I/O modules. Such a solution uses programmable logic to perform the required functions, convert, process and store information received from connected sensors and other devices, and then generate and execute control commands for the actuators.

The volume of the Russian programmable logic controller market for the year reached 15 billion rubles

The study says that the Russian PLC market for industrial automation is one of the most diversified segments of the market for solutions for APCS (automated process control system). Despite the continued dominance of foreign brands in many industries, a number of segments, such as energy generation and distribution, did not allow foreign solutions. Against this background, such large PLC manufacturers as Tekon, Prosoft-Sistema, Quint, Teploautomatika, Elara and others appeared in the Russian Federation. In general, as of 2024, about 30 domestic PLC manufacturers operate in the Russian Federation, most of which offer products of different classes that differ in their consumer qualities.

According to experts, the available variety of models of domestic PLCs is sufficient to meet the basic needs of industrial customers. However, the performance and functionality of Russian PLCs, as stated in the study, does not fully meet the needs of industrial customers. Analysts of J'son & Partners Consulting highlight several main problems of the PLC market in Russia:

  • Limited production capacity;
  • Dependence on the supply of foreign electronic components, especially high-performance processors;
  • Shortage of qualified personnel;
  • Incompatibility of solutions of various manufacturers;
  • A large proportion of "inherited" Western proprietary solutions in industry.

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The bottleneck is the completeness of the supply of systems. Customers are accustomed to the fact that the vendor supplies PLC and PLC SIS, which are integrated into one user-friendly system. Now you can buy an ESD system from Russian suppliers, but it will not be integrated with a common system. And the common system is not as user-friendly as Western vendors had, the study said.
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At the same time, according to experts, in the conditions of the formed geopolitical situation, the Russian PLC market will demonstrate stable positive dynamics. The CAGR (average annual growth rate in complex percentages) in the period from 2024 to 2030 is predicted at 10%. The share of domestic equipment is expected to increase against the background of state support for Russian manufacturers and in the context of limited access to foreign solutions and technologies. It is said that the opened market opportunities for Russian manufacturers largely compensate for the existing problems and restrictions: most of the main industrial consumers are ready to switch to domestic software and hardware solutions for APCS by 2030-2035.[2]

Notes