Engineering English
Coil
Mechatronics & Robotics · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: A coil in PLC ladder logic represents an output instruction that energizes when the rung conditions are true. It corresponds to physical outputs like relays, solenoids, or internal memory bits.
Example in context
“The coil for the conveyor motor starter is activated when both the start button contact and the safety interlock are true.”
“Konveyör motor marşının bobini, hem başlatma düğmesi kontağı hem de emniyet kilidi doğru olduğunda etkinleşir.”
Where engineers use it
Coils are used in the output part of ladder rungs to turn on actuators, indicators, or internal flags. Engineers must correctly assign coil addresses and understand latching and unlatching behavior.
Synonyms: output coil, energize coil, ladder coil
Antonyms: contact
Practice: can you use “Coil” at work?
An automation technician is debugging a program where a coil fails to energize even though all input contacts are true. They must check the last coil placement and parallel branches.
Show a model answer
“The coil must be placed after all series contacts in the rung to function correctly.”
“Coil” in 21 languages
| English | Coil |
|---|---|
| Turkish | bobin |
| French | bobine |
| German | Spule |
| Spanish | bobina |
| Chinese | 线圈 |
| Arabic | ملف |
| Portuguese | bobina |
| Russian | катушка |
| Japanese | コイル |
| Italian | bobina |
| Vietnamese | cuộn dây |
| Hindi | कुंडली |
| Thai | คอยล์ |
| Indonesian | koil |
| Korean | 코일 |
| Bengali | কুণ্ডলী |
| Dutch | spoel |
| Swedish | spole |
| Finnish | kela |
| Ukrainian | котушка |
Frequently asked questions
What does Coil mean in engineering?
A coil in PLC ladder logic represents an output instruction that energizes when the rung conditions are true. It corresponds to physical outputs like relays, solenoids, or internal memory bits. In Mechatronics & Robotics, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Coil?
Coil is pronounced /kɔɪl/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Coil used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The coil for the conveyor motor starter is activated when both the start button contact and the safety interlock are true.”
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