ControlLogix training – would you like an order of Structured Text to go with that?

Ron Beaufort

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this is almost certainly a wild goose chase – but I've GOT to give it a try ...

I have a question – and I'm pretty sure that there is no reasonable answer for it ... I've devoted a LOT of time and thought to this one - but before I finally give up, I'm hoping that someone on the forum can help me brainstorm an idea – something – ANYTHING - which might lead to a solution ...

let me ask it this way:

if you (personally) were looking for "hands-on" training (specifically, training for "technician-level" troubleshooting on ControlLogix systems) how would YOU prefer for the training material to be packaged?

specifically, how much material? ... how many days total? ... how many days in a row? ... how many hours per day? ... how many classes? ... how many trips? ... and so on ...

here's my reason for asking:

as most of you know, about eight years ago I was given a chance to open my own one-man (and one-wife) business – offering "PLC training" ... since then, we have been blessed with success far beyond anything that I could possibly have imagined ... (there's a sermon there) ...

now suddenly I find myself 68 years old (and counting) – and I realize that I need some sort of "exit strategy" for the business – hopefully before the "counting" comes to the inevitable end ...

"Plan A" would be to simply keep right on chugging along – until I finally drop in my tracks ... I have "friends in the business" who have promised to help my little wife dispose of my lab equipment (probably piece-by-piece on eBay) – but the training business itself would almost certainly die with me ...

"Plan B" would be to sell the business to some individual who could keep it going in more-or-less the same way that I've been running it ...

frankly - "Plan A" would be my personal (selfish) favorite – but "Plan B" would be the more "responsible" way to handle the inevitable "end of the road" situation ...

lately I've started talking with a few parties who have shown an interest in buying me out – and with that in mind, I've been taking steps to "streamline" my business plan to make it easier for someone to step in and take over the operation ...

and now we've finally come to my perplexing ControlLogix question ... how in the world do you "streamline" that particular monstrosity? ...

(A) with the SLC-500/MicroLogix platform, five days of boot camp training usually provides adequate troubleshooting skills for even raw beginners to "hit the ground running" ...

(B) the PLC-5 platform is more challenging ... the students need Block Transfer Read and Write operations in order to troubleshoot analog signals ... and also the one-slot, two-slot, and half-slot addressing modes ... but even so, five days of boot camp is usually enough for most students...

on the other hand ...

(C) the new ControlLogix platform gives the programmer more "power" – more "flexibility" – more "capability" ... but ... from the maintenance technician's viewpoint - when the pump won't run at 3:00 o'clock in the morning, all of those fancy new bells-and-whistles just add to the "complexity" of getting the plant's equipment back up-and-running ...

anyway ...

below I've attached a little preview of a "menu" type approach that I've been using for several years to help my customers identify the specific pieces of the puzzle that their maintenance technicians need in order to troubleshoot their plants' ControlLogix-based systems ... (in case you're interested, the full menus are attached to my next post) ...

just for discussion, there are (so far) 109 menu items on the ControlLogix list – and 107 items (so far) on the separate list for RSLinx ... the ones marked with green check marks are all bedrock "everybody's gotta know this" type material ... for just a few "tip of the iceberg" examples:

002 – Controller Tags
006 – Continuous Task
008 – Program Tags
009 – Ladder Diagrams
016 – Messages
035 – Periodic Tasks
049 – Add-On Instructions
054 – User-Defined Data Types
060 – Trends
062 – I/O Configuration
065 – Digital Inputs
066 – Digital Outputs
067 – Analog Inputs
068 – Analog Outputs
069 – Remote I/O over Ethernet
081 – Remote I/O over Blue Hose
089 – Grinder Exercise
104 – Produced and Consumed Tags
108 – DF1 Communication Driver

and all along the way, each student must learn how to navigate the RSLogix5000 software – do EFFECTIVE searches – wire up and configure the inputs and outputs – and so on – and so on ... getting all of this done with a "hands-on" approach turns into quite a full five-day's-worth of training – even at an "intense and demanding" boot camp pace ...

(continued in next post) ...

.

Topics_Preview.jpg
 
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(continued from previous post) ...

without going into a lot of detail, let's just say that mastering the "basic" material that I've outlined so far is quite "challenging" – but it's still "doable" for a properly motivated student ...

we start at 8:00 AM (or earlier) – go until 5:00 PM (or later) – with NO scheduled breaks except lunch (and many/most students eat at their stations and work right through their lunchtime) ... like I said, mastering the bedrock stuff is "doable" in a five-day class ...

but ...

suppose that some of the students in the class also need skills (for example) in understanding and troubleshooting:

010 – Structured Text
011 – Function Block Diagrams
012 – Sequential Function Charts
018 – Equipment Phases
038 – PID Control (Proportional-Integral-Derivative)
039 – PIDE (E for "Enhanced")
040 – Safety Control Concepts
047 – Motion Control
092 – ControlNet
099 – DeviceNet

and so on – and so on ...

my problem is how do you fit any (if not all) of that "extra" stuff into one single five-day class? ...

obviously that's like putting ten pounds of sugar into a five pound sack – so I'm convinced that it can NOT be done ... and this is the ONE piece of my business that I've been totally unable to "streamline" into a format that any reasonable buyer would be willing to tackle ...

here's how I (personally) have been handling it – and this has been completely successful – at least for me ...

keep in mind, that in many/most cases, my customers' are companies who send me their employees for training ... specifically, I very seldom deal with individual students who are "paying their own way" ...

