Performing Calculations in Structured Text

Math – the nightmare fuel for many students around the world and the one subject that everyone loves to hate. Unfortunately, to be successful as a PLC programmer, you must understand how to program mathematical equations. Luckily, performing math for PLC programs does not require any calculations that must be done by hand. This means that you don’t need a math degree to be a great PLC programmer.

As an automation engineer, you’ll often find yourself working on machines that require complex mathematics. Machines that must calculate fill rates, pressure, and of course motion control will all require the program to handle complex math. Put bluntly, math is a major area of PLC programming that all programmers must be competent in.

This chapter is going to focus on crunching numbers in Structured Text (ST). Generally, doing complex calculations such as those that are required for proper motion control, fill rates, and...