Development of PLC Based Navigation System for Mobile Robot

A programmed machine called mobile robot has a skilled of movement in any controlled environment. Microcontroller/microprocessor based controllers is known as the best controller for mobile robot. The difficulties of applying the Microcontroller/microprocessor based controllers as well as writing the program in it bring the attention of researches to look for easier controller such as Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). Yet, it is still very few mobile robots which used PLC as the navigation controller. This project is motivated by this situation, with a consideration to develop the type of mobile robot which is controlled by PLC because of the lack of mobile robot developed under control by PLC. Therefore, this project is trying to develop a PLC based navigation system for mobile robot, by developing the algorithm and analyze the performance of the mobile robot able to follow line hypothetically. All related works with comprised information about mobile robot, controller system and application of PLC in mobile robot navigation system are reviewed. The method to complete this project is starting with designing the program using PLC software, apply the commissioning of the PLC into a mobile robot with complete circuit wiring and analyze the project. To analyze the project, a navigation experiment is done under 2 different paths and each path is repeated for 5 times. The experiment was represented using line graph in order to know the effectiveness of the mobile robot movement using PLC system. Both path showed a good result with tolerance about 5-10% of error thus it prove the hypothesis. Lastly, as a conclusion, the significant finding in this project is proved that PLC is able to be applied as line following mobile robot control system