Flexible Industrial Control Solution: Automation Wizard—Pi.L.C.
摘要
The main objective of this work is to present the development of a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) based on an ARM (Advanced RISC Machine) architecture processor and the Linux operating system, which was developed as a final year project for the Degree in Electronic Engineering and Automation. The goal was to create an effective, integrated, and innovative solution for the industrial automation market. The methods involved configuring and adapting the base operating system on the Raspberry Pi single-board computer, which served as the microprocessor. The PLC operating system (Linux) and the PLC control system, CoDeSyS (Controller Development System), were embedded into this setup. The project included designing and testing hardware, developing two custom PCB, and rigorously testing the system’s ability to integrate industrial communication protocols such as Profinet, EtherCAT, OPC UA, and RS485. The entire encapsulation of the Wizard Pi.L.C. was designed to ensure robustness and suitability for industrial environments. Additionally, to enhance industrial versatility and differentiation, an embedded database and web technologies were implemented. The results demonstrated that the Wizard Pi.L.C. has remarkable versatility, allowing programming in various languages, including PLC programming languages and high-level languages, while maintaining functionality in industrial environments. This capability ensured the system could receive and actuate industrial digital signals. In conclusion, the project successfully implemented and evaluated the Wizard Pi.L.C., proving it to be an effective, integrated, and innovative solution for the industrial automation market.