Automated synthesis of Ladder automation circuits based on state-diagrams

One area where discrete event systems are currently used is the design of control systems based on programmable logic controllers (PLCs). As the PLC technology is evolving into a family of control functions of many types at many different levels of complexity, there is an increasing need for software tools providing the systematic development of real industrial applications including modeling and control of discrete event systems. This paper describes the use of a state-diagram method in the computer aided logical synthesis and design of automation circuits. It also presents the corresponding software package developed for control logic creation. The developed software generates control logic in the form of Ladder electric circuits since they present descriptive simplicity and are widely known in the PLCs' world. The developed software package is also suitable for both industrial practice and teaching purposes. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.