Getting Started with Rockwell and Logix5000

A long time ago.....
I studied Micrologix PLCs in about 1999 or 2000. Since then, I have mainly played with GE/Fanuc 9030 and 9070 PLCs.

Where to start??? Things being Tag based isn't a deterrent to me. At work, we have Logix 5000 studio. We are phasing out the GE stuff and replacing it with new controls - all ControlLogix stuff with remote i/o.

The major problem is that my boss will throw **** up on a screen for two seconds and then I am supposed to remember that. Then I get **** for trying to learn stuff on my own on company time. I will hear stuff like...Ahh you got this...You won't have a problem with this..... and so forth. Meanwhile - I am not learning a thing. So I fully intend to learn on my own anyway.

Where do I start for learning to navigate the Logix 5000 program itself?
Where do I start for working with a PLC within Logix 5000?
I want to know about the various ways to have one plc communicate with another over Ethernet, and using older technologies too such as Modbus.

Finally, WHY does Rockwell not seem to have a single solitary free tool for learning it's systems? If they do, please point me that way.

Thanks - David

You can sign up and get an account for Rockwells techconnect and watch endless webinars and read articles. There is a 7 day grace period in 5000. That can give you plenty of time to learn navigation on your own. It is horrible that they won't supply educational versions for free, but then again there isn't a huge market for it.

I'll PM you with some more details.

Maxkling said:

There is a 7 day grace period in 5000.

Click to expand...

That is if you manage to get your hands on a copy of the software as you cannot download it from their website without a license (in which case the grace period is useless).

efigalaxie said:

Finally, WHY does Rockwell not seem to have a single solitary free tool for learning it's systems? If they do, please point me that way.

Click to expand...

Because they want to suck every penny they can from everyone. They are basically the devil, and replacing your controls with their stuff is selling your soul... but you have to pay them to do it!


Do you have any machines that have been converted? It might be easier to learn if you can monitor and navigate a working example.

I purchased a course on Udemy.com that teaches programming for the ControlLogix processors using Logix5000/Studio5000. It's at an intermediate level.

https://www.udemy.com/pac-basics/learn/v4/overview

I don't get it.
Try using Google and search for logix 5000 free tutorial pdf

I found several interesting things.
One I just downloaded was :

http://pdf.th7.cn/down/files/1603/Learning RSLogix 5000 Programming.pdf

Looks like LOT of good stuff in there . . . including this section from the table of contents :

Chapter 5: Writing Ladder Logic 73
Ladder logic overview 73
IEC 61131-3 74
Understanding programming logic 74
AND logic in ladder 75
OR logic in ladder 76
NOT logic in ladder 76
How to write ladder logic 77
Buffering I/O data 77
Defining tags 78
Buffering base tags 79
Buffering using program parameters 93
Summary 94
Chapter 6: Writing Function Block

MadPoet.

There are probably two dozen or so How-To videos built in to the help system in Logix. I think a lot of people don't even know they are there. Most cover the basics. That is a good starting point.

OG