What Are Some of the Industries That Use PLC Programming?
Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) programming is an essential component of any commercial or industrial control system. It can be programmed by a user to perform many different functions, such as:
- Input/Output Control
- Logic
- Timing
- Counting
- Communication
- Data processing
- File processing
This makes programable logic controllers very useful for many different industries.

HVAC Industry
Controlling the air temperature and quality in any large building is a daunting challenge for anyone, especially if you have multiple tenants with different temperature preferences. Heating, cooling, and ventilating processes require numerous sensors to keep the temperature at a comfortable level and possibly even protect sensitive products or equipment such as IT infrastructure. An HVAC system with one central point of control supported by multiple PLCs can save a business thousands of dollars in energy costs.
Oil Production and Refining Industry
Oil and gas production and processing processes are extraordinarily complex and rely upon exact mixtures of chemicals, temperatures, and pressures. For the right chemical processes to happen, there needs to be precise control of many variables. And PLCs are the perfect technology for handling these tasks.
Glass Industry
To produce glass, the material ratios need to be precise and follow in-depth procedures to ensure that the final glass products meet specifications.
Paper Industry
PLCs are helpful in the paper production process. They also help manage the operating speeds of rollers and giant offset printing presses that require precise timing to ensure that the final printing is perfect.
Cement Industry
The mix must have the correct proportions of many raw materials in a kiln to produce high-quality cement. PLCs help ensure that these materials are added, mixed, and monitored to make high-quality cement. Cement companies must use a distributed control system that includes PLC controls to manage coal kiln, ball milling, and shaft kiln.
Other Industries
Almost every manufacturing industry relies on PLCs to automate tedious or error-prone processes that can produce millions of dollars of waste each year. Here is a sampling of the other industries that use PLC technologies extensively:
- Aerospace
- Food production and processes
- Health care
- Plastics
- Textile manufacturing
- Packaging and labeling
- Transportation systems
- Warehouse fulfillment
- Traffic control
- Mining
- Steel production
The use of PLCs during the COVID-19 pandemic allowed many businesses to continue work as usual despite the difficult circumstances.
Let Tri-State Electrical Contractors Automate Your Workflow
We provide a complete range of industrial electrical services that can result in considerable savings. Our PLC retrofits improve your efficiency and reduce your energy costs. To learn more about how Tri-State Electrical can help you with your industrial electrical project, give us a call at (423) 800-2134, fill out our simple online form, or email us at info@tristateec.com today.