Free PLC Training: Learn PLC Programming Online

Note: Updated For 2024

You can learn a lot about PLC programming from books. Everything from ladder logic and structured text, to how to use specific PLC platforms like the Siemens S7-1200.

In this collection below you will find all the best PLC programming books. Some of them are free to download as pdf and some are sold as books or e-books.

I curated this collection to help you navigate the vast sea of PLC programming books, ensuring you invest your time and money in quality resources that truly benefit you.

Online you will find many different types of PLC programming books. Most of them are about PLC programming in general. You can for [...]

Welcome to the second part of my ladder logic tutorial. In part 1 of the ladder logic tutorial, I introduced you to the very basics of ladder logic and to some basic instructions.

In this second part of the tutorial I will teach you how to solve actual problems with ladder logic and how to use it to build PLC programs. At the same time you will be introduced to several other ladder logic instructions:

Set / Reset Coils Set or Reset Priority

Set / Reset Function Blocks SR Function Block

RS Function Block

Building Logic with Ladder Logic Logic Gates with PLC Instructions

OR and AND Gates

NOT Logic Gate

Interlocking [...]

A PLC counter is a function block that counts up or down until it reaches a limit. When the limit is reached the output is set.

Counting plays a crucial role in PLC programming. It’s all about tracking numbers—like how many times a process completes or the quantity of products produced. Think of it as a digital tally counter that helps manage industrial tasks efficiently.

SCADA stands for “Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition”.

That’s a mouthful, which is why engineers often refer to it as a “SCADA System”, or just “SCADA”.

This tutorial will cover an introduction to SCADA systems and architecture, SCADA applications, and SCADA programming. i.e. all the basics you need to know about SCADA systems.

Timers are key in PLC programming, helping control everything from when a motor starts to how long a signal lasts. They might seem tricky at first, but they’re straightforward once you get the hang of them. Let’s explore how these timers work and how you can use them effectively.

When it comes to automation and manufacturing ISA-88 or just S88 is inevitable.

It is a standard for published by The International Society of Automation (ISA) that sets out models and terminology addressing batch control. The standard was published in an attempt to standardize and thereby making it easier for automation suppliers to integrate, communicate and configure batches. It is adopted by Europe as IEC 61512-1.

Today, the standard is used by most manufacturers and automation suppliers that deal with batch control. Especially productions of food and medicine utilizes if not the whole, then at least parts of the standard to keep track of their batch production.

Do you struggle with risk assessment? Safety in machinery is a very important, but often under taught area full of complicated terms from the ISO 12100 standard. This article will take you through a risk assessment example by using procedures and methods from ISO 12100 and the old ISO 14121-2.

Risk assessment is a way of finding risks and hazards in your machine design. All machine designers have to make sure their machines are safe for humans to operate. Eventually, it is our responsibility to find all the risks and then eliminate those risks.

Think of safety relays as unique helpers in creating a safety circuit, which is vital for machine design. It’s essential to grasp the basics of how these relays work and why they’re so important for keeping operations safe.

With that said, safety often becomes a confusing matter because a lot of terminology is attached to it. All that terminology comes from the standards describing safety circuits, functional safety and thereby safety relays.

Do you want to learn how to program PLCs?

Many PLC training courses are available, with some even free. However, not all are reliable or high quality. I crafted this guide to help you discover the best one tailored to your needs.

This guide will help you figure out which course is right for you, what type of content it includes, and if it’s worth the cost or not.

Whether you want to learn Allen Bradley (Rockwell Automation), Siemens, Omron, or Factory Automation—we’ve selected the Top PLC Training for your needs.

Let’s jump right into the Best Online PLC Training Courses of 2024.

What is PLC Training?PLC training is training designed to help you [...]

Do you know how to scale your analog input? Or wire your analog output?

Many people struggle with analog signals in PLC programming. The wiring and how to use an analog input or output in your PLC program can be tricky. Most often you will see digital example PLC programs and in my Structured Text Tutorial most of the examples are digital programs.

I’m writing this article because many of you wanted to learn how to use analog signals in PLC programming. Analog signals are used widely in PLC programs but also often used in a SCADA system. So how do you connect that 4-20mA analog transmitter to your PLC and use it in your PLC program? How do you scale an analog [...]

One of the official and widely used PLC programming languages is the Function Block Diagram (FBD). It is a simple and graphical way to program any functions together in a PLC program. Function Block Diagram is easy to learn and provides a lot of possibilities.

One of the best visual programming languages is a PLC programming language called ladder logic or ladder diagram (LD).

The great thing about ladder logic is that it’s much more visual than most programming languages, so people often find it a lot easier to learn.

