Development of a real time monitoring and control system for PLC based elevator

In this study, real time monitoring and controlling of an elevator prototype based on PLC is developed. The software of PLC has been improved in Simatic Version 4.0 and the main control interface is also developed in Visual Basic as more visual. The system has been applied on a laboratory sized elevator prototype which includes a dc motor, sensors for every floor, gas-smoke detectors and temperature sensor. OPC Server protocol is used to transfer data between the PLC and the control interface. The system developed can be used for not only controlling and monitoring an industrial elevator system but also learning the basic principles of a PLC based system and control strategies of elevator systems as an educational material.