PLC
PLC turns up in 2 fields: refractories, robotics. Here is what it means to the people in each one.
PLC in refractories
Permanent linear change: the lasting shrinkage or growth of a refractory after heating and cooling.
Permanent linear change: the percentage change in length a refractory keeps after being heated to a set temperature and cooled back, tested under ASTM C113 for brick or matching methods for monolithics. Negative values mean shrinkage, which opens joints and cracks; positive values mean growth, which can tighten or crush a lining. Fiber products are rated the same way as linear shrinkage after 24 hours at temperature.
"PLC at 1500 is minus 1.5 percent, that castable will pull away from the anchors and open up."
PLC in robotics
A ruggedized industrial computer used to control manufacturing processes and robotic cells.
Programmable logic controller. A specialized embedded computer built to survive harsh factory conditions, handle multiple inputs and outputs, and execute control logic in real time. Unlike standard PCs, they run deterministic operating systems ensuring exact timing for critical operations. They serve as the standard brain for automating assembly lines, conveyors, and standalone robotic work cells.
"The robot is waiting on a permissive signal from the PLC before it drops the part on the conveyor."