BEST parking lot system | parking lot control system | Udemy Course project

Summary

This project showcases an automatic car parking system controlled by a PLC, featuring entrance and exit sensors to manage car counts and gates. The system ensures the parking lot doesn't exceed its 100-car capacity, with green and red lamps indicating availability. The gates open and close based on sensor inputs, with a 10-second delay using timers. Successfully tested on a virtual Allen Bradley PLC, the project demonstrates efficient control of parking lot operations and can be expanded for future enhancements.

Takeaways

• 😀 The project demonstrates an automatic car parking lot system using a PLC.
• 😀 The system includes two sensors: an entrance sensor and an exit sensor.
• 😀 The entrance sensor counts cars entering and opens the gate if parking is available (under 100 cars).
• 😀 The exit sensor counts cars leaving and opens the exit gate for 10 seconds.
• 😀 The parking lot capacity is limited to 100 cars; it will not exceed this number.
• 😀 When a car enters, the entrance gate (Q1) opens for 10 seconds if space is available.
• 😀 When a car exits, the exit gate (Q2) opens for 10 seconds to allow the car to leave.
• 😀 If the parking lot reaches full capacity, the entrance gate remains closed until a car exits.
• 😀 A green lamp indicates availability when the parking lot has space; it turns off when the lot is full.
• 😀 A red lamp flashes at 1 Hz when the parking lot is full, signaling that no more cars can enter.
• 😀 The entrance and exit gates automatically close after 10 seconds using timers in the PLC.

Q & A

What is the main objective of the project described in the script?

The main objective is to develop a PLC-controlled automatic car parking lot system that can manage up to 100 cars, automatically opening and closing gates based on car entry and exit, and signaling the parking status with lamps.

How does the inter sensor function in the parking system?

The inter sensor detects when a car approaches the entrance and sends a pulse to increment the car count, while also activating the entrance gate (Q1) to open for 10 seconds, provided the parking lot has space.

What happens when the parking lot reaches its full capacity?

When the lot is full, the entrance gate remains closed until a car exits. Additionally, the green lamp turns off, and the red lamp flashes at a frequency of one hertz to indicate the lot is full.

How is the exit gate controlled in the system?

The exit sensor detects when a car is leaving, sends a pulse to decrement the car count, and activates the exit gate (Q2) to open for 10 seconds.

How long do the gates stay open after activation?

The gates stay open for 10 seconds after they are activated by the respective sensors (entrance or exit).

What happens when a car enters the parking lot?

When a car enters, the inter sensor sends a pulse to increase the parking count, and the entrance gate opens for 10 seconds, allowing the car to enter as long as the parking lot is not full.

What is the role of the timers in the system?

Timers are used to automatically close the gates after 10 seconds of being open, ensuring that the gates do not remain open indefinitely.

How does the system visually indicate the parking lot's status?

The system uses a green lamp to indicate when the parking count is under 100 cars, and a flashing red lamp to signal when the parking lot is full.

How does the PLC interact with the components of the system?

The PLC controls the sensors and actuators in the system, with I/O pins connected to the relevant sensors and components such as the entrance and exit gates, car count monitoring, and lamps.

What was the outcome of the project testing?

The project was successfully tested on a virtual Allen Bradley PLC, confirming that the system functions as expected.