(A) most of these companies are able to email me some "sample" copies of the project files that their employees will be working with after the training has been completed ... once I receive the .ACD file, it usually takes me only about 5 or 10 minutes to skim through it and see which (if any) "extra" beyond-the-basics concepts will need to be covered ...

(B) on the other hand, quite a few of my larger customers are government installations, defense contractors, pharmaceutical companies, and so on ... I fully understand that these types of customers have security issues – and that they are NOT allowed to reveal their program code ... in these cases, I can usually get someone on the phone who is knowledgeable enough to answer my "yes or no" questions ... "Do you use Structured Text?" ... "Do you use Function Block Diagrams?" ... "Do you use Equipment Phases?" ... and so on down through the menu items – checking the ones that their particular students are going to need ...

once I know what each student requires, the next step usually goes something like this:

"Andy, you and Bob need to stay late on Monday to cover Structured Text." ... "Charles, you and Dave plan on staying late on Tuesday to cover your company's Function Block Diagrams." ... and so on ...

folks – this is a LOT of extra work on me – but frankly I enjoy it ... I honestly don't mind it – and I very seldom charge anything extra ...

but ... (and this is the crux of the matter) ...

how do I go about "packaging" this EXTRA training material into some type of format that any reasonable new owner would be willing to deal with? ...

my discussions with potential buyers always seem to skid to a sudden halt just as soon as this particular subject crops up ... "extra" time? ... "extra" effort? ... "extra" work? ... we're definitely not talking about a simple nine-to-five job here ...

maybe/hopefully I just haven't run into the right person yet – but everyone I've talked with so far isn't really as eager to run their own business as they thought they were ...

from my customers' viewpoints, the main issue is that anything more than a five-day class requires more time spent away from the plant (at least an extra weekend – plus) ... to be honest, it is extremely rare for a customer to complain about any additional training charges – or hotel expenses – or plane fare – etc. ... the biggest issue is the time required for the student to be away from the plant – and not covering the shifts ...

honestly, I'm not expecting much response from this particular thread – but if anyone out there has any ideas, I'd certainly like to hear them ... and please feel free to PHONE rather than type – if you'd prefer ... personally I always find it easier to brainstorm ideas by "talking" rather than "typing" ...

thank you ...

.
 
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Ron,

My first thought would be to split the Controllogix program into: Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced; each 5 days as you do - maybe with a Post-Graduate program for the more advanced stuff.
 
Splitting the "levels" of knowledge into separate classes does seem the most logical method. For the style of training you give I do not think you would necessarily need four of them.

The problem lies with split classes do force people to start at your first one or do you let people take any class they want.

Sure there are many people that know enough to say jump in the second one and be fine, but there will probably be just as many people who either by there companies wishes or there own think they can handle the second one, but can't. That can put the brakes on a whole class. Also it can hurt your reputation because if you send back a student that is now more confused than when he showed up (even though it is not your fault the student didn't know the basics) the company might now think the course is not what you make it out to be.

On the other hand if you make the first course a mandatory requirement you may put out a turn off to some of those who believe (regardless on whether there belief is true or not) that they don't the need basic level class and therefore do not wish to spend the money on it.

just my two cents
 
Ron,

My first thought would be to split the Controllogix program into: Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced; each 5 days as you do - maybe with a Post-Graduate program for the more advanced stuff.

+1

Even 3 X 40 hours might be insufficient for covering all the Logix platform features.
The employers of your students should be also given a "crash" feature comparison between the PLC platforms and the PAC ones; I'd say it is at least a 500% increase in capability/functionality when migrating from a PLC5 or SLC system to a ControlLogix one.
 
Consider taking on a partner rather than an outright sale initially, with an option for a 100% buyout later. With a second person you can train more students per session and offer those supplemental topics cafeteria style. Individual students can attend the sessions with the topics they really need. You can still tailor the offerings to the customer's needs so that you don't offer every single topic at each 5-day session.

Adding extra capacity will require additional investment in hardware and possibly more floor space. That could be the price of admission for the potential partner. Only serious investors need apply.

It seems to me that the strategy presents attractive options for you and for the business. With a partner you can begin to wean yourself from the business (and vice versa). By that I mean, the success of your business depends on the participation of Ron Beaufort. I get the sense that the ongoing sanity of Ron Beaufort depends to a large degree on his participation in the business. If you're the type of person who will require a cold-turkey break rather than easing yourself out of the picture, then the approach won't work.

