plc

[sb_89]

Hi,

I'm interested in learning how to program plc's, just wondering does anyone have any suggestions on where to start ? Is it worth buying one and having a play,and if it is whats a good make to use ? Or is there any college courses that are any good? I've tried a few sims online but they all seem useless. If the software online is anything like the proper programming software I think I'll try something else to broaden my horizons lol

 

[Technician]

I think you may find a few people who

carry a portable PLC and they come to

you with it and you practise on it &

they give you the tuition.

Have NO idea where or who they might be.

I did meet one once; that is why I have

suggested this.

 

[ProDave]

Look at Your Personal PLC Tutor - Learn PLC Programming Here. FREE Lots of information on there and some tutorials.

They can be quite expensive to buy and a lot of makes also charge silly money for the programming software. So work out what you want to lean about first before spending lots of money.

 

[sb_89]

Anybody on the forum use them on a regular basis ?

 

[Sidewinder]

A couple of us

 

[ProDave]

I used to Program Siemens S7, but not for nearly 10 years now.

 

[sb_89]

Where did you use them Dave? I've seen the complexity of the stuff they can handle, and it looks quite challenging. Is It something someone who is smart enough could just pick up by just by messing around with one? I like playing around with this kind of stuff, I think it's the direction I would like to head towards in my career eventually, I need a new challenge lol

 

[ProDave]

They were used in the machinery the company I used to work for made and sold.

Actually, I've been a Siemens PLC man all my life. My first employer used Seimens S5 and that's where I did most of my learning. 2nd Employer was using Siemens S5 but was in the progress of upgrading to S7. And then 3rd employer was all S7.

So I had in excess of 20 years using them. But that doesn't mean I know it all. It means I knew how to program the machines we built but there are doubtless many PLC functions we never needed to use so I never learned them.

I've been self employed now for nearly 10 years and not touched a PLC in anger since. I did have a number of S7 PLC's and I/O modules at home that I used to tinker with, but I sold them all on ebay a few years ago before they became too out of date.

 

[revjames]

there are free training programmes out there where you can mess about with ladders and logic I/O etc. Not sure what its called think its Proworx or something like that?

 

[VoltzElectrical]

can i call myself an electrician 'cos all of this stuff is totally alien to me?! I would love to learn it, but where I would ever use it I don't know, and I know if I learned it, and didn't use it....i would lose it!

Funny old thing, knowledge, the older I get, the more I know I know eff all!

 

[ProDave]

can i call myself an electrician 'cos all of this stuff is totally alien to me?! I would love to learn it, but where I would ever use it I don't know, and I know if I learned it, and didn't use it....i would lose it!Funny old thing, knowledge, the older I get, the more I know I know eff all!

Knowing how to wire up and program plc's is generally nothing to to with electricians. So yes you can know jack about plc's and be a perfectly good electrician.

If you DO know about plc's then you are well on your way to being a control systems engineer.

 

[Marvo]

Many PLC manufacturers or main agents give free or subsidised courses on there own brand products, obviously they work on the principal you use what you're familiar with. If I were you I would rather get into systems integration which is more to do with getting different systems to play nicely together. We always struggle to find skilled people in this area and those that are good can basically name their price. I't's not really something you're going to achieve in your spare time or as a hobby, start by learning general networking, TCP/IP, ASCIIBUS, MODBUS, CANBUS protocols etc.

 

[Sidewinder]

Siemens & AB are not the only expensive ones out there. my ex-employer never gave ANYTHING away.

We were niche market specialist kit so could charge accordingly.

Our engineers went out at

 

[Tony S]

I started off in the 70

 

[Marvo]

We still have several installations with Micrex F-Series PLC's and Klockner Moeller PS3's on SLA contracts. I remember doing the course on the Klockner Moeller PS3 range back in the 1980's.

 

[Marvo]

I wish I had a programmer for the PS3's. There was a company around here which we used for programming up until about 12 years ago but they disappeared without a trace so I just pray we don't need to work on them. I suppose we'll just rip out and replace when it comes time

 

[Tony S]

Looks like I could have found a good spot. Is there somewhere I can park the Zimmer frame and hang up the A0 drawings to dry?

 

[steptoe]

aye, onywhar ye like

 

[Sidewinder]

Hello Tony,

Welcome to the Forum.

You sound like you have had a lot of industrial experience.

Were you still around when the ISO programming language came in?

 

[ProDave]

Hello Tony,Welcome to the Forum.

You sound like you have had a lot of industrial experience.

Were you still around when the ISO programming language came in?

I was. And as far as Siemens was concerned, I didn't see one jot of difference to what they did before.