"What is a PLC and how do I talk Python to it?" - Jonas Neubert (North Bay Python 2019)

Jonas Neubert

https://2019.northbaypython.org/sched...

Walk into any factory and you will see a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). It's the small box that has a memory card and an Ethernet cable on one side, and lots of colorful wires connected to the other end. Inside runs the logic that turns inputs from sensors into outputs to robots, conveyor belts and other machinery. PLCs evolved from relay banks in the 1970s and have ruled the world of industrial automation since then.

In the first half of this talk we will take a look at how they work, how to program them, and why a strange language called "ladder logic" is (still) the lingua franca for programming them. In a short on-stage demo I will write some PLC code to control a device on stage.

It's 2019 now and just running a PLC isn't quite enough anymore. Everyone is talking about the "Industrial Internet of Things" and they have connected their PLCs to the company network. The second half of the talk will look at how we can connect to PLCs to read data and influence the running program with Python.

How do you program the physical world with Python? Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) are the devices that control HVAC systems, factories, power plants, ..., everything! In this talk, I will bring a traffic signal on stage and program a PLC to control it. We'll then go over several examples for how to use Python to collect data from the system and send data to influence its behavior.

A Python conference north of the Golden Gate


North Bay Python is a single-track conference with a carefully curated set of talks representing the diverse Python community and their different areas of interest.

If a topic is less to your interest, or you've met some people you really want to sit down and chat with, we'll have plenty of areas away from the main theatre to catch up and chat.

Our goal is to keep prices as low as possible. That means we won't be catering lunch. Instead, you can look forward to extra-long lunch breaks you can use to explore all of the great food options around the venue.

Produced by NDV:    / @nextdayvideo  

Sun Nov 3 16:00:00 2019 at Mystic Theatre