If it is a viable strategy, your ongoing presence will go a long way toward improving the chances that the new partner/owner will be able to succeed. The Ron Beaufort name and style is a key asset of the business. Down the road a few years, the new partner/owner will be able to say that he studied under Ron Beaufort and had the chance to learn by working alongside you. And it won't hurt the marketing effort if Ron Beaufort will still be conducting one or more days of boot camp.
 
Even 3 X 40 hours might be insufficient for covering all the Logix platform features.

I don't think a boot camp is going to cover all the features of any PLC platform. I figure these are introductory courses to get the student introduced.

Even after 30 years of these PLC's I'm still learning.
 
Good Afternoon Mr. Beaufort,

I would also agree that adding an advanced Logix class seems like a great idea.

Speaking as someone that just recently finished your Controllogix course, I can say without a doubt that I would jump at the opportunity to come back take it to the next level.

However it would seem that taking step 1 would almost need to be a prerequisite so one person is not possibly holding up the rest of the class if they are not quite up to speed.

The way your course is layed out and your unique style of teaching are probably the best that can be found.
I am sure that 100% who have taken your course would say they would return for the chance to take more advanced training from you.
Employers while they may be hesitant, need to realize that additional training will only increase the value of their employee many fold.

Anyone who is lucky enough to partner with you will have some very big shoes to fill indeed, for it is "RON" that makes Ron Beaufort Training a priceless enterprise.

I wish you all the best and hope to get the opportunity to take a second swing at learning more from you before you decide to retire.

For those who have not taken Ron's class, you should seriously consider getting to Charleston and going through this class. It is well worth every moment and dollar you spend. For what you take from the class you will find no better value anywhere.

Regards,
BCS
 
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Ron,

My first thought would be to split the Controllogix program into: Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced; each 5 days as you do - maybe with a Post-Graduate program for the more advanced stuff.


+1 for this course of action. I also agree that Beginner should be mandatory. You know first hand that how much people think they know can be much different from how much they actually know. I'm not sure if Add-on Instructions were part of your "must know" for ControlLogix, but I think they should be. I know where I work, nearly every new piece of equipment we get will have AOI's in the programming, and if you don't have a basic understanding of how they function, good luck getting it running at 3:00 AM.

In my opinion *Begin 5K rant* The biggest problem with ControlLogix is how much flexibility it gives the programers. I encounter so many oh so clever ways to perform simple tasks that I have to think that the programers are having a contest to see just how complicated they could make somthing that is in fact simple. And don't get me started about the complete lack of rung comments. If you are going to use 8 rungs of logic and no OTE to start and stop a simple conveyor, would it kill you to add a comment or two? *End Rant*

The fact is ControlLogix is monster that grows bigger everyday. I don't really see how you could, even with all the "extra effort", give a tech the knowledge they need in 5 days. That platform is simply too complicated and needs to be broken up into different levels.

As a side note, I keep trying to get the company I work for to send a couple people (mostly me!) to your training, but so far no luck. I hope I can get them to change their mind before it's too late.

Will.
 
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testing

Do you perform any testing in your classes? Maybe creating a test would be a way for more advanced users to "test out" of the beginning course and ensure you they are capable of handling the more advanced course material. Forcing everyone into the beginner class first could bore some students and make them wonder if they have anything to gain from the next class. Everyone has a different skill level based on their experience and that should be taken into consideration.
 
Good Afternoon Mr. Beaufort,

I would also agree that adding an advanced Logix class seems like a great idea.

Speaking as someone that just recently finished your Controllogix course, I can say without a doubt that I would jump at the opportunity to come back take it to the next level.

However it would seem that taking step 1 would almost need to be a prerequisite so one person is not possibly holding up the rest of the class if they are not quite up to speed.

The way your course is layed out and your unique style of teaching are probably the best that can be found.
I am sure that 100% who have taken your course would say they would return for the chance to take more advanced training from you.
Employers while they may be hesitant, need to realize that additional training will only increase the value of their employee many fold.

Anyone who is lucky enough to partner with you will have some very big shoes to fill indeed, for it is "RON" that makes Ron Beaufort Training a priceless enterprise.

I wish you all the best and hope to get the opportunity to take a second swing at learning more from you before you decide to retire.

For those who have not taken Ron's class, you should seriously consider getting to Charleston and going through this class. It is well worth every moment and dollar you spend. For what you take from the class you will find no better value anywhere.

Regards,
BCS

+1

I took your class almost 4 years ago, and I think the subjects you covered in the class worked well.

I believe the partner idea that Steve Bailey suggested would ease you out gracefully, while allowing the new partner to get up to speed on your teaching methods and knowledge (a very tall order).

As to the class itself, a basic 5 day class that covers the most common items any technician will see (the items you checked off look like most of those) would be a great start. Then maybe several shorter classes (2 or 3 days each) that cover more advanced subjects such as other languages, motion, PID, etc.
 

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