MAKER: Programmable Logic Control (PLC)-Based Automated System for Water-Level Control for Teaching Pneumatics and Hydraulics

American Society for Engineering Education, 2016. This paper describes the design, construction, and evaluation of a learning module on pneumatics, hydraulics, and actuators that incorporate a PLC controlled automated system for water level control. The module was developed to address a knowledge gap between two courses - one on pneumatics/hydraulics and another on automated control - and employs costeffective hardware and software tools to provide interesting hands-on experiences for college students. The automated control system consists of level sensors, relays, water tank, and a submersible pump along with a motor, DC power supply and programmable logic controller (PLC) to automate the pumping of water. The system is used to show students how to interface I/O devices with a programmable logic controller (PLC) in the context of designing and building a system to control the water level in an overhead storage tank. The system also controls the pump motor on/off switch, thus saving energy. The system is portable and can also be used for K-12 outreach activities. Evaluation results suggest that students learned the subjects well and that the hands on experience helped them to better understand how pneumatic and hydraulic components are used within industrial automated systems.

MAKER: Programmable Logic Control (PLC)-Based Automated System for Water-Level Control for Teaching Pneumatics and Hydraulics Conference Paper