technical writing and presentation title virtual plcs containerized controllers

32.1.2 Advantages of Virtual PLCs in various fields.. INTRODUCTIONA Virtual PLC Programmable Logic Controller is a software-based emulation ofa physical PLC, designed to replicate the fu

HANOI UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SCHOOL OF ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING

TECHNICAL WRITING AND PRESENTATION

TITLE:

”Virtual PLCs - Containerized controllers”

Name Student ID Nguyen Tuan Hung 20202634 Pham Chi Hieu 20202747

Ma Tien Huan 20202395 Nguyen Phung Hung 20181508

Automation Control Engineering

Instructor: PhD Nguyen Hoang Nam

Signature of Supervisor

Department: Department of Automation

School: School of electrical & electronic engineering

Hanoi, 01/2024

I had a wonderful experience during my three years at Hanoi University of Science and Technology It is both a long time and a difficult challenge, but it is almost over thanks to PhD Nguyen Hoang Nam, my friends and my teammate

I was able to better understand the specific tasks the Virtual PLCs - Containerized controllers thanks to the project completion process, independent working methods, cre-ativity, science and discipline

The thesis also has many significant errors due to limited time available for com-pletion and limited expertise Hopefully everything will be pointed out to fix, and my thesis could be better

ABSRACT

The Virtual PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) holds significant importance in today’s world, particularly in the field of industrial automation and control systems Due

to the emerging role of virtual PLC, many researches has been conducted to study the development of Virtual PLC and its effect on modern life By using data from various research paper about the application of Virtual PLC in some particular field, this paper will decompose the matter of Virtual PLC into parts due to (a)Advantages and drawbacks

of Virtual PLC, and (b) Future trends of the Virtual PLC Corresponding to what has often been assumed, the focus on Virtual PLC amongst researcher is largely attributable

to its effectiveness in various industries This paper indicates thaT

LIST OF FIGUIRE

LIST OF TABLES

CHAPTER 2 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF VIRTUAL PLCs 3

2.1 Advantages 3

2.1.1 Advantages of Virtual PLCs in Automation field [2] 3

2.1.2 Advantages of Virtual PLCs in various fields 4

2.2 Disadvantages 4 CHAPTER 3 FUTURE TREND WITH VIRTUAL PLCs 6

List of Figures

Figuire 1.1 Virtual PLCs [x] 1

List of Tables

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

A Virtual PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) is a software-based emulation of

a physical PLC, designed to replicate the functionality of traditional hardware PLCs in

a virtual environment PLCs are critical components in industrial automation and con-trol systems, used to monitor and concon-trol various processes in manufacturing, energy, and other industries Given that PLC application technology constitutes practical and extensive professional coursework, the significance of experimental teaching cannot be overstated Currently, there are two types of PLC experimental platforms employed in educational settings: one utilizes actual controlled objects and PLC hardware, incorpo-rating real components, resulting in high maintenance and update costs The alternative approach involves a virtual controlled object

Picture 1.1Virtual PLCs [x]

Nevertheless, each of the aforementioned PLC experimental platforms possesses its own drawbacks The former entails elevated initial investment as well as ongoing maintenance and update expenses The latter, reliant on real PLC hardware to demon-strate the operational status of peripheral devices Addressing these issues, this paper

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introduces a virtual scheme exclusively based on software for PLC Virtual PLCs pro-vide a cost-effective and flexible alternative to physical PLCs for training, testing, and development purposes These software-based PLCs run on standard computers and sim-ulate the behavior of real-world PLCs, allowing users to create and test control programs without the need for physical hardware

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CHAPTER 2 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF

VIRTUAL PLCs.

This section covers the advantages and disadvantages of Virtual PLCs Also men-tioned are its applications in various fields

2.1 Advantages

2.1.1 Advantages of Virtual PLCs in Automation field [2]

• Flexibility: In Industry 4.0, more and more emphasis is placed on ad hoc solutions for each company or activity These customizations, however, involve program-ming the PLCs every time a new specific product is requested Which, obviously, lengthens production cycles Virtual PLCs, on the other hand, allow you to per-form multiple configurations for different customizations at the same time This translates into time savings and more efficient use of resources only on-demand

• Scalability: Conventional PLCs pose several challenges to plants that want to pand due to their size and available space Virtualization makes it possible to ex-pand your automation processes by developing and testing new control strategies before implementing them on physical PLCs This reduces costs and risks of error during expansion

• Efficiency: With virtual PLCs they are integrated into industrial edge computing and make it possible to separate hardware and software This allows you to manage applications centrally and automate process phases in a data-centric and software-based way [2]

