Need to learn AB as much as possible before Monday.

[scubaduderon]

Do any of you have ideas as how to go about learning as much about AB PLC programming as quickly as possible? I'm a former programmer, so I am familiar with logic. I'd like a head start for my new job.

I've loaded the RSLogix 500 Starter and got that going on my pc, but don't have any hardware to connect it to, and don't know if it will even help.

Any ideas or strategies are greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Ron :site:

 

[Mickey]

This might help, see link

http://www.thelearningpit.com/lp/doc/index.html

 

[Steve Bailey]

Any particular reason for the Monday deadline?

 

[scubaduderon]

I start new job Monday. I am expected to learn quickly due to programming experience and I have a few days to get a head start, and I found this great group!

Thanks,
Ron

 

[Mickey]

And here, click on sample lessons ( see link)

http://www.ronbeaufort.com/

 

[scubaduderon]

Thanks, I'm already into the beginning of the thelearningpit.

Ron

 

[Mickey]

Thanks, I'm already into the beginning of the thelearningpit.

Ron

Your Welcome.

And welcome to the forum.

 

[mordred]

http://claymore.engineer.gvsu.edu/~jackh/books/plcs/pdf/plcbook4_2.pdf

this is another useful free learning tool and its writtten more for the
RS logix structure in mind. I also recommend getting a copy of the SLC 500 instruction set or reference manual at www.AB.COM . The code is pretty much standard between that and micrologix.

 

[scubaduderon]

Excellent - Keep the ideas coming!

I was looking around for local bookstores that had books on PLC's, but it seems this is a special order type situation and would take too long to arrive to do me any good. I should order some anyway and continue the learning after the job starts. I have a long way to go.

I will also take classes at the local JC.

I thank you again, and will continue to do until the input stays low!

Ron

 

[jrwb4gbm]

If you don't already have this, here is a RSLogix Emulate 500 link from an older post by Mickey:
http://mms.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/multi_media/documents/multimedia/rsemulate500.zip

http://www.ab.com/programmablecontrol/plc/micrologix/downloads.html

 

[scubaduderon]

Thank you, I'll check that one out!

I downloaded and installed something called the RS Logix 500 Starter 10pt MicroLogix 1000 English, and have opened it, but now what? LOL.

I will look at yours next.

Thank you,

Ron

 

[jrwb4gbm]

Here's a link to the parent page of my earlier post. Maybe there is something (possibly a different version of RS Starter) on it you can use.
Link:
http://www.ab.com/programmablecontrol/plc/micrologix/downloads.html

 

[TConnolly]

Go to the literature library at AB.COM and download the SLC 500 instruction set reference manual and addressing manual. Since you've got PLC experience just make sure you understand AB addressing and you'll be up an running in no time at all.

 

[ndzied1]

Welcome to the world of PLC programming.

It sounds like you are coming from the computer science world so forgive me if that is not the case but this still may be useful.

When I first started with PLCs I had done BASIC and C and FORTRAN and the biggest thing that took me a while to get was that you have to forget about going into a loop to wait for something to happen on a PLC. While there are some ways to do conditional exeution, in general when starting out it helpped me when I began to think of the PLC program as one loop that executes continuously. This is what we mean by the program scan. Every rung gets executed every scan. If you need to wait for a limit switch to close before turning on an output to close a gripper, you don't try to keep the program looping doing nothing until the switch closes, you just do not close the gripper and then let the flow of execution continue to the bottom of the program and start all over again.

The Boot Camp stuff is great. Get the new employeer to send you to Rons class if you can. No matter how much you know about programming, learning about industrial programming from such a specialist will greatly increase your productivity. I would think your employeers payback would start immediately and for your while career there you will be more efficient so it would be time & money well spent.

Embrace the cycle of the PLC.
- Scan the inputs
- Solve the logic rungs
- Set the outputs
- Repeat
(thus might be slightly simplyfied but what you need to start)

Anyway, good luck with the new job and just take thing one step at a time and you should do fine.

 

[monkeyhead]

RS Logix 500 Starter is a free limited version of RSLogix for the Micrologix 1000 controller. If you don't have the controller or an application to develop, it's not really going to help you learn to program AB PLCS.

This is pretty much a re-cap of what everyone else has already but here's the course I'd recommend to get started:

1. If you need the basics, the tutorial on this site under the 'Learn PLCS' link at the top of the page is a great introduction to Relay Ladder Logic, and the synchronous scan cycle.

2. Then once you've worked through that, download the LogixPro simulator from http://thelearningpit.com - Try to work through the student exercises using your newfound understanding of RLL.

3. Then head over to Ron's site at http://www.ronbeaufort.com/ and watch the sample youtube lessons for a more concrete understanding.

http://literature.rockwellautomation.com will become your best friend once you get past the basics of Relay Ladder Logic.