March 21, 2026

Automated Car Parking Indication System using Schneider PLC M340

AIM: To study and design an Automated Car Parking Indication System. And understand the use of different elements such as NO/NC Contacts, Counters and Memory Bits in the designing of an automated system.

OBJECTIVE: We will try to,

Understand the work and complexity of the system.

Create and Understand Ladder Logic of this Entire System.

Create HMI Interface of this Entire System.

Working:


The Automated Car Parking Indication System works using two sensors, namely the In Sensor and the Out Sensor, along with a counter in the PLC. When a vehicle enters the parking area, the In Sensor detects it and increases the vehicle count. Similarly, when a vehicle exits, the Out Sensor detects it and decreases the count. The PLC continuously keeps track of the total number of vehicles inside the parking area using this counting logic. When the count reaches 5 vehicles, the “Parking Full” indicator turns ON, indicating that no parking space is available. When the count is less than 5, the Space indicator turns ON, showing that parking slots are available. This system provides real-time and automatic monitoring of parking without the need for manual checking.

[AI Generated Illustration of Automated Car Parking Indication System]


Ladder Logic of the System:

 

Elements Used:

 

NO Contact:

 






A Normally Open Contact is widely use in PLC Programming. When we give it signal 1, we will get output 1 and when we give it signal 0, we will get signal 0.

 

 

NC Contact:

 




 

 

A Normally Open Contact is widely use in PLC Programming. It works opposite of the NO Contact. When we give it input signal 1, we will get output signal 0 and when we give it input signal 0, we will get output signal 1.

 

 

CTUD:




 

CTUD (Count Up/Down) is a type of counter used in PLC programming that can both increase and decrease its count value. It increments the count when an input signal is received at the count-up input and decrements when a signal is received at the count-down input. It is commonly used in applications like parking systems to track the number of objects entering and exiting.




Complete Ladder Diagram:

 



























Explanation:


The ladder logic for the Automated Car Parking System starts with a start-stop circuit where t

he System_Start push button energizes Memory_Bit_1, and it is latched using a self-holding contact, while the Stop button breaks the circuit.


    Once the system is active, the CTUD (Count Up/Down) counter is enabled through Memory_Bit_1.The In_Sensor is connected to the count-up (CU) input, which increases the car count when a vehicle enters, and the Out_Sensor is connected to the count-down (CD) input, which decreases the count when a vehicle exits.


  The preset value (PV) is set to 5, representing the maximum parking capacity.

When the count reaches this value, the counter output activates Memory_Bit_2, which turns ON the Full_Indicator.


If the count is less than 5, Memory_Bit_2 remains OFF, and the Space_Indicator is turned ON instead.


  This logic ensures proper tracking of vehicles and real-time indication of parking availability.

 

Complete HMI Interface:



                                                       



 


Explanation:

-  The HMI interface of the Automated Car Parking Indication System is designed to provide clear and easy monitoring of the parking status.

-  It includes a System ON/OFF button to start or stop the system operation.

-  The Cars In and Cars Out buttons are used to simulate or indicate vehicle entry and exit.

-  A digital display shows the total number of parked cars in real time, based on the counter value from the PLC.

-  The interface also displays the total parking capacity, which is set to 5 vehicles.

-  Additionally, visual indicators (circular lamps) are provided to represent the parking status, such as whether the parking is full or space is available.

-  This user-friendly design helps the operator quickly understand and control the system efficiently.



[














Complete HMI Interface and PLC Ladder Logic Simulation


[Co






























CONCLUSION:

-  Through this project, we learned how industrial automation concepts can be applied to solve real-world problems like parking management.

-  We gained practical knowledge of PLC programming, especially ladder logic using sensors and CTUD counters for real-time counting operations.

-  We also learned how to design an effective HMI interface for monitoring and controlling the system.

-  This project helped us understand the integration of hardware and software, improved our problem-solving skills, and gave us hands-on experience in automation systems used in industries.

No comments: