Ability of PLC's to communicate via 4-20mA and 0-10volts between laboratory devices and the PLC

Thread Starter

bluecaribou521!

Joined Apr 17, 2020
2
Hey guys, I'm studying electrical engineering technology and the Coronavirus turned my capstone project into a research paper. My assignment is on PLC's, which we have covered the basics of, but I still know little about how they operate. Here is the prompt:


"Research the ability of PLC's to communicate via 4-20mA and 0-10volts between the laboratory devices and the PLC.

This would include how to communicate between these devices using an analog device that has 0-10 volts and converts to 4-20mA.

Look up information about the circuits required for converting this function 0-10v to 4-20mA and 4-20mA to 0-10volts. Look up circuits that can do this on GOOGLE. Shouldn't be too difficult, but I would like this information in a particular format using a schematic, along with information how this can be done ."



If anyone has any information that might help me out with this paper that would be amazing. Or if you know of any resources or websites that might cover this topic, that would help too. I am really lost and don't know where to start. Thanks!!
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,930
Here's another amazing thing you might try: Look up circuits that can do this on GOOGLE.

Do that and learn what you can (that's sometimes called "research") and then ask specific questions related to what you have learned.
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,480
"Research the ability of PLC's to communicate via 4-20mA and 0-10volts between the laboratory devices and the PLC.

This would include how to communicate between these devices using an analog device that has 0-10 volts and converts to 4-20mA.
Just to make sure everyone is on the same channel I see this as laboratory devices such as sensors of various engineering units sending data to a PLC using 4 ~ 20 mA or 0 ~ 10 volts. Would that be about correct? Most sensors I have worked with send 4 to 20 mA which is passed through a resistor on the PLC resulting in a voltage. Normally 2 to 10 volts or 1 to 5 volts. Would that be what you have in mind? Additionally the PLC can output voltages or currents to devices like a I to P converter for a pneumatic valve.

Then we have communications as Max mentions.

Ron
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,930
Look up information about the circuits required for converting this function 0-10v to 4-20mA and 4-20mA to 0-10volts.
As best I can tell, the purpose of the assignment is primarily to explore conversion back and forth between 0 - 10 V and 4 - 20 mA.

So the scenario I think that is being implied is that there is a sensor that outputs 0 - 10 V and a PLC that takes in input that is 0 - 10 V, but the communication between them is to be a 4 - 20 mA loop.
 

Thread Starter

bluecaribou521!

Joined Apr 17, 2020
2
Here's another amazing thing you might try: Look up circuits that can do this on GOOGLE.

Do that and learn what you can (that's sometimes called "research") and then ask specific questions related to what you have learned.
I am familiar with what is sometimes called "research", which is how I stumbled upon this forum to begin with. So instead of only using what I'm learning from the internet through my own research, I figured I could also use the knowledge that others may already possess, which is technically another form of research and the whole point of forums in the first place. Pretty AMAZING huh. I try to work smarter not harder, and by the looks of it, it seems like I'm yielding positive results. So thank you for your responses, as they have actually been quite helpful.
 
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