What’s cool about ladder logic is its resemblance to electrical relay circuits. This means if you’re somewhat familiar with relay control and electrical circuits, you’ll likely pick up ladder logic more swiftly.

But that’s definitely not a requirement, and I myself didn’t understand relays when I first learned ladder logic.

Welcome to our Arduino journey! This is where we’ll start from scratch, exploring the basics of Arduino to kickstart your programming adventure. I’ll guide you through setting up your computer and crafting your very first program on the Arduino Uno board. Let’s dive in!

New to PLC programming? Here’s the starter kit that will teach you the basic fundamentals of PLC programming.

With its small size, user-friendly software, and low price the Siemens LOGO Starter Kit is absolutely perfect for beginners.

Building and simulating ladder logic PLC programs is entirely free. This guide will walk you through the simple steps to download, install, and use the RSLogix Micro Starter Lite and the RSLogix Emulate 500, letting you test your PLC programs without spending a dime.

Do you also struggle reading your own and other huge ladder diagrams?

The truth is, that even though ladder logic is an easy programming language for beginners, it can be very hard to read and understand. That’s why some consider Structured Text to be a better PLC programming language – and you can learn all about it in this tutorial.

You might already know about the Siemens S7-1200 PLC, renowned for being user-friendly and ideal for beginners. By starting with the Starter Kit, which includes the SIMATIC S7 TIA Portal software, you’ll step smoothly into the world of Siemens PLC programming. Plus, it’s pretty cool that you can manage the S7-1200 PLC right from your smartphone!

Do you understand the difference between normally open and normally closed contacts? Great! Let’s dive deeper and explore where and how to use them in your PLC programming, connecting the dots between your PLC program and the actual PLC inputs.

Think of ladder logic symbols as the essential pieces of a puzzle in ladder diagrams. This guide covers all these crucial symbols, as defined in IEC 61131-3, and offers them for download in various formats, including a handy PDF.

I will start this article by making a confession:

When I develop a PLC program, I steal other people’s ladder logic.

I am stealing ladder logic examples for inspiration and solutions to my PLC programs.

From time to time you will be facing the same problem, when you do PLC programming with ladder logic. By looking at examples of ladder logic programs, you will be able to find a solution to your problem very fast. You may even find a smarter solution in the ladder logic examples than your own solution.

This is an introduction to PLC logic. You can use PLC logic to build PLC programs with simple electrical circuit diagrams. In this article, I will use combinatorial logic to build the functionality of a PLC program.

And to get as close as possible to real a PLC programming language like ladder logic, the PLC logic in this article will be contacts and relays in an electrical circuit.

Starting with PLC programming? The Siemens S7-200 is an ideal pick. It’s budget-friendly, beginner-friendly, and while it’s straightforward with limited functions, it’s packed with benefits. This guide will get you up and running with the Siemens S7-200, making the programming process clear and straightforward.

Thermocouples are fast temperature sensors with a wide temperature range. You can get all different thermocouple types, and you have to choose the type of thermocouple suitable for your project. The thermocouple types have different temperature ranges and tolerances.

This is my guide on how to make an Ethernet cable. Often just referred to as a network cable or patch cable. Making your own Ethernet cables will not only cut down the price of your cables. You can also make the Ethernet cables in the exact length and with the exact wiring you need. Use this guide if you are making Ethernet cables for personal or professional use.

Profibus or Process Field Bus is a standard within field bus communications in the automation industry. A network for industrial computers made to withstand high amounts of noise. The two wire Profibus cable makes different network topologies possible, like the star, the tree and the line or a combination.

The basic architecture of a PLC is important to understand. It is crucial to know about the basic PLC hardware components that are inside PLC, because it will make your understanding of the PLC much easier. The hardware components are the physical building blocks of the PLC.

Now, that we know what hardware is inside the PLC, the next step will be to take a look at the software inside the PLC and how it runs.

Every PLC has a scan time and a scan cycle. This is how the PLC and the software inside the PLC works.

The scan cycle is the cycle in which the PLC gathers the inputs, runs your PLC program, and then updates the outputs.

This will take some amount of time often measured in milliseconds (ms).

The amount of time it takes for the PLC to make one scan cycle is called the scan time of the PLC.

Before getting started with the PLC programming, let me illustrate some basic concepts about a PLC program.

If you know about the PLC scan time, you can start to explore how the PLC program works. Combinatorial logic gives you the basic understanding of how combining the two states – true and false with logic. The basics of PLC programming is combining logic. That’s why combinatorial logic can be a great way into PLC programming. Since the fundamentals of combinatorial logic and PLC programming are the same.