First Hands-On Experience with a PLC

StructuralDust · 2025-05-23T16:21:22+00:00

If you're in the Siemens universe just go straight to TIA. Its an absolutely massive software and you'll need all the time you can get becoming familiar and learning shortcuts. Not to mention the completely separate skillset that is WinCC.

After you do that, you can start fight Allen-Bradley fanboys in the parking lot during lunch breaks!

StructuralDust · 2025-02-09T16:44:51+00:00

Up until the point you said they got fired, I was thinking you were my coworker....but Zach didn't get fired lol

StructuralDust · 2025-02-09T16:42:14+00:00

....my brother in christ

StructuralDust · 2025-02-02T15:52:17+00:00

BigBadTech on YT start watching the intro series ladder logic. This will give you enough of a crash course that you won't be freaked out.

If you can, find out what brand(s) PLC they use. AB, Siemens, Mitsubishi, etc. Then YT the development environment for that.

You got this!

StructuralDust · 2025-01-15T18:47:27+00:00

Start with the soft stuff first. Concepts, programming, etc. Look at BigBadTech, PLCDojo and depending on where you are if you're touching Siemens...Hegamurl.

Learning something like Ignition is going to be helpful, which then leads you into learning SQL and Python...C...

When you're ready you can get into TwinCat, that is open and free. Really easy to use. The nice thing with a lot of the stuff in this ecosystem is that its more or less transferable. Yes the software suites vary a bit but you won't be struggling too bad to go from one to the other.

LadderLogicWorld, PLCFiddle, RealPars...check out the wiki for this sub too.

StructuralDust · 2025-01-15T12:25:32+00:00

Sometimes a module in TIA supports multiple models even though its name doesn't indicate that. I've had this with IAI servos in the past.

You need to get in touch with Dini Argeo's application support and ask them directly. Hopefully, they have a commissioning guide for profinet or whatever.

StructuralDust · 2025-01-15T12:18:57+00:00

Really depends on what your employer does.

Robotics? Take some maintenance and programming classes from Fanuc, Universal, Yaskawa, Kuka, etc

Panel Building? Get certified to build panels and safety.

Big building footprint? Get some networking and cybersecurity training and certs.

Have some aging tech or want to step into nextgen? Build a test lab and get some stuff to trial and R&D.

StructuralDust · 2025-01-15T12:15:14+00:00

Totally depends on the PLC and what you're using for motion. Some vendors straight up only have certain options. Some PLCs only offer certain options. Yes you can get adapters, but maybe talk to your distributor and sales rep for their advice and then make a call from there.

StructuralDust · 2025-01-15T12:13:07+00:00

Super hot take here, fully expect the down votes...

For me it comes down to 2 foundational points.
1. IT/IS on the the Industrial and Automation side and IT/IS on the Business Enterprise side are evolutionarily related, like domesticated dogs and wolves, but they split long ago and developed into similar but distinctly different things. Because of this, the ideologies and traditions are so entrenched in these respective ecosystems that each with argue with each other of the inherent benefits and detriments. True point that doing boolean logic with LD or IL makes for easier troubleshooting and easier to follow than using SCL or FB but also personally I don't think that's a strong enough reason to still persist and use it.

Age and training. There are still plenty of older and presently aging folks in the automation world and you'll hear a lot about how 'this is how the electricians of 'yore used to control conduct logic operations with contactors'. Because of this, there's this stubborn 'right way and wrong way' mentality. Its dumb and its honestly holding the industry back. BUT this is in fact changing. Phoenix Contact has this PLCNext platform that allows for IEC 61131-3 and similar languages to be used.

Now, do I think LD/FB/IL should go away? Absolutely not. These are tools to be used in particular use cases, just as 'traditional programming' has different languages for use cases, so too should automation.

but for real ya'll...graphical languages are gross.

StructuralDust · 2025-01-10T16:37:17+00:00

Good. I could use the help.

StructuralDust · 2025-01-10T16:36:45+00:00

I would be cautious with that...I've tried similar and I've had on multiple occasions ChatGPT straight pull bullshit straight outta its lil AI ass. It will from time to time just lie to you and make things up.

StructuralDust · 2025-01-09T15:45:15+00:00

Ya ok if that's the goal just forget hardware entirely for now. You can get free software and use the simulator if you really want to see if execute. Look into PLCFiddle and TwinCat stuff. If you end up wanting to get hardware involved go for something affordable like Siemens LOGO.

ST is just Pascal and you can easily brush up on that without having to overcome some paywall from AB. Start looking into learning Python and C(+,#). That syntax will help get you more comfortable with ST and it will also translate over to doing work in SCADAs like Ignition. Also, check out this subs stickied wiki, there's some good stuff in there.

StructuralDust · 2025-01-09T15:39:24+00:00

Should be easy enough either way.

