Greetings Sparkyinak ...
IMPORTANT QUESTION FOR YOU: we're talking about the Allen-Bradley ControlLogix/CompactLogix platform – correct? ... we need to nail that down before we go much further ... but let's move on for now ...
this is going to sound kind of weird (coming from a guy who makes his living by teaching PLC skills) but honestly, the "get-yourself-a-PLC-and-learn-it-on-your-own" approach is actually probably the best way to master the skills that you need ...
except ...
you're going to need access to some hardware - and to the software ...
and – (here's the kicker) you're going to need a LOT of time ...
it's sort of like learning to play the piano by yourself (specifically, without having an instructor) ... basically you just keep banging away on the keys – and eventually you'll learn to play ... the question then becomes: how much TIME is it going to take before you get "good-enough" to where people would be willing to listen to you play? ...
so ... the advice that others have already given you in this thread – is GOOD advice – and (believe it or not) I personally agree with it ... but for most of the companies who send their employees to me for training, the story goes something like this: "We don't have months – (or maybe even years) – available for our guys to just "poke around" with the hardware and software until they get good enough to do the maintenance jobs that we hired them to do." ...
so when you get right down to the nuts-and-bolts of things – all that a training class (mine included) is intended to do is to shorten the "learning curve" – from something like months (or even years) down to something manageable – something like five twelve-hour days ...
anyway ...
I don't like to talk too much about my business on the forum (it might come across as "advertising") – but since you brought up a few points about me personally (by name) – I'll go ahead and try to answer your questions ...
I was looking into going to Ron Beaufort's PLC Bootcamp however, he's semi retired and about to fully retired so that avenue seems to be closed.
maybe ... but to be honest – I really don't WANT to retire ... I enjoy what I do – and a lot of folks want me to keep on doing it ... but ... I'm almost 72 years old now (I feel like I'm about half that age) ... and once in awhile, my left ankle swells up to the size of a grapefruit ... it's not causing any pain or discomfort (yet) - and it hasn't slowed me down (yet) – but common sense tells me that "something" isn't right ... although the three doctors that I've been to haven't seemed too worried about it (yet) ...
my lovely little wife - on the other hand – IS worried about it ... and she tells me that it's time to retire – and start taking things easy for a change ...
plus ... I really hate to commit to signing a one-year commercial lease (at a minimum) and then find out that my ankle is going to prevent me from working and being able to pay the rent ...
and so on and so on ... but ... there is a potential for hope on the horizon ...
one of our forum members – Mr.
Phil Buchanan – is now trying to set up his own training business – based on what I've been doing with mine ... I've been trying to help him get his operation up-and-running – even to the point of lending him the use of my lab and all of its equipment – and my training material - to conduct his first classes ...
keep in mind that I haven't heard Phil teach a "boot camp" style class yet – so it remains to be seen whether or not he'll be able to yell at his students for five twelve-hour days – which is a primary requirement of my "boot camp" training method ... we'll see about that ... but I can tell you that he has been VERY dedicated to mastering the material ...
so ... maybe the "PLC boot camp" legend will continue – even after Ron rides off into the sunset ...
one more point that you brought up ...
Reference manuals are great too since I don't have readily access to internet and cell service. More times than not, I am the only resource I have at my disposal and what I bring with me.
IF (big IF) we're talking about Rockwell RSLogix/Studio 5000 software – then you probably have a lot more manuals available to you than you might know about ... if you followed the default software installation procedure – and enabled the proper options – then you probably have THOUSANDS of pages of PDF files already on your computer's hard drive ... poke around under "Help" and see if you can access the "Online Books" feature ... the "Local PDF" selection is usually the one that you want ...
good luck with your studies – and be safe ...