Course or Book to Start Learning PLC Programming?

[Colt Hero]

Can you guys recommend a course or book for my son to start learning PLC programming? He’s telling me he’s thinking of taking some $100 course online, and I see some books on Amazon ... I just know Rockwell charges something like $4,000 (US) for their “Level-1” classes ... and they’re barely useful ... I can’t imagine what you might be taught in a $100 course:

“This is a PLC, and that is a program that runs in it ... Thank You!” LOL!

Might be best off with just a “Dummies” book ... if it’s written well.

 

[geniusintraining]

Buy him a PLC and have him start, I have helped a few people get started that wanted to learn and I had them help me write lessons. If he has writing skills and want to make a couple bucks learning PLC's have him contact me.

Some of the best teachers are the students.

 

[Colt Hero]

Which PLC are you talking about (?) ... a ControlLogix from Rockwell? Aren’t those kind of pricey? Then you need a Display of some kind, too ... right?

 

[Corsair]

Do NOT consider any sort of manufacturer's training yet. Start out with some generic stuff. Digital logic background - ANDs, ORs, etc. Learning something about programming in C. C is a basis for understanding what goes on inside all computers including PLCs. Too many people try to play songs on the piano without practicing the scales first. It's shown in many of the posts on this website. Manufacturer training too early leads to a false sense of confidence in ones abilities, an enslavlng allegiance to that product, and possibly a restricted career path.

The PLC class outline from corsairhmi.com is a possible initial free place to go. It has info on ladder logic application of DeMorgans theorem and a scattering of other topics. Other excellent resources are mentioned in several threads on this website. Only once motivation has been demonstrated by working through the theory will it be time to worry about Brand X or Y.

 

[geniusintraining]

Which PLC are you talking about (?) ... a ControlLogix from Rockwell? Aren’t those kind of pricey? Then you need a Display of some kind, too ... right?

If it were my son.... buy a CLICK and Micro800, both have free software, let him give it a try, 6 months down the road and he is still programing and likes it then yes invest more money

For less than 200 bucks he can see if its something he wants to continue doing

 

[busarider29]

Here are the two books that I have. The first one will cover all IEC 61131 languages of PLCs. I believe it's a great resource for even the most seasoned of PLC programmers. It's more of a reference book, but still very useful for both beginners and seasoned programmers. It's a must if you want a reference for all programming languages, not just LD or ST, etc.

The second book is for ST language only. This is the book that I hand to a green horn structured text PLC programmer. It's very easy to read, understand and follow. If you want to learn ST, this is the book to have. I also believe ST is the first and must PLC language to learn. Learn the others too if you need or want, but make sure to learn and know ST.

I prefer books versus paid-for PLC courses because the book you will always have and can always reference. Every PLC course I've taken gives you a "work book" and that's it. All the theory is in the course but no book explaining the theory, so whatever you don't write down and/or retain after the course is over, is lost. I rarely will send a guy to a formal PLC training course. They never retain what is taught in the course, and mostly its because the poor design of the courses in my opinion, and as stated, no text book to reference afterwards.

For programming software, download and install TwinCAT 3. He can learn, practice, and code for any of the five IEC-61131 languages, all for free. Whatever he learns using TwinCAT, he can apply the fundamentals to most any PLC vendor hardware. PLC programming is PLC programming, it's all the same. Don't buy anything, other than the books. There's no need to. This is the way I do it with our new guys and co-ops that come through our department. I hand them the books, the laptop that has TwinCAT 3 on it, a simple write-up tutorial that I wrote up (to get started in TwinCAT) and a simple little programming project, and then let them go with - "Come and see me if you get stuck somewhere".

1. IEC 61131-3: Programming Industrial Automation Systems

2. PLC Controls with Structured Text

 

[drbitboy]

If they want to learn PLC programming, I recommend poking around before spending money to make sure they will keep interest:

• RSLogix Micro Starter Lite and RSEmulate 500 are freebies; ladder only; the emulator is not complete (e.g. longs are limited via 24 of the 32 bits they should have; PID is not implemented)
• Several others (Horner, Logo! (FBD-ish), DoMore, CCW) have basic level freebie software with emulators. These "other" brands work and will teach most concepts, but they do not have the smoothness of WhateverLogix.
• There are various online PLC emulators and courses; I think this website has one; Corsair was mentioned.

Starting on Allen-Bradley WhateverLogix/Studio software will spoil him for anything else wrt look and feel.

