GE Series 90-30 PLC

GFK-0356Q 1-1
Overview of the Series 90-30 PLC
The Series 90-30 Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is a member of the GE Fanuc Series 90
PLC family.
The Basic Parts of a Series 90-30 PLC
The Series 90-30 PLC is very versatile because (1) it is programmable, and (2) it is assembled from
a wide variety of modular, plug-together components. Therefore, by choosing the correct
components and developing an appropriate program, the PLC can be used for an almost unlimited
variety of applications. Although there are many choices of individual hardware components to use
in a system, there are just a few basic categories. Each of these component categories is covered in
detail in a separate chapter in this manual. They are introduced in this chapter so you can see how
they fit together:
 Baseplates
 Power Supplies
 CPUs
 I/O Modules
 Option Modules
 Cables
Baseplates
The baseplates are the foundation of the PLC system because most other components mount on
them. As a basic minimum, every system has at least one baseplate, which usually contains the
CPU (in which case, it is referred to as “the CPU Baseplate”). Many systems require more modules
than can be mounted on one baseplate, so there are also Expansion and Remote baseplates that
connect together. The three categories of baseplates, CPU, Expansion, and Remote, are available in
two sizes, 5-slot and 10-slot, named according to the number of modules they can hold.
Power Supply Modules
Every baseplate must have its own power supply. The power supply always mounts in a
baseplate’s left-most slot. There are several power supply models available to meet a variety of
requirements.
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