PLC training
- Thread starter Ropeadope
- Start date
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The smart a## answer is yes.
Depending on the PLC it may use ladder type logic or its' own instructions.
Studying and understanding ladder logic will help you either way IMO.
There are a lot of neat and useful tricks you can do with PLCs that would be extremely complicated to do with relays. Understanding the whole premise will help you a lot.
Depending on the PLC it may use ladder type logic or its' own instructions.
Studying and understanding ladder logic will help you either way IMO.
There are a lot of neat and useful tricks you can do with PLCs that would be extremely complicated to do with relays. Understanding the whole premise will help you a lot.
Last edited:
Allen Bradley RSLogix Starter Lite
Allen Bradley RSLogix Starter Lite
Thanks, Is this a good training software "Allen Bradley RSLogix Starter Lite"
Allen Bradley RSLogix Starter Lite
The smart a## answer is yes.
Depending on the PLC it may use ladder type logic or its' own instructions.
Studying and understanding ladder logic will help you either way IMO.
There are a lot of neat and useful tricks you can do with PLCs that would be extremely complicated to do with relays. Understanding the whole premise will help you a lot.
Thanks, Is this a good training software "Allen Bradley RSLogix Starter Lite"
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
RS is what I have and it is more than adequate if you have the money to spend.
Automation Direct has some free software for their Click plc that makes things to easy. I have not priced all the parts but I imagine you could have a unit at home to play with for less than what the AB software alone will cost.
Automation Direct has some free software for their Click plc that makes things to easy. I have not priced all the parts but I imagine you could have a unit at home to play with for less than what the AB software alone will cost.
Yeah you can get a Click CPU for about 70 dollars. You may have to buy the serial port to USB adapter, but overall it is extremelly user friend and not too expensive.
GeorgeB
ElectroHydraulics engineer (retired)
- Location
- Greenville SC
- Occupation
- Retired
The other answers are good. I feel that everyone doing electrical/electronic troubleshooting should understand the concepts of ladder logic both in the NO and NC terminology, and in the AND OR terminology. I "grew up" when the lower cost units (Omron, TI, early GE) programmed more like the assembly language of microprocessors with terms like store, load, and, or, out. Allen-Bradley and Modicon had the graphic ladder presentation. Modern units, with more computer-like functionality, have function blocks of some types. These interface with the "ladder" in various ways, some good, some (IMO) not so good. Siemens in particular is a fan of "statement list" and should be considered; depending on where you are, they may be a MAJOR player or of no consideration at all.
Modicon, the inventors, don't seem to be a player at all any more. I spent about 8 years with their line and really appreciate what they brought to the market.
One place to look for "trainers" are the companies TheAutomationStore.com or PLCTrainer.net. A search for plc trainer on eBay brings several links to the latter. They have low-end offerings from the "majors", AB, Siemens, Mitsubishi, and Automation Direct.
I purchased a MicroLogix 1000 with RSLogix Micro Light software, from PLCtrainer.net. The training instructions are not great, but I'm getting some experience working with it in the evenings.
Ken9876
Senior Member
- Location
- Jersey Shore
If you go to Allen Bradley's site they have a ton of Lit that you can download.
GeorgeB
ElectroHydraulics engineer (retired)
- Location
- Greenville SC
- Occupation
- Retired
Way back ... early to mid 1980 range ... I had the "honor" of doing PLC training for customers and fellow employees. The best training materials are not very good, but I don't think it is the creators fault, rather that every user is unique. And a fundamental issue ... are you trying to learn to create or to service another persons creation. Learning is, TO ME, significantly different in these instances.
If you cover the basic functions seen every day, "contacts", "coils", "timers", and "counters" you are going to give enough for them to figure out the questions to which they need answers.
For the 1 student who needs to bit-pick a register value, or use a shift register, or most of the other functions, 99 will feel it is a waste of their time ... NOW ... and won't recognize the future need. As significant, if they are just exposed to it but don't learn it, learning will still need to occur for effective use.
In a week class I tried to teach LOGIC and THOUGHT for 3 days. I tried to then give one example of each "function block" and what it's reason for existing is for a day. The last day went as deeply as I was capable in specific requests of the student.
I'll add that PLC programming, DONE WELL, is little different from computer programming. AB introduced an almost-forced structured concept which is not part of training of beginners ... but should be, IMO.
If the job is planned, it will be more successful. Planning takes a long time, but saves, IMO, time in the end.
No guide can train that. A good student can get 99% on their own, IMO. 30 or 40 sample program segments, and 1 or 2 for each of the processors functions in the book will give the tools.
What you stated above is, the way I will learn best. If they gave me sample circuits, starting simple, and build, by adding other sensors, and instructions, I would be able to build on concepts.
The training guide, gave me a simple latch circuit, with a holding contact, and load indicator lights as the outputs. Made sense.
The next lesson, he jumped to a conveyor system, that was too complicated for 2nd lesson.
I think the teaching is very advanced, and trying to teach too much, too soon.
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