Im new to plc's and want to learn

lescr · Nov 24, 2010

Hi Im trying to learn about fault finding on plc systems from a maintenance point of view. What would the steps be to find out why a plc controlled machine has stopped. I have seen the electricians use a lap top to access the plc system. After plugging in the lap top what steps would i need to do to get into the ladder logic. A step by step guide would be ideal to help me find why a machine has stopped. The electricians at work dont want to show me. Thanks Les

ceilingwalker · Nov 24, 2010

I realize you live far away, however, I will give you the same advice that someone on this site gave me. Go to the PLC Boot Camp in Charleston, South Carolina. Best training I have ever had! If your employer will pay for it, it is well worth it. Within your first hour you have already begun writing programs and diagnosing problems. It is all hands-on and no one shares a work station with anyone else. The instructor will work at your pace and make sure you get all you can from it. I have spent thousands on DVD’s, CD’s, books, and nothing had the effect this one week course had. Look at his videos on YouTube, search for Ron Beaufort and it has demos of his classes.

Tom@Pton · Nov 24, 2010

There is a very good reason they won't show you. You don't belong there...yet. Working on something you design, build and implement yourself is tricky enough. Jumping in cold without proper training and experience can be anything from a headache to deadly. Not only do you need to know the programming aspects but you also need to know everything about the process and equipment the PLC controls.

jude · Nov 25, 2010

Have to agree with Tom as a maintenance electrician/Programmer at our plant I would not want anyone who does not know what they are doing going on line and accidently or intentionally making changes, and there is no 5 minute step by step guide that can teach you how to understand the programming in a machine in order to fault find

bernie_carlton · Nov 25, 2010

Lescr - please don't let these posts diminish your desire to learn about PLCs. They are fascinating pieces of equipment.

But it takes much studying and possibly formal schooling before delving into actual working (or not working) machinery at your plant.

You need to have a firm grasp of electrical, electronic, logical and computer workings to understand the PLC itself. There is also a need for understanding mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic principles to understand the PLC's relationship to the machinery and its action.

Finally before troubleshooting a particular piece of machinery you would need an in-depth understanding of its particular functions and the PLC role in controlling those including its program.

But there is a lot of studying you can do on your own including the course which Phil Melore offers on this site. Good luck.

leitmotif · Nov 26, 2010

bernie_carlton said:
Lescr - please don't let these posts diminish your desire to learn about PLCs. They are fascinating pieces of equipment.

But it takes much studying and possibly formal schooling before delving into actual working (or not working) machinery at your plant.

You need to have a firm grasp of electrical, electronic, logical and computer workings to understand the PLC itself. There is also a need for understanding mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic principles to understand the PLC's relationship to the machinery and its action.

Finally before troubleshooting a particular piece of machinery you would need an in-depth understanding of its particular functions and the PLC role in controlling those including its program.

But there is a lot of studying you can do on your own including the course which Phil Melore offers on this site. Good luck.

I second Bernie recommendation. Melore books are very good - I learned a lot.

After that find out if there are any schools in your area teaching PLC. Go there and talk with instructor and ensure the equipment in their classes is same as at your plant. Also make sure it is not a book only class but has at least one half hands on.

From my experience troubleshooting PLC - it it was properly programmed in the first place ie has run well for a month or better then the most likely cause of problems is a sensor or failed output device (relay etc) YOu can do a lot of troubleshooting just looking at the input and output lites and see which one never turns on or in some cases off. After this you will need a list of what the inputs and outputs are and a set of schematics.

Dont let the electricians totally turn you off. See if one or two will let you be an apprentice. Of course if they are prima donnas who wont let the new guy in the "sacrosanct chamber of all knowledge" then you may just as well look for another job - and decent people to work with.

Dan Bentler

silva.foxx · Nov 26, 2010

Hi Les

I'm just up the A5/A483 from you. We do have a few training centres for PLC courses in the area.

Which brand of PLCs are you looking to get to grips with?

What's your industry and where you at?

I may be able to forward you some info to help your learning but get to grips with the "Learn PLCs" section at the top of this page and look into Ron's website video tutorials at http://www.ronbeaufort.com/sample_lessons.htm ... believe me... I've been tinkering with PLCs for over 10 years and I only really 'learned' after watching them

!

A number of years back I did a three year course (1 night per week) on Allen-Bradley at Yale College, Wrexham.

There's Tinson Training in Telford, E&L Instruments in Wrexham (Mitsubishi, Siemens, AB and Omron), I'm sure there are others.

Regards
s.f

ceilingwalker · Nov 26, 2010

bernie_carlton said:
Lescr - please don't let these posts diminish your desire to learn about PLCs. They are fascinating pieces of equipment.

Amen! I have been working with plcs for a few years, new to Allen Bradley controls. Many times I can't believe I get paid to do this, it is so much fun (and paid well). You have come to the right place! I was able to stumble my way around and program a small process, being new to AB Controls, and get it operational with the help of the folks here. The folks at this site are fantastic! Any question you have, no matter how dumb you may think it is, ask it. And you will learn that there are some here that see the glass as "half-empty", but the bulk of them see the glass as "half-full" and ready, willing, and able to help.

bornwild · Nov 27, 2010

@lescr. First you need to understand the basic of plcs and automation. you can download hugh jack book here .

also, dont worry you ll learn as time passes. Nobody is born learnt. I recommend you to read all a lot especially this forum. Get your basics right then everything will appear easy. Look at me even i dont know much Just so you know i am fresh graduate. Whenever i get time i read the forums here and it has been really helpful. Atlast dont worry i have also seen people in my company dont show much. you gotta learn by yourself. Nobody is gonna to spoon feed . Thats all i got to say

bnburkhart · Dec 16, 2010

I am also new to PLC's and I am currently attending an Industrial Electronics course which teaches AB PLC's. I have an old Mitsubishi FX2-32MT that I need to locate some software and literature for. Anyone know a source?

tracer · Jan 15, 2011

Yo Les, no offence but if your electricians won't explain the problem to you, then the odds of them letting you borow the laptop are pretty slim. as was mentioned above, making changes with out knowing what your doing can damage the machine and/or hurt people.
I used to work with a wanna be mechanic, His excuse fer anything not working, or not working right was "The timer in the PLC" is screwed up, he once went to the production supervisor because I refused to reset a non-existent timer in a non-existant plc. we had a self contained grease machine, that would pump grease to the bearings of a conveyor system, when the supervisor and the duty engineer came and got me, I took them out to the line, showed them the self contained unit, and then showed them the large puddle of grease on the floor, (roughly 4 ft in diameter, and 2" deep, where the unit was pumping, but the pipe had broken, so no grease was getting out to the bearings. He got into some serious trouble over that one..........lol

Im new to plc's and want to learn

lescr

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ceilingwalker

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Tom@Pton

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jude

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bernie_carlton

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leitmotif

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silva.foxx

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ceilingwalker

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bornwild

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bnburkhart

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tracer

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