PLC Troubleshooting I

2 Days

Have you had enough time and opportunities to interact with the PLCs in your operation? This course will give you the instructor guided training and important play time needed to increase your comfort level and expertise!

This course is a comprehensive hands-on program that features simulations, lab activities with hardware components and basic PLC programming activities.

The successful participant will receive rigorous training on the internal workings of a PLC including solid-state switching and opto-isolation, analog and digital signal processing, ladder logic control programs and memory allocations. The activities completed demystify the workings of PLCs and their related input and output processes. In addition, a PLC simulation software package will be used that closely mimics popular brands of PLC software while presenting a visual layout and animation of actual manufacturing and process machinery which trainees use to complete their application exercises.

The program concludes with comparisons of popular PLCs such as Allen Bradley and Siemens. The concept of using the PLCs software as a basic troubleshooting tool will be introduced.

Learn How To:

Interpret ladder diagrams and instructions expertly.
Convert binary and hexadecimal values.
Differentiate between data types and memory allocations.
Explain basic analogue functions.
Reload, upload and download PLC project files.
Sort out I/O timing problems.
Find the root cause of major faults.
Use built-in troubleshooting functions within PLC software programs.

A Workstation For Each Student

Click Here To See A Video Of Our Lab

Four ControlLogix PLCs with I/O Experiment Panels - Ethernet and ControlNet Networking

PLC Programming

Objective: Demonstrate how to construct/interpret control programs

Activity: Program solutions to real plant automation problems

All course participants receive their own licensed copy of this training software on CD ROM

I/O and Slot Configuration

Objective: Correlate I/O points to memory addresses in PLC5 and SLC500

Activity:Rearrange cards in chassis and find bit access to the correct points/terminals in memory

Learn by play and experimentation in a safe environment

PLC Hardware

Objective: Describe common hardware configurations

Activity: Configure chassis, processors and I/O cards

Know your connectors, DIP switches, jumpers and fault LED's

Troubleshooting

Objective: Isolate and solve system faults quickly, accurately and safely

Activity: Diagnosing problems on simulator.

Use the PLC and its software as a troubleshooting tool

System Maintenance

Objective: Describe PLC maintenance tasks and techniques

Activity: Check backup batteries, cable connections, power supply, chassis condition/cleanliness.

Find out why some conscientious maintenance departments install a central vacuum close by to critical PLC cabinets

Topics:

Programmable Logic Control
Logic and Numbering Systems
Input and Output Modules

Objectives:

Describe process control systems and the role filled by PLCs
Demonstrate the application of logic and numbering systems
Describe the types and operation of different I/O modules

Where to go from here?

PLC Troubleshooting I is the first in a two class series on Allen Bradley SLC500 and PLC5 instrumentation. After completing this class, you can take our level two course, PLC Troubleshooting II.