sfindley
Member
The short answer is yes, you can learn PLCs on your own (without formal classes). My experience was 10 years in the US Navy (no PLCs) and then getting a job in a manufacturing environment with several PLCs from different manufacturers. We run with lean manning, so I had to hit the ground running. I was given formal training, which had some value, but digging into the manuals and getting hands on experience (learning on my own) has been the biggest part of my training. If you have the ability to use a PLC offline, like in your shop at work, that is the safest way to learn the basics of code.
I have been working with PLCs for 8 years now and it is STILL a very humbling experience to dig into existing code, try to understand the original code and then dig through the years of changes/fixes that others have made, especially in situations where it is 2am and everyone is watching/screaming because the mill is down.
Just remember that, depending on what the PLC you are working on controls, much damage/inury could result from your programming, so BE SURE you know what your asking the PLC to do...it will do exactly what you tell it to (not always what you THINK you're telling it to do).
I have been working with PLCs for 8 years now and it is STILL a very humbling experience to dig into existing code, try to understand the original code and then dig through the years of changes/fixes that others have made, especially in situations where it is 2am and everyone is watching/screaming because the mill is down.
Just remember that, depending on what the PLC you are working on controls, much damage/inury could result from your programming, so BE SURE you know what your asking the PLC to do...it will do exactly what you tell it to (not always what you THINK you're telling it to do).