plc.myforum.ro

Carlo3802 · Junior Joined: 25 Jan 2018 Posts: 1 Location: Arizona

Hi my name is Carlo, I’m new in this forum. Sry I'm not sure I'm posting in the right session.

After long time I decided to come back to study or better implement with some certificates my profession. I founded this forum and hopefully guys you can help me in my decision or better give me some clarification.

I was looking into PLC programming/technician. I have an associate degree in engineer of telecommunication and I remember I studied something about this argument with circuit theory, systems theory, ADC/DAC conversion, filters and pretty much my course was based on signals through air or cables. I don’t know if my knowledge can help actually.

Shortly what I’m asking to myself now is
1) Is it worth it to get this path?? Are there jobs out there?
2) Is this the future? In the sense that with all the automation is coming in the new era, are the new machine or most of them programmable with this method? Or maybe the programming is going to change in new languages like Java or others
3) What is your best advice from some experts like you to someone like me in the beginning?
4) I founded some class online (cause I have a part-time job now) but I have no idea witch one get it and for how much. For example I founded this one https://www.plctechnician.com/program-costs at George Brown college at 1700$. What you think?? What do you suggest??
5) Most important maybe Where I can start??

I really appreciate any kind of advice whatever they are (like don’t do it!! Smile

It’s kind of hard for me come back to study at 40 years old but I was thinking to increase the chances to find jobs now and in the future.
Thank you so much in advance

mojo · Senior Joined: 01 Oct 2011 Posts: 2404

Dear Carlo3802,
This forum is just about helping beginners like you to start learning for getting a new career and finally to get a new job.
To get straight to the subject:
1.Is it worth it to get this path?? Are there jobs out there?
Yes it worth to get this path because if in IT relates personnel there is a boom in the world, in this field even now there is a lack of personnel.
Why that..? Because this is a niche path..and needs a little bit industrial experience..All the big companies in these fields do not have training programs or..if they have there are very expensive... Most of the companies goes on sending their engineers to such courses but it costs a lot of money and this is not your case.
As an self learning guy you must have the will to learn and we here in forum will help as much as we can.
What are your knowledge on C, C++, Pascal programming? Beginning with Ladder and FBD you'll need in tme to develop your skills with STL SCL C C++ programming.?
In conclusion, it's not easy, you must do a hard working for succeeding on this field but...it worth it.
2) Is this the future? In the sense that with all the automation is coming in the new era, are the new machine or most of them programmable with this method? Or maybe the programming is going to change in new languages like Java or others
My opinion is that in the next 100 years when we will be probably history the PLC Automation will survive because together with Robots will be the NEXT Automation. As long as there is a rising demand on Enterprise Automation you do not have to fears about that. The Integrated Enterprises are the future because humans need goods that must be fabricated by someone.
The migration to high level languages C C++ ArtificialIntelligence is in trend but the PLC concept remain the same even if is implemented on PC. Real Time Controlling is a must and this will be done only by PLCs or PCs that emulates this behavior.
Java has not yet releases for real time control...maybe in the future..but only as HMI not control production machines.
3) What is your best advice from some experts like you to someone like me in the beginning?
We have some experience (not considered experts). One of our expert user, talking about Rott, gave an advice which we followed step by step.
What he said?...Learning by Examples ...meaning take an Developing Environment and learn exactly the method from that examples..
Siemens for example has by far the most development area on this field..Learning by example programs while ABB, Schneider etc. has not yet such a development program and this is a major drawback on their management on this field.
4) I founded some class online (cause I have a part-time job now) but I have no idea witch one get it and for how much. For example I founded this one https://www.plctechnician.com/program-costs at George Brown college at 1700$. What you think?? What do you suggest??
My advice for you:
Instead of spending $1700 better buy an S7-1200 with $200 and use some programs from this forum and make simulation at your hone and see how it works.
Or buy a CompctLogix CPU wih some Input/Output Cards and make your self tests that's depends on the area you are living.
Courses are better when eventually you will be hired but as long as you want to work as a self learning do not use such programs yet.
Again...Learning by examples is the best way for making yours learning curve as short as possible.
5) Most important maybe Where I can start??
Download a Development Environment from SIEMENS or ALLEN BRADLEY and start to "understand" how the things "works".
My advice is to start with SIEMENS (Step7 5.6 and PLC Simulator)because you'll have all the "materials" for starting the learning by examples.
It's true that most of the companies want to hire the best on that field but if you have the basics knowledge and find a project you can cope with, eventually as an help for an experienced PLC programmer you can learn a lot of things.

So start gathering books about PLC Programming you can find in this forum and then try to learn by installing and simulated on a Siemens or Rockwell Development Environment and learn from examples.
Good luck!

azizmech · Junior Joined: 18 Aug 2014 Posts: 3

Thank you so much for your valuable advice