• Reduced costs: Virtual PLCs eliminate or reduce several costs First, hardware costs, since you no longer need to purchase hardware or physical hardware compo-nents, such as controllers, modules, and cabling As a result, maintenance and hard-ware replacement costs are also eliminated Being softhard-ware-based, virtual PLCs can

be upgraded more easily

• Remote access and monitoring: The ability to access and monitor virtual PLCs remotely decreases the need for on-site personnel In addition to cutting costs, it is particularly useful in situations where the plant or industrial devices are located in inaccessible or dangerous places

• Training and simulation: One of the main advantages of virtual PLCs concerns the field of training and simulation Operators and employees can be trained in pro-gramming and using the PLC without the need to invest in often expensive

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ware configurations Furthermore, virtual PLCs are easily integrated with simula-tion software Thus, development and testing can be performed without the need for physical prototypes

2.1.2 Advantages of Virtual PLCs in various fields

In various fields, Virtual PLCs (Virtual Programmable Logic Controllers) offer numerous advantages and benefits:

• Education: Virtual PLCs provide a secure learning environment for students and learners to practice and develop programming and control skills without direct ex-posure to real-world equipment Students can conveniently test the functionality of PLCs from the comfort of their homes Additionally, it enables students and re-searchers to explore, develop, and test new ideas more rapidly, reducing time and costs compared to deployment on real systems Virtual PLCs can also be employed

to assess the performance and completeness of a model before its implementation

in production

• Environmental Protection: Utilizing Virtual PLCs to optimize control systems can reduce energy consumption in various facilities, thereby enhancing production ef-ficiency Furthermore, system optimization significantly minimizes the impact on the natural environment, contributing to environmental conservation

• Entertainment: In the entertainment industry, particularly in cultural and artistic performances, Virtual PLCs can be employed to simulate and test lighting and sound effects before implementing them in the final product

• Healthcare: Virtual PLCs can be utilized to simulate medical devices and control processes in a safe environment This allows for the exploration of procedures, performance, and potential risks that the system may present before actual imple-mentation

2.2 Disadvantages

While Virtual PLCs (Virtual Programmable Logic Controllers) bring many bene-fits, they also have drawbacks and limitations

• Incomplete Simulation: While many aspects of PLCs can be simulated, it is impos-sible to simulate all of them Factors such as the variability of physical devices and environmental conditions cannot be accurately replicated in a virtual environment This leads to discrepancies when implemented in the real world compared to the simulation

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• Integration Challenges with Real Devices: Users may encounter difficulties inte-grating the simulation environment with real-world systems, especially when com-munication with actual devices and sensors is required

• Limitations or Unavailability in Simulation Capability: The simulation environ-ment may face challenges when attempting to simulate large and complex systems, particularly when synchronizing multiple processes and devices is required

• High Initial Costs: Setting up a simulation environment and maintaining it re-quires a significant initial investment, including expenses for software, hardware, and skilled personnel

• Security and Information Safety Concerns: Simulation environments may be ex-posed to security risks when not adequately protected, particularly if connected to the internet without proper configuration and monitoring for safety

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CHAPTER 3 FUTURE TREND WITH VIRTUAL PLCs.

The applicability of Virtual PLCs is very high, their characteristics can provide different companies and organizations with the ability to have greater control over the necessary resources, lower maintenance costs due to the location of the PLC hardware

in controlled environments, increase the physical security of the devices, improve PLC performance control and increase convergence between IT and OT environments These types of new devices, developed in industry 5.0, have to be introduced grad-ually in industrial environments, as their safety or performance characteristics have not been tested Any new device has different vulnerabilities that can seriously affect the operations of the environment, and that is why its use must be controlled, although it is true that the characteristics of these virtual PLCs are promising

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CHAPTER 4 CONCLUSION.

In this article, we have discussed the concept, benefits, and challenges of virtual PLCs, a new paradigm in industrial automation that can replace a large number of dividual controller ”boxes” and their electronics with virtualized PLCs on COTS in-frastructure We have also reviewed some of the existing and emerging technologies that enable the implementation and operation of virtual PLCs, such as edge computing, SIMATIC S7-1500V, and fault detection and diagnosis We have concluded that virtual PLCs offer significant advantages for the future of industrial automation and education, such as cost reduction, flexibility, scalability, learning, training, safety, and reliability However, we have also acknowledged that virtual PLCs face some limitations, such as computing and network requirements, physical phenomena and interactions, and com-patibility and integration issues Therefore, we have suggested that virtual PLCs need

to be further developed and validated to overcome these challenges and achieve their full potential We hope that this article has provided a comprehensive and informative overview of virtual PLCs and their role in the future of industrial automation

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