PLC training

Hi I am new to this forum and would like some advice on PLC training. I have been an electrical commissioning engineer for a number of years, I have dabbled with Step 7 a few years ago but I would like to progress towards a career as a software engineer.
what training would you recommend?
I have found a site (scantime.co.uk) that does online training does anyone have any experience with this company?
I will be great full for any advice people can offer.
Thanks, Dave.

Thanks for the helpful replies.

Sorry, I read your post, but I have no experience with scantime.co.uk.

Many of us learned the hard way mostly by watching others and then writing programs. A good place to start is with PLC Simulator software that you can run on your home computer and work until you get it right. For me, that type of hands-on learning at my own time and speed is worth about paid 10 training courses. Only do the courses when you have learned enough on your own to know what they will be talking about and what you will be paying for.

110cookie said:

Hi I am new to this forum and would like some advice on PLC training. I have been an electrical commissioning engineer for a number of years, I have dabbled with Step 7 a few years ago but I would like to progress towards a career as a software engineer.
what training would you recommend?
I have found a site (scantime.co.uk) that does online training does anyone have any experience with this company?
I will be great full for any advice people can offer.
Thanks, Dave.

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If you are looking for training on Allen-Bradley PLCs specifically, then I can offer that.

But it sounds like you are not going to be sponsored, so a commercial training scenario may be too expensive for you.

Be aware that you cannot "learn PLCs", you will find differences in the way different manufacturers do things, to the extent that you will make mistakes when moving from one platform to another. "One man's meat, ..." etc.

Lancie1 said:

Sorry, I read your post, but I have no experience with scantime.co.uk.

Many of us learned the hard way mostly by watching others and then writing programs. A good place to start is with PLC Simulator software that you can run on your home computer and work until you get it right. For me, that type of hands-on learning at my own time and speed is worth about paid 10 training courses. Only do the courses when you have learned enough on your own to know what they will be talking about and what you will be paying for.

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Hi Lancie1, Thanks for the reply, Unfortunately I am not in a position where I can watch others until they are on site and we are commissioning the system, but, it is still good advise. I have now purchased the training books from the site with the aim of teaching myself all I can before trying a specific training course.
Dave.

daba said:

If you are looking for training on Allen-Bradley PLCs specifically, then I can offer that.

But it sounds like you are not going to be sponsored, so a commercial training scenario may be too expensive for you.

Be aware that you cannot "learn PLCs", you will find differences in the way different manufacturers do things, to the extent that you will make mistakes when moving from one platform to another. "One man's meat, ..." etc.

Click to expand...

Hi Daba, Thanks for the reply, I don't think I am ready for specific training on AB stuff just yet but I may want to in the future, if so I will get in touch.
I have already experienced the problems when an engineer swaps from one brand to another on a previous job, I suppose that it is what builds experience. The software engineer at the time was under a lot of pressure from several parties to progress the job and it was working with him to solve the issues that rekindled my interest in PLC's

You might want to check out some of the PLC classes offered by NTT, National Technology Transfer, Inc. in Centennial CO. These have been acclaimed over the years as very good and are based on the AB product line.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am an instructor for NTT in their drives and motor program so I could be a bit biased.

110cookie said:

Hi I am new to this forum and would like some advice on PLC training. I have been an electrical commissioning engineer for a number of years, I have dabbled with Step 7 a few years ago but I would like to progress towards a career as a software engineer.
what training would you recommend?
I have found a site (scantime.co.uk) that does online training does anyone have any experience with this company?
I will be great full for any advice people can offer.
Thanks, Dave.

Click to expand...

Hi Dave,

I think a lot of people did not reply because you said "but I would like to progress towards a career as a software engineer" I don't think many here consider them as software engineers, are you looking to get into automation or creating software?

If programming PLC's then there are several great books and DVD's ect, that I would recommend

http://www.plcs.net/contents.shtml
http://claymore.engineer.gvsu.edu/~jackh/eod_redirect/index.html

Step7
http://www.amazon.com/Hans-Berger/e/B001JOPGC8/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

There are more but kind need to know where you are wanting to go

geniusintraining said:

Hi Dave,

I think a lot of people did not reply because you said "but I would like to progress towards a career as a software engineer" I don't think many here consider them as software engineers, are you looking to get into automation or creating software?

If programming PLC's then there are several great books and DVD's ect, that I would recommend

http://www.plcs.net/contents.shtml
http://claymore.engineer.gvsu.edu/~jackh/eod_redirect/index.html

Step7
http://www.amazon.com/Hans-Berger/e/B001JOPGC8/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

There are more but kind need to know where you are wanting to go

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Hi Geniusintraining,
In the water industry in the UK, as I understood it, the software engineers are the ones that write the programs that control the PLC's running the water and waste water plants.
I am not too sure of the difference between a software engineer and automation engineers, please could you explain the terminology for me?
I want to be able to program PLC's to control the plants that I work on.
Thanks,
Dave.

If you are into water and wast water I am sure it wouldn't hurt to read a book about it written by a long term member of this site.

http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=83233

Mmm - do not know how to answer this. I am an Electrical Fitter trained in the 60's. Trouble shooting, hard wired design etc. Then went into management for about 20 odd years.
then learned a bit about PLCs because I was selling them.
Then went and worked for one of my customers and learned a lot more about PLCs by falling on my 'A'. Thrown in at the deep end I guess.
DOS software in those days and keyboard programming only. Now I have to use a ruddy mouse sometimes - hate it - too slow.
How can I give you an answer - I have no formal training in PLCs but turn out software at a million miles an hour out of my head.
I may add that I design and build all my control panels, software and commissioning.
I design the systems to make life easy for me when programming - can lose a heap of money there.
I have designed and programmed automated base load power stations (diesel generators) and many other complex designs and programming - all self taught and flying by the seat of my pants.
Like I said, how can I give you some sort of answer as to how to get into it.
Also do SCADA systems and many other things - all self taught.
I guess the first thing you need to know is how the machine, system or process is meant to work. Do not know how you can learn that - I did it by the seat of my pants.

110cookie said:

I want to be able to program PLC's to control the plants that I work on.

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To me a software engineer works for Microsoft or another software manufacture... but now I understand better

Tom's book would also be a good start as allscott pointed out, also look at the other links as they would all be good and have great information

You can also buy some hardware or get some from the company you work for and make a trainer that you can use to learn... the main point in this is getting comfortable with the hardware, I see a lot of people that are unsure of what they are doing to they do not want to make things worse, but if you have the hardware you can learn how to hook up, get online and search the code for any issues, setting up communications is one pains

Hope this helps

Best regards
Mark