Pet_Part01_01.

qxd 1/29/04 9:39 AM Page 1

PA R T

ANSWERS
TO REVIEW
QUESTIONS
AND PROBLEMS

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CHAPTER

1
REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. A programmable logic controller (PLC) is a

specialized computer used to control machines
and process.
2. Increased Reliability
More Flexibility
Lower Cost
Communications Capability
Faster Response Time
Easier Troubleshoot
3. Counting, calculating, comparing, and the
processing of analog signals
4. Fixed and modular configurations

ANSWERS

TO

5. The I/O modules plug into a rack. When a

module is slid into the rack, it makes a
connection with a series of contacts called the
backplane. The PLC processor is also connected
to the backplane and, therefore, can
communicate with all modules in the rack.
6. A) Accepts input data from sensing devices,
executes the stored user program from
memory, and sends appropriate output
commands to control devices
B) Forms the interface by which field devices
are connected to the controller
C) Used to enter the desired program into the
memory of the processor
D) Supplies dc power to other modules
7. Hand-held programmer and personal computer
8. A) When the pressure reaches the preset value
B) When the temperature reaches the preset
value
C) In series
D) If the pressure switch and temperature
switch contacts close or if the pushbutton
contacts close
E) 1. 0 V ac
2. 0 V ac
3. 120 V ac

Answers to Review Questions and Problems

9. A) Instructions
B) Addresses
C) Temperature switch
D) Motor starter coil
E) If contacts I/1 and I/2 are closed
If contact I/3 is closed
F) Inputs are examined, and their status is
recorded in the controllers memory.
The ladder diagram is evaluated.
The output is set to 0 or 1 according to
whether or not a complete current path
can be traced from left to right.
10. Relay system is changed by changing the
wiring.
PLC system is changed by changing the
program.
11. A) Unlike computers, PLCs are designed to
operate with wide ranges of ambient
temperature and humidity.
B) Unlike the computer, the PLC is
programmed in relay ladder logic or
other easily learned languages.
C) PLCs execute a single program in a
sequential order, while computers execute
several programs or tasks simultaneously
in any order.
D) Unlike computers, PLCs have been designed
so they can be maintained by plant
electricians.
12. Software that allows the user to write and
document a PLC program
Software that allows the user to monitor and
control a PLC program
13. A) (i) Medium or large
(ii) Micro
(iii) Nano
B) Current needs
Future needs

Chapter 1

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14. A single-ended application involves one PLC

controlling one process. A multitask application
involves one PLC controlling several processes.
A control management application involves one
PLC controlling several others.
15. Number of I/O points, size of control program,
data-collecting requirements, supervisory
functions required, and future expansion
16. A list of the different types of instructions
supported

19. A PLC has no keyboard, CD drive, monitor, or

disk drive. Instead, it has a self-contained box
with communication ports and a set of terminals
for input and output devices.
20. Ladder-logic programming language because it
uses graphic symbols that show their intended
outcome instead of words. This makes it easy
for people familiar with relay logic control to
program the PLC.
21. An event taking place in the field will result in
an operation or output taking place.

17. A personal computer equipped with software

and interface cards so that it can do the work of
a PLC.

22. 16 8 1024 = 131,072

18. They do not allow the system to be connected

easily to devices and programs made by other
manufacturers.

ANSWERS
1.

TO

REVIEW PROBLEMS

4.

2.
5.

3.

Chapter 1

Answers to Review Questions and Problems

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CHAPTER

2
REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. To accept signals from the machine or process

devices and to convert them into signals that can
be used by the controller
2. To convert controller signals into external
signals that are used to control the machine or
process
3. An I/O addressing unit that uses 8 words in the
input image table and 8 words in the output
image table
4. A) A rack that is located away from the
processor module near the field devices
B) To minimize the amount of wiring required
5. By its address
6. Type:
Slot:

ANSWERS

TO

refers to an input or output

refers to the physical location
of the I/O module
Word and bit: refers to the actual module
terminal connection

7. Connections for each input and output

Connections for the power supply
8. A standard I/O module has 8 inputs or outputs.
A high-density I/O module may have up to 32
inputs or outputs.
9. ON/OFF devices such as selector switches,
pushbuttons, and limit switches
10. ON/OFF devices such as lights, small motors,
solenoids, and motor starters
11. Isolates the higher input and output voltages
from the low voltage logic circuits
Prevents damage to the processor due to line
voltage transients
Helps reduce the effects of electrical noise
12. Power and logic sections