That will only work as long as they If they show an interest after that and want to go beyond PLC programming (configuring, wiring, fieldbus), then bite the bullet and get a trainer. Yes it's k$, but the labor involved is worth it e.g. PLCcables.com (forum member @geniusintraing).

If you want to save money, i.e. your (or his) labor is "cheap," and are willing to construct your own bespoke trainer, go to eBay and a get used

• S7-1200 can be found for about the same, but getting a basic version of TIA is several hundred, IIRC. This will get him other languages though: ST (well, SCL); IL; FBD. TIA is complex and slow because it tries to be everything to everybody, but it works.
• S7-1200 trainer for under $500 may be a better option, but lead times may be a bit long.
• MicroLogix 1100 for $100-200, and Micro Starter Lite freebie can program it.
• Micro8xx, and run with freebie CCW; CCW feels like Fisher-Price though.
• Other brands can probably be found on eBay as well.
• Make sure whatever model you get has ethernet to make comms easy.
• Don't forget a power supply. I limit my lab to 24VDC PLCs and use chargers from dead laptops.
• Relays, buttons and such can be found as well.

Lots of YouTubes (the Ron Beaufort boot camp series has not been bettered yet for understanding the basics: scan cycle; reading ladder logic; understanding that PLC programming is about time. TW ontrols. hegamurl. Etc.).

Lots of web pages (ContactAndCoil, etc.).

 

[jaden]

Look at the Automation Direct "Click". The software is free, and they have training videos available online. The Click is very intuitive for a beginner.

Automation Direct.com

 

[parky]

Perhaps the do more from automation direct as it has a simulator so no need at first for a real PLC. or if it is still available the RSL lite from RW as this has a simulator for ML1000.

 

[the_msp]

If it were my son.... buy a CLICK and Micro800, both have free software, let him give it a try, 6 months down the road and he is still programing and likes it then yes invest more money

For less than 200 bucks he can see if its something he wants to continue doing

Buy them the Click if they've been well-behaved.

Buy them the Micro800 if they have not.

 

[dummy_bit]

Depending on the age of your son, check your local junior college for industrial controls courses. You tend to learn more hands on than just reading a book. Buy a PLC and let them tinker. (24VDC version would be much safer)

 

[thehoneybadger]

Buy him a PLC and have him start, I have helped a few people get started that wanted to learn and I had them help me write lessons. If he has writing skills and want to make a couple bucks learning PLC's have him contact me.

Some of the best teachers are the students.

I agree. Buy an AB micrologix800. The software is free and it comes with a handful of built in I/O. This is under 200$. Buy a handful of relays and LED lights from ebay. This will keep him busy for a while. If he outgrows it, then buy him an analog module. That will keep him busy for a while longer.

If you see flashing lights eminating from the garage, then this could be the best investment you have ever made. If not, then this could be the cheapest toy you have ever bought him.

 

[joseph_e2]

Buy them the Click if they've been well-behaved.

Buy them the Micro800 if they have not.

My admittedly limited experience with them concurs....

 

[drbitboy]

You tend to learn more hands on than just reading a book.

+1, absolutely. If making bits change from 1 to 0 and back again, even on an emulator, doesn't make their socks roll up and down, then that will become apparent soon enough.

Only the people who learn, and are not afraid, to poke around, try different things, even break things, end up understanding the programming language they are working with.

I see some posts here from people who have first tried many different things to solve their problem and are at the end of their rope*, but many more posts from people who tried one thing, and when it didn't do what they expected gave up and came here.

My dad told me a story of one of his Large Steam Turbine acceptance tests, they had a problem and could not find the source, and finally one of the other engineers said "Let's try something even if it's wrong."

* and of course there are more we don't hear about, who tried different things that did eventually solve their problem and so never had to post here

 

[arpus4KM]

Like everybody has said, there are a lot of freebie software options and very cheap hardware options. It's just a matter of getting set up first and just trying to make it work.

find a Cheap Micrologix 1000 on ebay and use microstarter lite.

get a cheap 80 dollar click plc and the software is free (still need a programming cable too).

Get a Mitsubishi FX clone from amazon for a low as 30 bucks and the software is free somewhere from someone with a quick google search (or even a link from the hardware seller on amazon).




Now take those and do basic IO, Basic latch circuit, Basic timers, Basic sequencing and progress into communication where maybe you use the Click, which can do modbus. and you get a 10 dollar Modbus relay board from amazon and learn how to wire it up and send message instructions via Modbus RTU. Once you get to that point, you are ahead of a lot of people who have been around PLCs for a decade but have never had the courage to try something they are uncomfortable with.