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hat the controller does not know the position of the output device during the control sequence. On the other hand, its main advantage is cost. Even simple motion control had previously required an expensive option module, and at times was restricted to more sophisticated control platforms in order to meet system requirements. More sophisticated motion applications require higherprecision positioning hardware and software, and many PLCs offer highspeed option modules that interface with servo drives. Most drives today can accept traditional mands from host (PLC or PC) controls, or provide their own internal motion control. The trend here is to integrate the motion control configuration into the logic controller programming software package. Programming Languages A facet of the PLC that reflects both the past and the future is programming language. The IEC 611313 standard deals with programming languages and defines two graphical and two textual PLC programming language standards: * Ladder logic (graphical). * Function block diagram (graphical). * Structured text (textual).Instruction list (textual). This standard also defines graphical and textual sequential function chart elements to organize programs for sequential and parallel control processing. Based on the standard, many manufacturers offer at least two of these languages as options for programming their PLCs. Ironically, approximately 96 percent of PLC users recently still use ladder diagrams to construct their PLC code. It seems that ladder logic continues to be a top choice given it39。s change. This is especially evident in the evolution of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) and their varied applications. From their introduction more than 30 years ago, PLCs have bee the cornerstone of hundreds of thousands of control systems in a wide range of industries. At heart, the PLC is an industrialized puter programmed with highly specialized languages, and it continues to benefit from technological advances in the puter and information technology worlds. The most prominent of which is miniaturization and munications. The Shrinking PLC When the PLC was first introduced, its size was a major improvement relative to the hundreds of hardwired relays and timers it replaced. A typical unit housing a CPU and I/O was roughly the size of a 19 television set. Through the 1980s and early 1990s, modular PLCs continued to shrink in footprint while increasing in capabilities and performance (see Diagram 1 for typical modular PLC configuration). In recent years, smaller PLCs have been introduced in the nano and micro classes that offer features