What training do i need to know to become a PLC engineer?

plcstu1980

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Hi, i'm wanting to become a plc engineer. Ive been using plcs on and off for 5 years now and want to become more professional.

Im currently learning the Siemens PLCs and Beckhoff. How much do i need to know, say e.g. a control system for monitoring a manufacturing plant.

Stu
 
Learning the logic is important - As you are learning Siemens (I havent learnt Beckhoff) i assume you are learning STL - there are many here who know this well -
the other PLC range to learn is the AB - this will cover most of the industry - from there you need to understand the I/O allocation of the other brands - not all program in STL.
you will also need to have some mechanical knowledge - how the systems work. Analogue and digital systems.
- I hope this helps - find what courses cover these items
 
Like iant said, learning the logic, and how to use the programming software, and its tools (cross reference, search, etc...), is important. Another skill set that seems to be lacking these days is troubleshooting, including logic, electrical, mechanical, and hydraulic systems.

I also find that being able to trace existing logic and figure out how it works is one large dividing factor between people I would call PLC programmers, and people I would call PLC hackers. Almost anyone can get into a PLC program and make changes, but that alone doesn't make them a programmer.

When I am assigned to new projects the first thing I want to figure out is what hardware will be controlled/interfaced with, and how it all needs to work together. That is a combination of mechanical and hydraulic knowledge, along with controls experience to know what control hardware will be required.
 
Stu,

If you are learning PLC's, if you have the money or your employer can afford it, I would recommend you go on the available training courses, especially for Siemens.

I learnt most of my Rockwell stuff by trial and error, I was lucky enough back in the day to have an understandable employer.

All PLC's follow the same standard and people get by with knowing that standard, but there are so many quirks to every piece of software, quirks that can save you days of programming.

As I stated I had been using AB PLC's for years before I went on a training course, and I honestly believe that after I went on the course my work output doubled.

I use Siemens PLC's but have never been on a training course, but I know if I did my Knowledge would make the code I write more efficient.

I guess what I am trying to say is get on those courses, they are invaluable and you will learn so much.

Mark
 
The first step is to become a better engineer

Hi, i'm wanting to become a plc engineer. Ive been using plcs on and off for 5 years now and want to become more professional.
You should learn physics, math, math algorithms and control theory. The PLC knowledge will become obsolete in a few years as the PLC becomes obsolete. Physics, math and control theory is forever knowledge. It will never change.

I see too many threads where the PLC programmer may know how to program a PLC but doesn't understand the real problem and are so clueless that they don't even know how to properly ask for help. They don't provide the data necessary to give a proper response and I would have to pull teeth and ask 20 question to get the answers.

No one will challenge me on this. If they do I can post a page of links to clueless posts on this forum.

A PLC is just a tool. Each one is just a passing fad that will eventually replace by something better. Concentrate on learning forever knowledge.
 
You should learn physics, math, math algorithms and control theory. The PLC knowledge will become obsolete in a few years as the PLC becomes obsolete. Physics, math and control theory is forever knowledge. It will never change.

I see too many threads where the PLC programmer may know how to program a PLC but doesn't understand the real problem and are so clueless that they don't even know how to properly ask for help. They don't provide the data necessary to give a proper response and I would have to pull teeth and ask 20 question to get the answers.

No one will challenge me on this. If they do I can post a page of links to clueless posts on this forum.

A PLC is just a tool. Each one is just a passing fad that will eventually replace by something better. Concentrate on learning forever knowledge.


we dont need plc's we will have mind control - think and it appears in front of you - no machinery at all
(y)
 
Hello,

I personnally am reading the Siemens litterature right now. (Done with "STEP 2000 Basics of PLCs", and currently doing "SIMATIC - Working with STEP 7 - Getting Started")

To get an idea about what there is to know, I guess it's a good thing to see what the vendor himself is proposing, for Siemens, take a look at SITRAIN.

http://sitrain.automation.siemens.com/sitrainworld/

I downloaded the brochure to get an idea of what the vendor is teaching in the training. If you can afford the training (or someone is paying for yours), then fine. If you can't or don't like to for any reason, then at least you have some idea on what there is to know, and learn that yourself. That's what I am doing. I am becoming an Instrumentation Engineer (5 years)(Like Peter said, lots of physics and maths the first 2 years) although I've been in Control/Automation Engineering for a year (mainly Robust Control, Ackermann, Pontryagin, RST (digital correctors) etc...) And now I'm learning the stuff I'll need on the field (PLCs, protocols, piping, anything related)

All the best,
 
I don't think anyone can legitimately use the title "engineer" unless they have at least a B.S. degree from an ABET accredited school. Companies can title people anything they want - even call over half their people VP. Titles are cheap and so may be the salaries. There was a time when Professional Engineer licenses were grandfathered in many states, but I think that has passed, not that I think the PE license means much and I never paid the annual fees for one (maybe if a company I worked for would pay the tab).

