PLC Programming Training
Don Fitchett 🔷
Industrial Training Instructor - Distance learning at BIN95.com (All industrial training topics covered). PLC Training at your location too.
Andrew Lewis asked in our Google Automation Community...
What is the Best Way to Learn PLC Programming?
Below is my reply to him ...
... There are many ways, only one Best Way to learn PLC Programming, the real world structured approach at http://plc-training.org going through all 10 phases.
Read on for more...
Many will reply to your PLC Programming question with ... "our software", "our video course", "the vendor", "college", etc.
Most will neglect to clarify the importance of terminology, like when one says "PLC Programming" and they actually mean "PLC Training", or vise versa. Or even when one says "PLC Training" they really mean "PAC Training", because they have not learned the vast differences yet. Or when most providers state they offer "PLC Training", even though in reality, it is only PLC education they are offering, not actual training. So even in the initial question, terminology can be critical to an individual or company reaching their desired goal. Especially when the person asking, doesn't know what they don't know.
The truth is that the 'Best Way' is a blended, holistic approach. PLC training containing both real world practical application and typical vendor/manual learning, both hands-on actual training and scholastic education; as a blended learning approach. Yes it is true, the 10 phases at http://plc-training.org will take longer and have a higher training cost. But he asked 'what do I think is the best way?', not what is the quickest or cheapest, or what is a shortcut just to get by in PLC programming.
When an employee is just educated, only self taught, only partially trained or educated due to budget restraints; the long term cost to a company can be astronomical in comparison when you consider the additional downtime. Especially when you consider the potential damage to man or machine!
Also note while I do have a vested interest in my answer above, that does not make my answer any less true. As you will see on the site above, the entry page for each of the 10 phases of PLC Training/PLC programming training best practice holistic approach, explain why that part and approach is very important to the overall best way. Also each of the 10 phase pages will have a yellow button at the bottom of each page giving some of the best practices to further justify that real world best practice approach.
Hope this reply helped Andrew, and me sharing here helps others.
Ref: https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/113148279932137809165
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8yThank you Don, I concur. Side stepping the truth is costly. In the long run it really doesn't cost that much more to go first class as opposed to living the nightmare after cutting financial corners.