Monitoring and Control of a Variable Frequency Drive Using PLC and SCADA

Abstract

Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) are two new approaches to control a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) whose output is fed to a three-phase induction motor and driving a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt has three sensors are inputs which senses a passing object and carries out the necessary instructions programmed in ladder logic programming of the PLC through the medium of a personal computer (PC). The SCADA software installed in the PC in turn enables the human operator to control the entire operation away from the plant and just by using the virtual inputs designated on his computer screen. The results have been verified with a validating experiment.