Answers to Review Questions and Problems

13. Senses when a signal is received

Converts the input signal to the correct voltage
level
Isolates the PLC from the input voltage or
current
Sends a signal to the processor indicating which
sensor originated the signal
14. Triac
15. A) 1 A per point
B) A control relay is connected to the output
module.
The contacts of the control relay are then
used to control the larger load.
16. Transistor
17. ac or dc devices
18. Field devices connected to the positive side of
the field power supply are sourcing field
devices.
Field devices connected to the negative side of
the field power supply are sinking field devices.
19. A) Discrete I/O modules allow only ON/OFF
devices to be connected. Analog I/O modules
allow analog or varying voltage or current
devices to be connected.
B) Used to convert analog signals to an
equivalent digital value
C) Thermocouple
Light transducer
Pressure transducer
D) To reduce unwanted electrical noise signals
20. A) Used to count pulses such as motor encoders
that occur at very high speeds
B) Allows the use of thumbwheel switches for
feeding information to a PLC
C) Allows the transmitting and receiving of
TTL signals for communication with the
PLCs processor

Chapter 2

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D) Used to monitor the output of incremental or

absolute encoders
E) Allows the transmitting and receiving of
ASCII files
F) Provides pulse trains to a stepper-motor
translator, which enables control of a stepper
motor
G) Enables a PLC to operate devices that
require BCD-coded signals
21. PID module, servo-module, communication
module, and language module
22. A) Specifies the magnitude and type of voltage
signal that will be accepted by the input
B) Specifies the voltage at which the input
signal is recognized as being absolutely ON
C) Specifies the minimum input current that the
input devices must be capable of driving to
operate the input circuit
D) Specifies the magnitude and type of voltage
source that can be controlled by the output
E) Specifies the minimum and maximum output
operating voltages
F) Specifies the maximum current that a single
output device and the module as a whole can
safely carry under load
G) Specifies the maximum value of leakage
current that flows through the output in its
OFF state
H) Specifies the value of the maximum isolation
voltage found between the I/O circuit and
the controller logic circuitry
I) Indicates the number of field inputs or
outputs that can be connected to the module
J) Indicates the amount of current the module
requires from the backplane
K) Specifies how accurately an analog value can
be represented digitally
L) For analog I/Os, these values must be
matched to the external device connected to
the module.
M) Refers to an analog modules ability to
prevent noise from interfering with data
integrity
23. The processor interacts with the system memory
to interpret and execute the user program.
The power supply provides all the necessary
voltage levels to ensure proper operation of all
processor and memory components.
Chapter 2

24. Run mode, program mode, and remote mode

25. Timing, counting, latching, comparing, math
functions
26. Ground yourself before handling components.
Wear a wrist strap that grounds you during work.
Do not touch the backplane or connector pins of
the PLC system.
Be careful not to touch other circuit components
when you configure or replace internal
components in a module.
27. A) The status of all input and output devices
B) As 1s and 0s
28. Volatile: Loses all its stored information if all
operating power is lost or removed
Memory is easily altered.
Usually supported by a battery backup
power supply
Nonvolatile: Retains stored information when
the power is accidentally or intentionally
removed
Memory is generally unalterable.
29. To be sure that the PLC memory has not been
corrupted
30. A) ROM: Information is placed in memory by
the manufacturer.
RAM: Information is placed in memory
by the user.
B) ROM: Under ordinary circumstances the
information cannot be changed.
RAM: Information can be easily changed.
C) ROM: Nonvolatile
RAM: Volatile
31. A) By pulses of current that melt fusible links in
the chip
B) PROM may be written into only once after
being received from the manufacturer.
Any additional changes would require a new
PROM chip.
32. A) By exposing the chip to an ultraviolet light
source
B) By the use of a programming device
Answers to Review Questions and Problems

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33. They are extremely fast at saving and retrieving

files. Flash EEPROMs do not need to be
removed from the processor for reprogramming.

40. Faster speed, rapid program accessibility, and

greater quantity of data that can be stored

If power fails the PLC will resume running

without having lost any working data after
power is restored.
34. Allows the user to enter, change, or monitor a
PLC program
35. Hand-held programmer and personal computer
36. A dumb terminal has no built-in intelligence and
can only operate when connected to the a PLC.
The smart terminal has a microprocessor onboard which allows to operate independent of or
in conjunction with the PLC.

