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Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)

Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are the core hardware components in industrial control systems, responsible for sending control data and instructions to individual devices on the factory floor. PLCs are programmed through systems such as SCADA, which communicate with the controllers to define and manage their operational tasks.

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About this video

Programmable logic controllers, or PLCs, are a foundational component of industrial control systems and serve as the primary mechanism for delivering control data to devices on the factory floor. As the name suggests, these controllers are programmed to execute specific functions and then transmit instructions to the individual devices they manage, making them essential to automated and process-driven industrial environments. PLCs do not operate in isolation. They are typically configured and managed through a SCADA system, which communicates with the controllers to define their operational parameters and ensure they carry out their assigned tasks consistently. This relationship between SCADA and PLCs is central to how modern industrial control environments maintain coordinated, reliable operations across complex systems of connected equipment.

What you'll learn

Describe the function of programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and their role in delivering control data within industrial control systems
Explain how SCADA systems interface with PLCs to program and manage device operations on the factory floor

What's covered

Programmable Logic Controllers

What PLCs Are
- Industrial Control Systems
- Deliver Control Data
- Located on Factory Floor
How PLCs Function
- Send Instructions to Devices
- Carry Out Programmed Functions
Programming PLCs
- SCADA System
  - Communicates with PLCs
  - Programs Day-to-Day Tasks

Key terms

Programmable Logic Controller: Programmable Logic Controller is an industrial computer used to automate machinery and processes; PLC security is a cornerstone of OT protection as exploitation can cause physical damage.
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition: Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition is a system architecture used in critical infrastructure to collect sensor data and issue real-time control commands; SCADA security failures can result in physical damage to industrial equipment and facilities.
Industrial Control System: Industrial Control System is a broad category of control systems used in industrial production and critical infrastructure, including SCADA systems and PLCs; ICS security focuses on protecting physical processes from cyber threats with minimal downtime tolerance.

Topics

Programmable Logic Controllers Scada Industrial Control Systems Operational Technology Ics Security

Transcript

Programmable Logic Controllers

A key component to many industrial control systems are these programmable logic controllers, or PLCs.

One thing that we have out on the factory floor is called programmable logic controllers, or PLCs. PLCs are the equipment that's actually delivering the control data. The name really just says it all: we've got the controller. What they do is they send the control data to these different devices.

And what do we do? We need to program them. So we program these PLCs to carry out some sort of function, and then they give instructions to these individual devices.

Now, how do we program them? That's one of the questions here: how do we program them? Well, we could set up a SCADA system here, and that SCADA system then will communicate with the PLCs and program them, so that it carries out their day-to-day tasks.

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