PLC module types, mentioned are in order of most reliable (part with lowest failure rate listed first), with output modules being the most likely to fail.
PLC output modules are commonly electro-mechanical (relays) and/or higher current sinking PLC modules. ( motors, air solenoids, indicator lights, etc.)
The block diagram of the safety critical Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), at the first level,
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61508 identifies two categories of systems: low demand mode of operation and continuous/high demand mode of operation and 4 Safety Integrity Levels.
SAFETY INTEGRITY LEVEL | DEMAND MODE | CONTINUOUS MODE |
---|---|---|
1 | >=10^-5 to <10^-4 | >=10^-9 to <10^-8 |
2 | >=10^-4 to <10^-3 | >=10^-8 to <10^-7 |
3 | >=10^-3 to <10^-2 | >=10^-7 to <10^-6 |
4 | >=10^-2 to <10^-1 | >=10^-6 to <10^-5 |
Target measures for the SIL levels of IEC 61508 standard
When system activities are more complex, in terms of statistical dependence of its components and/or with time variable activities, probabilistic modeling techniques based on extended Petri Nets, can be used.
PLC dependability probabilistic modelling techniques and tools
GSPN model of the fault behaviour of a PLC single channel
Text
The failure of DI_A elementary block (firing of transition tDI_A ) or the failure of I/O_A bus (firing of the transition tI/O_A ) implies the Input_A failure
The possible failure of the input part of each channel is submitted to the software voter. The two out of three software voting is modelled by four transitions (t0, t1, t2, t3).
at least two out of three failures in the input part of the channels gives the failure of the single channel .
GSPN model of the fault behaviour of the whole PLC
Text
The Failure of the PLC is due to the failure of at least two out of three channels, or to the failure of both power supplies or to the voter failure.
The failure of a single channel is represented by the firing of any of the transitions tfail_A, tfail_B, tfail_C;
The two out of three majority logic
From the single channel model, the failure rate of the single channel is λ=2.9131 e-6.
Whole PLC model, the PLC reliability in function of the time, computed by Surf-2
The Mean Time to Failure = 6.8729 e+05.
PLC reliability function versus time
Questions ?