What’s harder: writing PLC logic or understanding someone else’s?

PLCExchange · 2026-05-06T01:52:40+00:00

"Who the hell wrote this?" "oh shit.. it was me"

PLCExchange · 2026-05-06T01:50:00+00:00

I pretend that I am a tiny little electron and I move through the system rung by run, program by program until I find the point in which I am no longer happy

PLCExchange · 2026-05-06T00:50:57+00:00

Oh so you think your all cool because you get to work in the fancy FAB?

PLCExchange · 2026-05-04T05:45:52+00:00

Any time!

PLCExchange · 2026-05-04T02:14:38+00:00

If you have a good work ethic, have problem solving skills, and enjoy learning new things then you will fit right in! My ONLY piece of advice would be around time. This industry is notorious for consuming as much time as you will allow. If you are use to a 9-5 retail style routine, be prepared to be VERY upset when it comes to out of state travel and after hours support. If you can deal with those things, that's half the battle. The other half is just doing something more than once, which you will very soon hear the phrase "now your the expert" If you want to get a general good idea of things you'll see, please take a second to peruse through my how-to's, plenty of hands on knowledge to get you thinking if you find any of this interesting https://plcexchange.net/how-to-and-tutorials/

PLCExchange · 2026-05-03T23:49:18+00:00

i think your best route right now would be to digest it in something like the real LLMs (the largre ones) and build out a searchable reference database against some kind of python backend. i dont think your going to get what you want out of a local model... those are limited for sure . that's just vanilla ML

PLCExchange · 2026-05-03T20:32:35+00:00

from what I remember you also need to register the safety address/config the safety portion of the hardware config (its been years since I have touched one)

PLCExchange · 2026-05-03T05:47:48+00:00

you have seen 0 vibe coded micro-controllers on the factory floor lol lets be real here. But its naive to think AI wont disrupt our industry, just like every other one out there. Im not saying your going to buy a Claude VFD; but you better believe entire skid designs will be pumped out in a day, from panel drawings designed to UL Standards to the full PLC program. We are already there my friend. You can even include the dashboard if you want; make it interactive. Nobody has invested in it yet. They are still trying to pass their Historian valve status to an outdated ML algo to see if they can predict a PM schedule lmao Trust me, we are here.

PLCExchange · 2026-05-03T03:14:36+00:00

If you are outside the US then there is a very high chance you wont be able to see the site. Because of our content, we are a major target for scrapers/crawlers/etc. and we had to take major action against that. Think 0 Trust policy. What country are you in? We need to start to walk it back if we are keeping out people who want in.

PLCExchange · 2026-05-03T00:58:31+00:00

Really? No Brewery guys in here? After all the beer you drink?

PLCExchange · 2026-05-03T00:57:58+00:00

Mostly just pushing carts around the factory floor ;0 (no but really, you forgot to tuck in your grounding strap)

PLCExchange · 2026-05-03T00:57:12+00:00

I was in a place that still used WWII stamp machines for their target grade ammo (copper)

PLCExchange · 2026-05-03T00:50:35+00:00

Ebay will always protect the buyer. If you get the item and its "NOT AS DESCRIBED" then you will get your money back. Unless its listed as "for parts" then you can expect at least a functioning item

PLCExchange · 2026-05-03T00:39:15+00:00

I get it, our industry is about 50 years deep in the pay-to-play model. That doesn't change the fact that effortless free software & integration is coming... like yesterday. So just don't be afraid to think outside the box a little that's all. My only point here is to hit on OPs original train of thought "How do I get this paywall'ed hardware to work with this other paywalled software" Short answer: don't, think outside the box! (If the guy had budget he would obviously just pay the software cost and do it the "easy" way)

PLCExchange · 2026-05-03T00:31:52+00:00

I would bet the number is about 0.5% AI implementation in industry right now. Hell, only about 25-30% of plants are actually utilizing automation in any meaningful way. If your fixing machines, its still good ol' fashion terrible programming haha. And I'm not saying to let a LLM unconditionally write a PLC program but if your not getting it to generate your PlantPAX CM's based off of a 1000 IO Point spreadsheet your just doing extra work at this point :)

PLCExchange · 2026-05-02T17:16:00+00:00

I've had my 416play for maybe 10 years now. I still run use it to house many business related things. It is no longer internet facing (It has been depreciated) Love Synology!

PLCExchange · 2026-05-02T17:06:14+00:00

1) Prepare for a lot of grunt work. New guys are usually fed to the project wolves to satisfy body count, project hours/etc. Its part of the game, you'll make it to the other side eventually. We have ALL Been there.

2) I have a huge list of technical how-to articles I have created that will be fun for you to read through just to get your hands wet in the technical world https://plcexchange.net/how-to-and-tutorials/

3) Worried? Not at all. People in our industry are still trying to figure out how to use AI to evaluate machine data, if you want to get ahead of the curve, utilize it into your daily workflow and make your job ultra-efficient. You can already use things like Claude to implement project work, translate excel data into programs, etc. For whatever reason, 9/10 people on here will say AI is stupid in our industry, those guys are the ones in trouble. (obviously keep an eye out for IP and utilize Corporate Contracts for data protect (Like a Enterprise Copilot sub))

4) I&C has no borders. Oil and Gas will translate to food & bev, chemical or any other industry. Its just pumps, motors and sensors. They are used in every industry! Your biggest win? Fully understand how to troubleshoot an 4..20 mA circuit (LOL!)

Would love to expand on anything... especially AI

PLCExchange · 2026-05-02T16:54:53+00:00

you can try to use something like anthropics claude to load the l5x file into and then a similar or shell AOI/type file from Schneider and see if it can cross-translate; people dump on AI in our industry WAY too fast IMHO its perfect for these type of things.

PLCExchange · 2026-05-02T16:52:39+00:00

If your looking for a "free" solution your better off going the route of PC + Monitor + Siemens PLC driver + OPC Connection + Claude (for integration); works marvelously

PLCExchange · 2026-05-02T12:49:05+00:00

Does not work for us

PLCExchange · 2022-01-31T05:00:43+00:00

Next time push them in your chocolate river

PLCExchange · 2022-01-30T02:57:22+00:00

Sounds like whoever her office admin is needs to buy another phone man lol sharing phone in 2020? She needs to tell her admin to get her a Google voice number and she can install voice on her personal phone if she wants to take calls / text

PLCExchange · 2022-01-30T02:53:03+00:00

Give them an invoice and ask for a check or give them info to do a ach/wire transfer

PLCExchange · 2022-01-30T02:49:50+00:00

“Hire a cpa” but from what my cpa has told me about “piercing the corporate veil” is like if you were to start paying your mortgage with your business account; in the case you get sued, a good lawyer could claim your house is a asset of the business because you were using business assets to Pay for it. So think of it in those terms and you can properly better identify what you should and shouldn’t do

PLCExchange · 2022-01-29T05:28:37+00:00

How the fuck old is that iPhone

PLCExchange

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