new to plcs

hello, i'm new to plc's and want learn more about allen-bradley SLC-500 series and Modacon PLC's. If anyone can help to put me on a beattin' path, please do so. Any kind of info, tips and tricks, of the trade most apprecated.

That's a pretty broad and open ended request! The most efficient thing is for you to start with your local distributor for these products.

Check into "Programmable Logic Controllers" seminar by Dr. Jeff Jackson from University of Alabama. Covers Modicon and AB.
RJenkins

Suggestions

A Couple of Books I have that focus on SLCs are:

Technician's Guide To Programmable Controllers By Richard A. Cox

Programmable Logic Controllers Hardware and Programming By Max Raibee


Build Your Own Trainer

You can download a free version of RSLogix 500 Starter Software and RSLinx Lite software to upload and download to Allen Bradley MicroLogix 1000 10-point controllers.

RSLogix 500 Starter software is fully-functional when used with RSLinx Lite software and MicroLogix 10-point controllers, meaning the 6 input, 4 output variety. The 1761-L10BWB is $149 and a programming cable is $50. That means you have a real PLC (new with warranty) and software to train with.

Check out this link:

http://www.ab.com/plclogic/micrologix/

The link to the software and the Webstore are both on this page.

Modicon

You can download demo copies of Modicon software from http://www.schneiderautomation.com.

ProWORX32 is the latest version of their 984 Ladder Logic software which is also compatible with all of the older 984 and 584 families.

Concept 2.5 is the current version of their IEC61131-3 software for use with the TSX QUANTUM, TSX Compact and TSX Momemtum families. Concept also includes a built in simulator.

choose a brand that can be programmed in iec1131 languages. this is far superior to ladder logic. i use concept 2.6 to program quantum and momentum (modicon) plcs. i will never go back to ladder logic.