PLC training course?

Thread Starter

dayman

Joined Jul 29, 2013
21
looking for some PLC training courses for myself and a few of my fellow technicians

not sure of where to look, heard American Trainco had a good quick program but I was hoping to see if the forum could give me a few recommendations

Thank you in advance
 

strantor

Joined Oct 3, 2010
6,782
looking for some PLC training courses for myself and a few of my fellow technicians

not sure of where to look, heard American Trainco had a good quick program but I was hoping to see if the forum could give me a few recommendations

Thank you in advance
Have you tried your PLC vendor? Sometimes vendors offer training, and usually the manufacturer offers training; if the vendor doesn't offer it, they should be able to put you in contact with the manufacturer training person.
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,619
I found the best way is to pick a PLC, preferably one you may intend using in the future and set up your own training jig.
There is nothing like seeing something work in action.
They can be picked up relatively cheap on ebay.
I also have a very good book by John Ridley, "Mitsubishi FX Programmable Logic Controllers, Applications & Programming".
Max.
 

Thread Starter

dayman

Joined Jul 29, 2013
21
we use SLK 500's here

Unfortunately an engineer is currently the gate keeper to accessing the programs, our techs are locked out of the micrologix program itself

we're attempting to eventually gain access, but the argument is that since we dont know anything about the program we shouldnt have access

of course how can you learn the program if youre not even allowed to see it, but I digress

I took a PLC class while getting my associates in electronic systems but the techs I work with are more mechanically inclined
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,619
Do you have any Rockwell Automation reps near you, Rockwell have a few courses for the SLC500 On line, web based and Instructor led.
Some local reps put on a free 1/2 or 1 day seminar that may be worth it if you are allowed access.
Max.
 

strantor

Joined Oct 3, 2010
6,782
we use SLK 500's here

Unfortunately an engineer is currently the gate keeper to accessing the programs, our techs are locked out of the micrologix program itself

we're attempting to eventually gain access, but the argument is that since we dont know anything about the program we shouldnt have access

of course how can you learn the program if youre not even allowed to see it, but I digress

I took a PLC class while getting my associates in electronic systems but the techs I work with are more mechanically inclined
It's SLC500, not SLK500. If you came up to me asking to poke around inside the SLK500 on my $20k/hr bottling line, I'd tell you to screw off as well.
If you really want to learn about PLCs, show some real interest in it and make it known to the gatekeepers what you want, and that you're ambitious about it.
What I mean by "show some real interest" is including all of, but not limited to the following:
  • Spend your own money to buy some used SLC500 stuff on eBay (CPU, uber-special proprietary serial cable, I/O cards, etc.)
  • Spend your own money to buy some books on PLC programming and troubleshooting, read them, take notes.
  • Program your SLC500 at home with some lights, switches, sensors, actuators, etc.
  • Assemble your setup in some nice-looking box, bring it to work, show it off to your supervisor and the gatekeepers.
  • Make an official documented request for your company to send you to the official Rockwell SLC500/RSLogix500 trainings, maybe even enroll you in the Rockwell certificate program.
  • Learn everything you can about it, on and off the clock. Watch youtube videos. Go onto a PLC forum and ask questions.
  • Now, you can go and ask the gatekeepers for PLC access and have a chance at being taken seriously.
  • If they still say no, go learn more, and ask again later. repeat.
  • If after a couple years of hearing "NO" after you've done that, look for another job.
That's more or less the sequence I followed, and it worked out beautifully; I became the gatekeeper.. After I did that, I had older co-workers, with many more years in the company, complaining about how I, a 20-something greenhorn with <2yrs experience, was allowed inside the PLCs but they weren't. They sounded a lot like you; expecting career advancement as a function of tenure and with no investment in self-worth. "I took the class, I did my time, now where's my reward?" It takes more than attending a class to be competent enough to tinker with money-making machinery.
 

strantor

Joined Oct 3, 2010
6,782
thank you for the direction and advice
No problem. Here's something to get you started. The link on that page to the download is broken; here's the actual link. With that, you can program a Micrologix 1000 or 1100 for free, no need to grovel to the gatekeeper for software access, or spend big bucks on software.
 
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