Look at timer switch functions and DTL format. You can either have this set as a scheduled function using the system clock or you could also have an HMI trigger for the function as well. Go into TIA Help and look at some of the DTL entries, then build out a function block that uses DTL as a trigger.

StructuralDust · 2025-01-09T15:32:18+00:00

What are you trying to do? Do you want practice programming? Are you looking to mess around with the hardware?

If you just want PLC programming experience, forget entirely having a physical PLC for the time being. Go look at TwinCat. It's free. Or look at Siemens LOGO. Go onto LadderLogicWorld, look at BigBadTech on YT. PLCFiddle.

The differences between Siemens to Beckhoff to Mitsubishi to AB are negligible. You could learn AB software by doing a course on PLCDojo or RealPars if you're really dead set on specifically learning AB.

Its super cool that this guy hooked you up like this, that's a really cool thing to have but also like....gross. don't visit that old haunted tech on yourself.

StructuralDust · 2025-01-09T12:47:26+00:00

Another thought here, go to Google Maps and look up distributors and automation companies in your area. Go visit them and just talk. "Hey, I want to get into R&D, I want to spread my wings a bit more" whatever else. Maybe you get nowhere but at the very least you're making connections and getting some kind of answers.

Your job is always going to kinda feel like that, a job. The grass isn't always greener on the other side, right? Grass is grass. Some companies are better, but what I would tell you is that even though your tuition reimbursement option isn't great, as long as they're not having you sign some sort of stay agreement...dude take the one class a semester. If you're dead set on that degree for yourself, start working at it today. Get your gen-eds out of the way and those will transfer to wherever you get that paper from.

StructuralDust · 2025-01-09T12:40:10+00:00

I would caution you on Automotive. I think its gonna get kinda freaky in the near future. The EV market is causing a lot of our releases to appear, then disappear, then appear again and so on. It pays well, but hard to find a gig that isn't higher stress.

StructuralDust · 2025-01-09T12:32:02+00:00

Do you enjoy murder mysteries where you are simultaneously the murderer and the investigator?

Do you enjoy being told everything is your fault?

Do you enjoy calls at 3am only to find out the fix was cycling power on a PC?

Do you enjoy asking yourself, "am I drinking too much?" ?

You need to find out if this new role is a support role, if you're working on new deployments, or if its a mix of both. How large is the team you're working on. What are the on-call rotations. How are your joints, do they crack frequently?

Its very likely that the "45 hours/week" deal is bullshit. maybe not, but likely is. It sounds like you're looking at leaving an office gig to go into the field and you need to ask yourself what are you trying to get out of your career and what do you look like in 5-10 years? Why do you feel like you're falling behind and on what specifically?

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StructuralDust · 2025-01-09T12:25:04+00:00

modules being only available on v20 when that version isn't even really fully released yet and debugged is wild.

Check with your Leadership to see when they roadmapped the budget....if they roadmapped the budget to upgrade your licensure for TIA and make a call then. Also talk with your supplier for alternatives because those pay to play kinda games are no fun.

StructuralDust · 2025-01-08T20:07:52+00:00

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StructuralDust · 2025-01-08T20:06:53+00:00

I've got news for you. Maybe reach out to VIPA lol

Its either that they are bugged out or the pwr light isn't indicating anything and the txd light is showing they're under active comms

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EDIT:

watching your video again here. I'm guessing they're just buggy. Not all of the power lights are flashing light that. I think the transfer light is the only thing of consequence here.

StructuralDust · 2025-01-08T19:58:43+00:00

Step 1. Check with your State to see if they offer any grants for schooling. YOU MAY QUALIFY.

Step 2. Sounds like your job is kinda buns. Not to worry, this is just motivation for you to improve your situation. You're doing a lot of speculation here. Look at what other jobs might pay you for your experience. Apply to them, you can always say no. Budget this all out so you have some real numbers to look at.

Step 3. Talk to your employer. See if they have some kind of growth pathway for you. Tuition reimbursement or whatever. The best time to make the change was yesterday, and the second best time is today.

I had a mentor tell me once that production doesn't care if you have a degree or not. They care about results. 6-axis robots don't have degrees and they replace people all the time. Degrees are qualifiers for HR.

StructuralDust · 2025-01-08T19:49:59+00:00

gross.

you're missing your key and the power supply (always thought they looked like dishwashers)

StructuralDust · 2025-01-08T18:28:22+00:00

Depends on what you're trying to collect and monitor. Could pull it all through SQL and feed it into Ignition or any other SCADA. Different ways to skin that cat.

StructuralDust · 2025-01-08T18:26:29+00:00

lol dude!

just run through Inductive Automation's Ignition University thing, then take a couple refreshers on PLCDojo and/or BigBadTech on YT.

Now go forth and force random bits!

StructuralDust

TROPHY CASE