Programmable Logic Controllers

Electrical Skills

This interactive multimedia training program includes three individual lessons designed to equip participants with essential electrical skills, including understanding programmable logic controller (PLC) system operations, interpreting power flow through ladder logic, and grasping the principles of operation, characteristics, and capabilities of analog control within PLC systems.

Audience: This program is ideal for electricians, including those pursuing electrician careers such as residential electrician or master electrician roles, instrument technicians, and individuals involved in multi-craft training within process and manufacturing facilities.

Number of Courses: 3

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Course 1 – Principles of Operation

Prerequisites: his course is intended for individuals familiar with basic electricity, including AC/DC theory, electrical safety protocols, basic electrical maintenance procedures, and proficiency in reading electrical schematics. This knowledge is essential for those pursuing electrician careers or participating in an electrician training program.

Description: This lesson covers the basics of programmable logic controller (PLC) systems, detailing their hardware and software components, and explaining how they function within industrial electrical systems. It provides foundational knowledge essential for electrician training programs and those seeking hands-on experience in control systems.

Objectives:

Identify the major hardware components of a PLC system and understand how they work within electrical systems
Recognize the various software components of a PLC system and their roles in control systems.
Identify I/O terminals through addresses and use I/O documentation to find the addresses of field devices as well as use I/O modules indicators and tables to determine status of input and output devices.

Course 2 – Interpreting Ladder Logic

Prerequisites: This lesson is designed for participants familiar with the principles of programmable controller system operation, AC/DC theory, electrical safety, basic electrical maintenance procedures, and electrical print reading.

Description: This lesson teaches participants on interpreting ladder logic used in programmable logic controllers (PLCs). It defines program elements such as contacts, coils, and data functions, and explores common ladder logic arrangements. Understanding ladder logic is crucial for electricians and electrical contractors working with PLC systems and input/output devices.

Objectives:

Interpret power flow in circuits comprising various ladder logic elements.
Analyze start circuits, including those with sealing (holding) contacts, and stop circuits.
Evaluate circuits featuring normally open contacts representing normally closed field devices, timer functions, counter functions, mathematical operations, data comparison functions, and data transfer functions.

Course 3 – Programmable Controllers for Analog Control

Prerequisites: This lesson is designed for participants familiar with digital electronic theory, programmable logic controllers and digital instrumentation.

Description: This lesson teaches the difference between discrete and analog control and how PLC’s implement PID control modes. It shows different hardware configurations and how process data is transmitted between components on a data highway. Programming languages including ladder logic and function block statements are presented. Additionally, the lesson shows how PLCs actually work in different process applications and some routine and preventative maintenance techniques.

Objectives:

Describe the differences between discrete control and continuous process control within PLC systems.
Explain how PLCs implement Proportional, Integral, and Derivative (PID) process control modes.
Identify and describe hardware components in PID control.
Explain the purpose and function of analog-to-digital (A/D) converters
Describe typical field devices connected to PID modules and the types of input signals they generate.
Describe the types of input signals generated by analog field devices.
Explain the functions of a data highway in data transmission.
Identify factors influencing the speed of data transfer and communication between PID modules.
The PLC/PID systems to monitor a given process.
Explain the uses of single loop and group displays in control systems.
Identify common programming languages used for PID control in PLCs.
Explain how PID algorithms are configured in PLC software.
Identify other configuration functions available for analog control.
Identify other configurations for advanced control strategies.
Describe the execution of a typical PID program.
Explain how scan times affect program execution.
Describe how to change from automatic to manual control modes.
Describe the application of PID control using a PLC in a blending process.
Describe the application of PID control using a PLC for water quality control.
Explain methods for analog input/output (I/O) verification.