Use of Raspberry PI as PLC and its programming using Petri Net

• Grant number: 18/19233-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2018
• End date: October 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Mechanical Engineering Design
• Principal Investigator: Fabrício Junqueira
• Grantee: Victor Campos Jinsi
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Petri Nets were developed by Carl Adam Petri, who, in 1962, formulated a theory about the communications between components of a computer system. His definition shows strong mathematical toughness, while still having a relatively simple and comprehensible form of graphical representation. Such a characteristic is important when it is considered that such nets have a vast range of applications, since Petri Nets can, in principle, be applied to nearly any model of a particular system, although they are used more frequently in Computer Science and Engineering, especially related to automation. Consequently, Petri Nets are commonly applied in industrial environments and assembly lines, associated with PLCs (Programmable Logic Controller), which are more robust and reliable computers, easily maintained and repaired, and adapted for use in controlling industrial elements (ERICKSON, 1996). However, the need for converting notation used in modelling and simulating into languages used in PLC programming increases the risk of a mistake in the usage of PLCs. In such a context, the proposed project consists in the development of an application for a Raspberry Pi computer, which simulates a PLC whose programming can be made more simply, through changes made directly in a Petri Net. Therefore, the Petri Net model´s conversion to another language (traditionally necessary to program a PLC, such as ladder logic), after its validation through simulation, can be avoided.