What do you think is the best way to learn Industrial Automation

learnerElectr

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Hi All!

One could be confused as where to start learning Industrial Automation

I am not looking to learn PLC programming Only. But I want to learn about electrical design, wiring, web access, sensor and load calculations.

I have found few resources like

https://evertutorial.com
which was offering multiple related courses.

I have also found few udemy courses like From Wire To PLC: Bootcamp in industrial Automation.
https://www.udemy.com/course/from-wire-to-plc-a-to-z-compilation/

There many other websites but I am not sure if they have electrical design topics as well.

If any of you have suggestion feel free to share.
 
Hi All!

One could be confused as where to start learning Industrial Automation

I am not looking to learn PLC programming Only. But I want to learn about electrical design, wiring, web access, sensor and load calculations.

I have found few resources like

https://evertutorial.com
which was offering multiple related courses.

I have also found few udemy courses like From Wire To PLC: Bootcamp in industrial Automation.
https://www.udemy.com/course/from-wire-to-plc-a-to-z-compilation/

There many other websites but I am not sure if they have electrical design topics as well.

If any of you have suggestion feel free to share.

Hi and welcome to the forum!
I would suggest that you try to find employment in an industrial facility such as a manufacturing process, food processing, etc. that uses a lot of controls, both the "relay logic" and PLC. Get into maintenance and become familiar with the equipment and mostly the drawings. The prints will show you a lot about how to design electrical controls and other electrical.
I don't know about Europe but in the states one usually needs a journeyman electrician license to do construction and work for other businesses, but not so much if one is in a plant. You mentioned load calculations; most of that would have apps now, however it would benefit you to learn a lot about electrical theory from Ohm's Law on up to 3-phase and single phase AC power circuits, definitely DC theory and circuits, transformers, power factor and power factor correction (important) and low and medium AC voltage distribution.
I wish you the best and hope this helps you.
 
Last edited:
^^^^+1

Hands on experience in an Industrial Facility I'd say is about 80-90% of how a lot of us have learned. Good Luck.
 
Can you solve the problems posted on this forum? If not you can learn from them. The problem I see that most have is they are in a plant and only see one set of problems that apply to their plant. Reading this forum will expose you to a wider set of problems/applications. Another way is to work for a system integrator that works on many kinds of problems.
 
Most companies will either want to employ someone with the relevant formal qualifications, or an apprentice. so it can be difficult to get into any engineering industry nowadays, perhaps you need certain formal ones like the equivelent of 17th Edition wiring regulations (or what ever version they are on now that is recognised in your country), many require a degree in electrical or other related dicipline So perhaps concentrate on ones that are relevant if that is the type of employment you require. Many here probably got some qualifications later in life or were lucky enough to get jobs where you could learn & gain the skills/qualifications, not so many years ago (and probably even now) there seems to be little in qualifications in PLC related work that is why most are either self taught, come from a programming background, electrical engineering or maintenance. I myself had qualifications in electrical, printing engineering & even TV/Video servicing, my first exposure to PLC's was being thrown on-site with a Square D programming console & the manual, fortunately my qualifications in digital electronics plus interest in programming helped me get through.
 
I can say from experience the best way is to get a job in a factory, then they will walk you up to a machine with a control system you have never seen before, and have no idea how it works, and tell you to figure out why it isn't running. If you don't walk out and figure it out in 2 or 3 days they will then walk you up to a machine they got without any controls and tell you to build the controls, add the sensors and components needed, and get it running.


Now you have a full career ahead of you.
 
No matter how much classroom learning you have, the way you actually learn anything is to get thrown into the deep end of the pool without being asked if you know how to swim. That continues to be true after you think you've mastered your trade.
 
No matter how much classroom learning you have, the way you actually learn anything is to get thrown into the deep end of the poo...


True. I was actually in this trade for 10 years and designing controls for new machines before I got to my first one-day class.


In almost 30 years now I can state I have no more than 50 hours of classroom training in the field - including the few seminars at trade shows I have been lucky enough to go to.
 
Yes I agree, deep end strait away.
Many years ago I was sent on my first course at Siemens for the S5, I think it was called PL1, I did find a few bits useful, but in reality they taught me very little I did not already know. Since then I have attended other courses for PLC & Scada systems, again some useful knowledge & of course many seminars (only went for a jolly paid for by the company). But then again there is always knowlege there somewhere, so if you can, even if not courses just introduction to the latest stuff it can be useful as well as making contacts.
 
Yep, deep end is the way.
I was asked to make a dead donor machine run again with a plc. Donor as in parts were robbed for other machines.
I was given a laptop and a software cd and told to get on with it.
It was fun as I got bits working.
The finished program was atrocious but it worked.
 
Yes work for an integrator and be the field service engineer. Almost all integrators are trying to fill this position and it will expose you to lots of things, controls, programming, stress management, travel management.
In the end you will be smooth and calm in the most hectic of situations.
It will teach you more than just the job.
 
Get a job on night shift at a manufacturing company, most of the time you will be on your own (no one wants to work nights) and be forced into learning and making mistakes

Buy a PLC, build a trainer and start programming

AND ++ to what everyone else said :)
 
Another thing I did a lot, and still occasionally do for fun, is if I see something out in the world I wonder if I could program that.


I go home, grab a test PLC and open the software and generally succeed and think I did a better job than what I saw.


Also - do NOT only use one PLC platform. Download the free softwares you can and use & learn them all.

Automation Direct CLICK and ProductivitySuite, also their C-more HMI. Also their free DirectSoft limited version.

Allen Bradley RSLogix-micro and Micro-800.
FactoryMation's free PLC software.
Even trial versions of whatever you can - Mitsubishi, Keyence, Fanuc, Siemens TIA, etc.
 
I think working for a system integrator that services many different customers and systems will give you the best experience. I think working in a single facility where everything is done the same is not gonna give you as much experience. Ive always learned by seeing the way other people have done things. You learn real quick best practices for programming etc when you come back behind people. Something as simple as swapping a bad analog input with a good one can be a hell of a chore if not programmed in a friendly way.
 

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