Industrial/automation computers?

[etstudent]

I'm learning about programmable controllers and automation computers, and I find it just fascinating. This is an area I really would like to work specifically in. We just went over the history of them, how they use language, how to create language that they understand, and software. Next is ladder logic which is something I wanted to learn about a long time ago. This is without a doubt, 100% something i will continue my education in, Industrial equipment and automation computers. Any of you guys have any advice in this area? Smart idea? I see tons of jobs in this field. Thanks for any help, or advice.

[Dellarius]

Hello,

So correct me if I'm wrong but your talking about PLCs right... If so, my advice would be to find an type of equipment or industry you would love to learn about and find a career there..

I'm not to sure on how your field of study will effect getting into PLCs. I'm doing a HV electrical apprentiship but on our Draglines and Electric Shovels we do go into PLCs in quite some depth but due to the nature of the minesite and whats required for someone to work on our PLCs they are pretty much always a Electrical Engineer or Electrician and I've not heard of ETs working a mine site.

Other then that I'd say look for careers in GE or Allen Bradly..

[etstudent]

Yes I agree, and was going to ask do most ET programs have lessons on PLC's? Mine does, but i think its thrown in just in case you want to further your education and go into industrial electronics/electrical maintenance which is what I am going to do. I'm gonna go for my AAS in electrical/mechanical systems and maintenance. This program was just a stepping stone for me.

[Bloch]

I'm learning about programmable controllers and automation computers, and I find it just fascinating. This is an area I really would like to work specifically in.

If it is some thing you want to learn / have on you own PC ?


Then is my advise is Beckhoff´s Twincat 2 software it is free ( just reinstall it after 30 days )


http://www.beckhoff.com/tcatweb/twincat_download_e.aspx


It is i my opinion the best HW and SW


PLC
Intel® IXP420 with XScale® technology and 266 MHz
to
2.1 GHz Intel® Core™ i7 quad-core CPU

Bussystem Ethercat
Precision of time stamp < 1 1us
1,000 distributed I/Os in 30 µs

and much more :-)

[poptones]

One of my favorite jobs (except for the travel and the boss) was working for a company that made high speed checkweighing equipment for industry. I got to work in bomb plants where we would weigh 20lbs of powder down to a grain or two, in pharma plants where the equipment would check capsules down to a fraction of a milligram, in paint plants where we could weigh 6lb buckets of paint to a fraction of an ounce as they traveled down an assembly line at 150 a minute. Chicken plants are a kind of a pain because it "rains" chicken juice everywhere, but ice cream plants were always enjoyable.

When I wasn't traveling I'd work in the development lab which was an absolute ball. And that would be my suggestion to you: don't just think of it in terms of working as a tech or a plant engineer. One of the biggest perks of working on the plant floor is getting to be part of a union because that allows you to build a pension and benefits program that will travel with you from job to job. If you like to travel there's good opportunity for that as well as a field tech or engineering tech. But working in product development can be a ball as well. Because you are working on motion control systems a certain amount of development work has to be done either on the plant floor or in a crafted scenario simulating plant conditions. Personally, I found this to be the most fun of all. You don't get to be part of a union, but you can make enough money to (if you're smart) build your own retirement.

[etstudent]

I'm learning about programmable controllers and automation computers, and I find it just fascinating. This is an area I really would like to work specifically in.

If it is some thing you want to learn / have on you own PC ?


Then is my advise is Beckhoff´s Twincat 2 software it is free ( just reinstall it after 30 days )


http://www.beckhoff.com/tcatweb/twincat_download_e.aspx


It is i my opinion the best HW and SW


PLC
Intel® IXP420 with XScale® technology and 266 MHz
to
2.1 GHz Intel® Core™ i7 quad-core CPU

Bussystem Ethercat
Precision of time stamp < 1 1us
1,000 distributed I/Os in 30 µs

and much more :-)


Thanks for the post, and link. What exactly is that? Is it a PLC training program? Thanks for the help.

[Bloch]

Thanks for the post, and link. What exactly is that? Is it a PLC training program? Thanks for the help.

It is a real PLC (SoftPLC = Real time software controller for PC based industrial controllers (PLCs) under Windows which can be programmed with the IEC 61131-3 standard)


here is a old youtube video (Prices are lower today)

[etstudent]

Thanks for the info. It won't download on my computer, because of something that I didn't understand.

[Paul Moir]

If you want to play on the cheap side, check out automationdirect.com's DL-05 & 06 PLCs (Koyo).  They have a limited version of the software for free too.  (Not that the unlimited software is hard to find.)
Programming is via RS-232 through a 6 pin modular phone connector.

[RANT=on]  It seems to me that industrial automation is all about vendor lockin.  Even getting some PLC code migrated from one PLC brand to another is very difficult, never mind getting one brand's devices to talk to another without having to resort to a '70s era totally outdated protocol like MODBUS.  Which is e$tra anyway if you're talking about Siemens Step7.  And ladder logic is the *worst* language I've had the displeasure of having to know.  I don't think I've seen one that is less self-documenting, or in itself generates more bugs.  And debugging!  Ha, you wish.  Frankly it's often easier whipping up a uC just because you get to have a decent programming environment.[RANT=off]

I should point out that my experience is limited.  I've just had a few projects I've had to maintain and create using the little buggers over the last few years.  They were all on the low end of the product ranges, not the super duper PACs.  Or probably what Blotch up there seems keen on.

[paulvos]

Actually "Ladder" is quite handy, due to the fact it reads like an electrical drawing ( at least on industrial installations ).
You have your contacts ( NO , NC ) and your output coils ( relays, contactors ).

Furthermore, Step7 and generally Siemens hardware are expensive, but when you consider the total cost of a basic industrial installation, it's peanuts. That and the guarantee for spare parts the next 15 years, well I'd choose Siemens ( or Rockwell, Schneider, Omron , Yaskawa , ABB etc ) for my critical industrial installation.