PLC laboratory

Modern Siemens SIMATIC S7-300 and S7-1200 logic controllers, older S7-200 versions, modules and components of PROFIBUS network, AS-Interface, PROFINET, diagnostic analyzers, operator panels, state-of-the-art software used in industrial automation – these are the basic elements of our laboratory equipment. Additionally, we are the only training center in Poland to include industrial actuating elements such as pneumatic cylinders, stepper motors, encoders, temperature sensors, manifolds and many others.

Laboratories are also equipped with HMI operator panels and SCADA software used in courses in modern visualization systems. It is also worth mentioning that electrical drives mounted at the workstations allow us to run courses in the modern methods of electric motor control and explain the concepts of economy and energy efficiency in control systems.

Get a taste of our courses:

Participants have at their disposal individual workstations designed to practice the tasks and industrial solutions based on the Siemens S7-300/400 S7-1200 and S7-200 controllers. Each station is fitted with the controller featuring digital and analog input/output modules connected with the simulator of digital and analog input/output signals. Additionally, each controller is connected with an actuator built of a valve manifold, a manipulator, reed sensors informing about the end positions of the cylinders and pulse button.

A workstation features:

• air service unit,
• a valve manifold with four 3/2, 5/2 electropneumatic valves,
• an actuator built of two cylinders and a gripper,
• reed sensors informing about end positions of the cylinders,
• digital I/O module,
• pulse ON/OFF switch,
• a diode,
• a safety switch,
• binary signal simulator,
• analog I/O signal simulator (0-10V) with electronic voltage indicators,
• PLC Siemenes S7 control unit,
• A PC with STEP7, TIA Portal V13 and MicroWin software,

The training positions allow the students to practice using the actual elements applied in the industrial automation. In the near future it is planned to supplement the positions with different types of sensors (optic, induction, capacity, pressure and flow sensors and frequency converters with electric motors.

Participants have at their disposal individual workstations designed to practice the tasks and industrial solutions based on the use of PLCs. Each station is equipped with the controller fitted with digital I/O modules, I/O signal simulators, and a PC with STEP7 software connected with the PLC.

Each participant of the advanced course has also at their disposal an innovative workstation featuring:

• air service unit,
• a valve manifld with two 5/2 electropneumatic cylinders,
• two double-acting pneumatic cylinders,
• reed sensors informing about the end positions of the cylinders,
• electronic proportional regulator,
• stepper motor,
• angle encoder,
• PT100 temperature sensor with a z 0-10V transcoder,
• frequeny converter,
• servo motor with permanent magnets,
• binary signal simulator,
• analog I/O (0-10V) simulator with electronic voltage indicators,
• PLC Siemens S7 control unit,
• A PC with STEP7 and TIA Portal software.

The workstations allow the students to practice using real elements applied in the industrial automation. In the near future, it is planned to supplement the stations with different types of sensors (optic, induction, capacity, pressure and flow sensors and frequency converters with electric motors.

Participants of the course in Programming and designing with Distributed Safety in Simatic Safety Integrated controllers have at their disposal individual workstations fitted with necessary equipment:

• Traditional PLC solutions – CPU 315F 2PN/DP and S7-300 I/O modules in the FAIL-SAFE version
• CPU 315F 2PN/DP connected via PROFINET communication network with ET-200S I/O modules in the FAIL-SAFE version
• Complex solutions based on the ET-200S CPU in the F version

Additionally, workstations feature the following actuators:

• optical barriers with a travelling product (muting – forcing the barrier to switch off when the product passes)
• “mini doors” fitted with limit switches
• sets of two-hand pushbuttons
• safety poppets with double joints
• ignition with key
• double – “safe” actuating contactors

During the training, participants also use, besides PLC-F controller and real actuators, Operator Panels for the purposes of demonstrating the alarms connected with the safety system and the mechanism of confirming safety system errors by the subject panel.

Another important actuating element is frequency converter (Sinamics G120) controlling the asynchronous motor fitted with embedded safety functions called both by digital inputs and via communication networks.

Our laboratories are fitted with modern equipment featuring devices for industrial use provided by renowned manufacturers.

During TIA1500-1 training, the following devices are available to the participants:

Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 controller, with the programming device featuring:

• 8 buttons sending input signals
• A potentiometer regulating the range of analog input voltage
• Displays of analog I/O voltage values

Basic actuator workstation:

• air service unit
• a valve manifold with four 3/2, 5/2, 5/3 electropneumatic valves
• an actuator built of two cylinders and a gripper
• reed sensors informing about end positions of the cylinders
• digital I/O module
• ON/OFF pulse switch
• a diode
• safety switch

Advanced actuator workstation:

• air service unit
• a valve manifold with two 5/2 electropneumatic valves
• two double-acting pneumatic cylinders
• reed sensors informing about end positions of the cylinders
• electronic proportional regulator
• stepper motor
• angle encoder
• PT100 temperature sensor with a z 0-10V transcoder
• frequency converter
• electric motor with permanent magnets

Participants have individual workstations at their disposal, each fitted with software and hardware enabling unassisted work on creating HMI visualization application using graphic operator panels or SCADA – based on the PC class devices designed even for large projects.

