What role do sensors play in PLC systems?

In a PLC system, sensors serve a crucial role by providing input signals based on physical conditions. These input signals can include measurements like temperature, pressure, position, or motion, enabling the PLC to monitor the state of the environment or process it is controlling. By converting physical phenomena into electrical signals, sensors raise awareness of current conditions, which the PLC can then interpret and use to make decisions accordingly. This feedback loop is essential for automating processes, ensuring that the PLC can adjust its outputs and control mechanisms in real time, based on the data received from the sensors.

Other functions such as executing control commands, regulating power consumption, or logging operational data, although significant in their own contexts, do not illustrate the primary and fundamental role that sensors play in a PLC system. The core function of sensors is to provide accurate and timely data that informs the PLC’s operational decisions.