38. Notes, names of input or output devices, and

comments that may be useful for
troubleshooting and maintenance

ANSWERS

41. Save the contents of the processor RAM for

storage purposes.
Load the contents of the memory module into
the processor RAM.
Use the UVPROM memory module when
program security is required.
42. Replace hard-wired pushbuttons and pilot light
with realistic-looking icons.
Show operations in graphic format.
Allow the operator to change timer and counter
presets.

37. With the installation of appropriate

programming software

39. A printout can show programs of any length and

is used to analyze the complete program.

TO

1.

Show alarms, complete with time of occurrence

and location.
Display variables as they change over time.

REVIEW PROBLEMS
2. 35 mV
3. A) 0.012 s
B) 0.00095 A
C) 140F
4. A) I1:12/05
B) O0:20/07
5. The device would remain ON or energized at all
times.
6. Programming software installed in the computer
for each model of PLC to be programmed

Answers to Review Questions and Problems

Chapter 2

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CHAPTER
2
4
7
11
12

F)
G)
H)
I)
J)

18
21
31
205
227

10. A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

Each digit of a binary number

A group of 8 bits
A group of 1 or more bytes
The digit that represents the smallest value
The digit that represents the largest value

2. A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

111
10011
11100
101110
111001

F)
G)
H)
I)
J)

1010110
1011110
1110000
10010100
11100110

11. A)
B)
C)
D)

Base 8
Base 10
Base 2
Base 16

4. A) 111100
B) 10110000
C) 1001010000

D) 1101001000
E) 10101101001
F) 10011000110100

5. A)
B)
C)
D)

90
199
2485
422

6. A)
B)
C)
D)

1001100
11101000
11011010010
1100011011

7. A)
B)
C)
D)

0001 0100 0110 BCD

0011 1000 1001 BCD
0001 0110 0111 1000 BCD
0010 0101 0000 0010 BCD

13. The 1s complement of a binary number is the

number that results when all the 1s are changed
to 0s and all the 0s are changed to 1s.
The 2s complement is the binary number that
results when 1 is added to the 1s complement.
14. An alphanumeric code, which includes letters as
well as numbers
15. To detect errors that may occur while a word is
being moved
16. A) 1101
B) 1000
C) 10111
17. A) 1000
B) 11
C) 101

8. Only one digit changes as you count up from

zero.

18. A) 100100
B) 1010
C) 1111

9. The binary system uses only the digits 0 and 1,

and computer circuits can easily distinguish
between the two voltage levels that correspond
to the binary digits 0 and 1.

19. A) 101
B) 100
C) 11011

Chapter 3

Answers to Review Questions and Problems

REVIEW QUESTIONS

D) 142
E) 240
F) 846

12. An extra digit used to represent the polarity of a

binary number

TO

3. A) 30
B) 68
C) 80

ANSWERS

1. A)
B)
C)
D)
E)

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3
1. A)
B)
C)
D)
2.
A)
B)
C)
D)

ANSWERS

TO

REVIEW PROBLEMS
3. 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

1F
25
4E
39
D
L
L
L
H

C
L
H
H
L

B
H
L
H
L

A
L
H
H
L

4. A)
B)
C)
D)

10010
22
12
0001 1000

BCD

CHAPTER

4
REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Things can be thought of as existing in one of

two states. These states can be defined as H or
L, ON or OFF, YES or NO, 0 or 1. This concept
applied to gates can be the basis for making
decisions.

4. A)

2. To perform logic decisions based on input

conditions
3. A)

B)

B)

ANSWERS

TO

C)

C)

D)

Answers to Review Questions and Problems

Chapter 4

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D)

C)

D)
5. A)

E)

F)

B)

7. A)
B)
C)
D)

OR
NOT
AND
XOR

6. A)

B)

Chapter 4

Answers to Review Questions and Problems

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ANSWERS

TO

REVIEW PROBLEMS

1.

2. A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
F)

Y = (A + B)CD

Y = (A + B)(C + D)
Y = AB + C

Y = (AB + C)DE
Y = (A + B)(C + D)

Y = AB + CD + EF

3. (i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)

10

(e)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(a)

Answers to Review Questions and Problems

4. A
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

B
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1

C
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1

D
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1

Y
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

5. A) 0000000010101010
B) 0000000011101011
C) 0000000001000001

Chapter 4