I know there are many people who learn much of engineering on their own, but I also run into experienced, non-degreed people who are respected at their company yet fall flat on technical issues like what causes a structure to fail or the basics of fluid flow. I know PLC's are a bit different since that is more skills based than academic knowledge, and it doesn't require an engineer. However, interfacing the PLC to the plant may require a true engineer on the process side.
 
I don't think anyone can legitimately use the title "engineer" unless they have at least a B.S. degree from an ABET accredited school. Companies can title people anything they want - even call over half their people VP. Titles are cheap and so may be the salaries. There was a time when Professional Engineer licenses were grandfathered in many states, but I think that has passed, not that I think the PE license means much and I never paid the annual fees for one (maybe if a company I worked for would pay the tab).

I know there are many people who learn much of engineering on their own, but I also run into experienced, non-degreed people who are respected at their company yet fall flat on technical issues like what causes a structure to fail or the basics of fluid flow. I know PLC's are a bit different since that is more skills based than academic knowledge, and it doesn't require an engineer. However, interfacing the PLC to the plant may require a true engineer on the process side.

This all sounds great BUT
some B.S. engineer 'Graduates' having plagiarized their degree are the reason that any one is getting called an 'Engineer'.
Wasn't an engineer a train driver?
All these structural, fluid flow etc. needed to be learned before it could be taught.
Most of us needed to learn and will default to an experienced person, should the need arise.
B.S. can be B... S..t
 
B.S. can be B... S..t
That is the most accurate description of most new graduate engineers I think I have ever seen.
I often get 'what are your qualifications?' Response is 'silly old (very relavent) electrical fitter who has learned a lot from falling on his a..e many times.' Comment usually come back 'I am an engineer.' Comment goes back 'does that mean you can calculate voltage drop?'
Not trying to knock good engineers at all - just the, mainly, young ones fresh out of Uni who know eveything.
Old saying 'employ a teenager while they still know everything.'
You should learn physics, math, math algorithms and control theory.
Yes.
Working as at tradesman trouble shooting control circuits in machines and processes, designing and building control systems, even selling controls equipment at a technical level is also good provided you understand control systems in the first place.
I learned a heck of a lot when employed as an applications sales engineer. I had to come up with solutions for peoples control problems - sometimes almost impossible.
You cannot beat experience with control systems so that you understand what you are programming. Many PLC programmers do not - they are just good at writing innapropriate software at times.
The latest one I saw in Ozz was an add for a 'software engineer' with a University degree. I could not help myself - the add was placed by HR of course - had to ring up and ask which University I could attend to obtain a degree in control system design, manufacture, PLC and SCADA programming, commissioning and trouble shooting. Also asked if the course at the University they could suggest would include process control, temperature sensing and control, plumbing, electricians licence, carpentry, painting, sheet metal work, mathematics, physics, chemistry (metals of course) and anything else that a good controls engineer would require.
All I got was 'Huh!'
HR - hopeless retards!
 
This all sounds great BUT
some B.S. engineer 'Graduates' having plagiarized their degree are the reason that any one is getting called an 'Engineer'.
Wasn't an engineer a train driver?
All these structural, fluid flow etc. needed to be learned before it could be taught.
Most of us needed to learn and will default to an experienced person, should the need arise.
B.S. can be B... S..t

I couldn't agree more. My current title is automation engineer. I didn't go to school for it, just learned on the job. Now I design and implement any new control systems for the machinery we build from scratch. Also, I program the PLC, HMI, Motion, etc.

We do however have a engineer with a B.S. on staff who is in charge of scheduling and isn't even good at that. Not a mechanical talent by any means.

My 2 cents,

-Dave
 
Dave,
I can say I am a qualified A grade electrician (35 yrs)
working in control systems all of those years.
- I design Pneumatics
and to a lesser extent some hydraulics.
In Aus. the "Technical Colleges" have been renamed Campuses of universities.
So Technically I can claim to be a "Professional" as most B.S. Graduate/post graduate engineers do.

I also Know some excellent engineers - My hat is off to you guys (y) - so please don take my remarks personally
 
Dave,
I can say I am a qualified A grade electrician (35 yrs)
working in control systems all of those years.
- I design Pneumatics
and to a lesser extent some hydraulics.
In Aus. the "Technical Colleges" have been renamed Campuses of universities.
So Technically I can claim to be a "Professional" as most B.S. Graduate/post graduate engineers do.

I also Know some excellent engineers - My hat is off to you guys (y) - so please don take my remarks personally

I also know some brilliant engineers and I hope my remarks don't offend anyone.

-Dave
 

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