Proposal of a programmable logic controller based on open hardware

Abstract

Industrial automation is dominated by solutions that are implemented with distributed controllers, such as programmable logic controllers. Currently, companies such as Industrial Shields, Norvi, Controllino, or Arduino offer industrial controller solutions that are based on open hardware. These, although they do not have the capacity to work in applications that require high safety integrity levels, represent a low-cost alternative to traditional solutions. This study is the result of the collaboration between Universidad Central Marta Abreu de Las Villas and company CEDAI UEB Villa Clara. The objective of this article is to make a proposal for a programmable controller based on open hardware that is an economical and flexible alternative for industrial automation. The MCI-VC v1.0 is intended to be a compact, low-cost, STM32 microcontroller-based controller that complies with parts of the IEC 61131 standard. The controller will have digital and analog inputs, digital outputs, and RS485, Ethernet, USB, and SPI communication for expansion modules. The proposal is conceptually cheaper than its counterparts, which should allow obtaining a competitive product. The design meets the defined technical requirements and has higher performance than several commercialized controllers.