Participants have the following elements at their disposal:

• Siemens SIMATIC S7-300 controller
• Siemens OP177B operator panel (for trainings in WinCC flexible)
• binary signal simulator,
• analog I/O (0-10V) simulator with electronic voltage indicators,
• a PC with the proper software for the training (WinCC 7, WinCC 11, WinCC flexible 2008)

Programmable Logic Controllers that are part of each training position use our original, continually redeveloped controlled object simulation program which accurately copies the sequence of connecting the system to the real object and therefore gives the impression of working in the actual industrial conditions.
SCADA is a system used for visualization and control of industrial processes. It is applied in all branches of industry starting with single workstations to distributed systems with redundant servers and cross-connect systems. The basic system configuration includes such standard functions as: displaying and acknowledgment of messages, archiving communicates and measured quantities, log creation, data configuration, administration and visualization.

Each participant has at their disposal an individual workstation designed for practicing diagnostics, analysis and maintenance of S7-300/400 logic controllers. During courses, students work at the stations fitted with a SIEMENS SIMATIC S7-300 CPU313C controller with the connected analog I/O module with diagnostic functions. The station has been designed in a way enabling the students to generate diagnostic situations involving PLC, such as digital and analog modules power cut-off in the object section and generating hardware interrupts operated by binary and analog signals. The workstation features actuator station, whose main highlights are stepper motor and encoder.

The course program concentrates on the diagnostic issues involving the controller. Students practice the following tasks:

• using the tools for the analysis of the program in operation
• diagnosing reasons of CPU errors
• diagnosing reasons of CPU operation stop and program handling of this event
• diagnosing the errors of signal modules and using hardware interrupts

Participants of the courses in industrial networks, PROFIBUS and PROFINET in particular, have at their disposal multi-element sets forming the extensive network, which allows performing a variety of exercises and tasks. The positions are fitted with:

• Siemens SIMATIC S7-300 PN/DP (PROFINET/PROFIBUS) controller,
• remote digital I/O modules Siemens ET200S,
• remote analog I/O modules TURCK,
• remote digital I/O modules TURCK,
• Siemens OP177B operator panel,
• remote analog and digital I/O modules IO-Link Balluff,
• remote valve manifold (digital I/O) PNEUMAX,
• diagnostic device Softing PROFIBUS Tester 4,
• pneumatic regulation valve Parker,
• analog position/rotation sensor,
• a set of different types of sensors by Balluff,
• valve manifolds by Parker, TURCK, BNEUMAX,
• a set of pneumatic cylinders with position sensors by Parker,
• a set of pneumatic cylinders with position sensors by PNEUMAX,
• binary signal simulator,
• analog I/O (0-10V) simulator with electronic voltage indicators,
• safety and START/STOP buttons,
• a PC with the proper software for the training (STEP7 v5.5, STEP7 v11, Diagnostic Suite).

Diversity of our network stations based on equipment made by different manufacturers makes it possible for the participants to learn different installation and configuration methods for a variety of devices. Additionally, a number of interconnected network stations reflects as far as possible the actual field networks and provides students a unique opportunity to learn to diagnose and eliminate failures and errors occurring in the industrial field networks.

• Participants have at their disposal individual workstations designed to practice the tasks and industrial solutions based on the use of PLCs by different producers, but compliant with CoDeSys
• Our laboratories are equipped with devices by TURCK and IFM electronic
• The workstations are equipped with a controller featuring I/O unit and input signal simulator adjusted to the course program
• Each participant has also access to a computer with CoDeSys software

Participants have at their disposal individual workstations designed to practice the tasks and industrial solutions based on the electrical drives with frequency converters. Each position is fitted with the frequency converter featuring digital and analog signal simulator. Each converter is connected to the asynchronous electric motor.

Participants have at their disposal:

• frequency converter, depending on the course: Parker AC 890 SD, SEW Movitrac B 07, Siemens Sinamics G120C or Micromaster 440, Siemens Sinamics S120, Siemens Simotion
• digital and analog signal simulator
• asynchronous electric motor
• a PC with the software appropriate for the frequency converter.

Siemens Sinamics G120/Siemens Micromaster M440

Siemens Sinamics S120/Siemens Simotion

Parker AC 890 SD oraz SEW Movitrac B 07

Apart from individual workstations, participants of training courses also have access to the laboratory of hydraulics, where frequency converters are used to power the pumps of the hydraulic feeders, which allows observing their operation and characteristics under the actual industrial load.

Today, the application of electric motors extends well beyond the simple powering machinery. What really counts nowadays is flexibility, controllability, often with no additional machinery (PLC, for instance). It is extremely important to consider the optimization of energy consumption during the nominal working cycle of the machine or device, as well as energy recovery to the grid at the moment of machine’s braking. Our training courses in drive systems focus on all the essential matters – from the selection of devices to be used in the drive systems, through their launching and diagnostics, to optimization and economy-related problems.