Control systems overview

Control systems in this context refer to the industrial control systems known as Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs). PLCs classically performed a set of control operations by actioning certain responses because of a captured input stimulus. They are industrial computing engines packaged appropriately to operate in harsh environments. They are used to control assembly lines in manufacturing, robots, general machinery, and high-reliability operations. They have a relatively simple programming interface and a high capability of detecting and dealing with operational faults. PLCs have been around since the 1960s when they were first introduced in the automobile industry in the United States. From an architecture perspective, a PLC is simply a microprocessor-based controller for industrial applications with storage memory for hosting the executable application to run on it. A PLC includes the following:

• A Central Processing Unit (CPU)
• A Power Supply...