Book Image

Industrial Automation from Scratch

By : Olushola Akande
Book Image

Industrial Automation from Scratch

By: Olushola Akande

Overview of this book

Industrial automation has become a popular solution for various industries looking to reduce manual labor inputs and costs by automating processes. This book helps you discover the abilities necessary for excelling in this field. The book starts with the basics of industrial automation before progressing to the application of switches, sensors, actuators, and motors, and a direct on-line (DOL) starter and its components, such as circuit breakers, contactors, and overload relay. Next, you'll explore VFDs, their parameter settings, and how they can be wired and programmed for induction motor control. As you advance, you'll learn the wiring and programming of major industrial automation tools – PLCs, HMIs, and SCADA. You’ll also get to grips with process control and measurements (temperature, pressure, level, and flow), along with analog signal processing with hands-on experience in connecting a 4–20 mA transmitter to a PLC. The concluding chapters will help you grasp various industrial network protocols such as FOUNDATION Fieldbus, Modbus, PROFIBUS, PROFINET, and HART, as well as emerging trends in manufacturing (Industry 4.0) and its empowering technologies (such as IoT, AI, and robotics). By the end of this book, you’ll have gained a practical understanding of industrial automation concepts for machine automation and control.
Table of Contents (21 chapters)
1
Part 1: Learning the Concepts and Skills Required to Get Started
8
Part 2: Understanding PLC, HMI, and SCADA
14
Part 3: Process Control, Industrial Network, and Smart Factory

Level measurement and transmitters

The accurate measurement of levels is required in industry to maintain the proper fluid levels for safe operation, quality production, or the smooth running of equipment. Various sensor technologies are available for measuring levels in liquid and also in solids. Capacitance level sensors measure the change in capacitance to determine liquid levels. An ultrasonic level sensor emits a sound wave. The liquid level is directly proportional to the time delay between the wave emission and its reflection. Differential pressure sensor uses the difference in pressure between two points in a tank to determine the level. Level sensors mostly have a transmitter integrated that enables them to produce a standard signal of 4 to 20 mA or 0 to 10 V as a level varies.

There are various level transmitters. The following figure shows a hydrostatic level transmitter that is usually immersed in water or some liquid whose level is to be measured:

...