Hi New to PLC. Where to start?

[Sparkie1985 0]

Hi, apologies if this is in the wrong part of the forum but I didn't notice any particular area this would be suited. I'm currently working as an apprentice Electrician here in the UK and I'm near to being fully qualified. I find the electrical installation work a bit monotonous and would really like to get into something a bit more technical in the not to distant future. I keen to learn PLC's. I have recently bought a book 'Introduction to PLC's, by Elvin Perez Adrover' but I am still none the wiser to where I should start as there appears to be vast number of courses and manufacturers. There is a company not too far from me (Link below) that offers PLC training on several different manufacturers equipment, but again where do I start? http://www.plc-training.co.uk/ Not sure if this board is US or worldwide so again apologies if I'm in the wrong place. Thanks in advance.

[BobB 58]

US based with people here from all over the world. It is hard to know where to start - I started by having to learn PLCs and programming as I had a sales job with a company who took on PLC sales. Thrown in at the deep end. I have learned about PLCs and programming on the fly with no formal training - hard for me to make a suggestion. I am also a controls guy - started my apprenticeship in 1959 and where I worked you learned about the lot even motor winding. 2nd year I was designing control systems, 3rd year I was designing trannies - 11kV-33kV - hangers and padmounts. You cannot get this varied training in one place these days LOL. I now work for myself, do my own designs, build my own control panels, software, commissioning, interfacing - you name it. I was working for a company and they went broke - applied for a few jobs and all they wanted was a piece of paper - many years of experience counted for nothing! Absolute stupidity - I had designed control systems for and automated power stations and the piece of paper was all important! I would suggest that the best PLC programmers are controls guys who have designed and built control systems and also done trouble shooting on control systems. Helps one understand how to design a system to make it easy and also how to program and commission the system to best advantage. Working for myself I do not cut corners - spending a few extra bob on components can save me a lot of time - time is my most valuable resource to be honest. Another thing is when working for yourself you look for the easiest and quickest way to get the job done, get the programming done, commissioned - get paid and on to the next one. To that result I use Omron CX-One software - pretty much totally keyboard driven, fast and on to the next job. I hate this crap the Europeans are forcing on us with symbol based everything - it is so slow - and I have no desire to get RSI from clicking on a mouse! I will not use symbol based programming - I like knowing where things are in the memory map and I like to put them where I want. I program via keyboard and numbers - Omron allow me to do that and I do the job really quickly and get out. Being in UK I guess AB and Siemens may be the best option for you but there is also a lot of Omron over there too. Not able to really help you as I have never had any formal training but maybe a few of my rants will give you an idea or 2.

[magic_ninja 0]

@BobB - I'm currently a student in a Mechatronics program, and it is a good place to start to get experience on a HUGE array of subjects from electronics, electrical, fluids, mechanical, robotics and the list goes on. Of course you have to specialize if you really want to make good money, but I'm in the process of doing that now. As far as the original question, man I really don't know anywhere you can get specific training, but I know you can get a cheap PLC (I opted for a used SLC500) off ebay. I paid $180 USD for mine and have gained TONS of knowledge. Each manufacturer is different, but the basic is the same - Ladder Logic. Try drawing out your diagrams in ladder logic, get some old timers to tell you about relay logic (PLCs ARE relay logic, just utilizing transistors). Your book will teach you nothing if you don't have a PLC to practice on. A few hundred bucks on some old contact blocks, switches, contactors, photoeyes, etc combined with some scrap wire and free time will make you a lot more money down the road. Hopefully you have some old timers around that are happy to answer questions as well!

[Bering C Sparky 7]

Here is another PLC training facility in the UK. ControlLogix & SLC Training a-b train ltd. abtrain@tiscali.co.uk www.abtrain.co.uk tel: 07506 73 9999 nil illegitimi carborundem One of there people is a member of another fourm I belong to. BCS

[Gambit 324]

Mitsubishi offers some e-learning coarses you can download. http://www.mitsubishielectric.com/fa/assist/index.html

[Bering C Sparky 7]

Check out this site. There is a PLC Simulator you can try out. They also have a Learning PLC book for around $40 US and a DVD Set for $379 US. http://www.plcs.net/ BCS Edited 25 Nov 2014 by Bering C Sparky

[Sparkie1985 0]

Hi Bob, Sorry for the delayed reply from me. Sounds to me like you served a 'real' apprenticeship, the "apprenticeship" I'm on is nowhere near as in-depth or knowledge based as that. Guess they don't make em like they used to. Sounds like an apprenticeship I'd love to do.

[Sparkie1985 0]

I agree regarding the book teaching me little, I need to watch and be taught about PLC's, but also contactors are something I have currently very limited experience of, only using to control lighting circuits on a time clock for example. I'm considering studying for a HNC next year in electrical Engineering which is a level higher than what I'm doing now and involves PLCs and automation.