| Open Course Data Sheet (PDF) |
– NOTE: To purchase this course for someone else, choose “Voucher.” If you need to enroll three or more people, contact us HERE to learn about our group enrollment program.
What You'll Learn and Receive
- What PLCs are, and how they work
- Numbering Systems, Data Types
- Inputs and Outputs, I/O Scan
- Setting up RSLinx Drivers
- Testing Programs in Emulate
- Different styles and types of PLCs
- How to read Ladder Logic
- Bits, Integers, Timers, Counters
- Creating Programs in RSLogix
- Up & Downloading to PLCs
What You'll Receive With Your Purchase
- Immediate Online Access
- Thirty Four Online Lessons
- Eight File Downloads
- Online Instructor Support
- No Expiration Date
- Take Lessons In Any Order
- Retake Lessons As Needed
- Completion Certificate with PDHs
Learn to confidently setup, program, and troubleshoot PLCs with PLC Basics Standard Second Edition
You don't need to spend thousands of dollars to learn how to use, program, and troubleshoot PLCs. All you need is basic electrical knowledge, a Windows PC, and our affordable PLC Basics Second Edition Online Course.
PLC Basics is the perfect online course for electricians, technicians, and engineers who want to learn to setup, troubleshoot, and program PLCs. Taught by a factory certified PLC specialist with over thirty years of experience, in this course you will learn everything you need to know to get started using PLCs with confidence.
Unlike other vendor's courses that become available only after you purchase their expensive hardware or trainers, our PLC courses doesn't require you to purchase any additional parts as we show you how to download and use the free editions of the Allen-Bradley PLC Programming and Emulation software used in this course.
And for those who'd prefer to learn with a physical PLC, we also cover which Programmable Controllers and Programming cables work best and why, as well as how to set them up and program them. We even provide you with a list of components and devices used to build the affordable, homemade PLC trainer we use in this course.
Unlike other companies whose job is done once the sale is complete, we're committed to your success and actively encourage students to post questions in the lesson discussion area. Our expert instructors visit The Automation School each weekday to support and answer student questions.
We also invite you to come back and retake any lesson as the need arises, which is made possible by the fact that none of our course come with an expiration date.
And when you finish your course and pass all the quizzes, you'll also be rewarded with an official Completion Certificate from from The Automation School that will list the Professional Development Hours you've earned by completing all of the course content.
Standard Edition Topics:
Below is a summary of the topics covered in this course, and a complete lesson listing is also available in a following section:
- What a PLC is
- Styles and Types of PLCs
- Numbering Systems and Data Types
- What Ladder Logic is and how it works
- How to setup Serial and Ethernet Communications
- Creating, Testing, and Troubleshooting MicroLogix Programs in RSLogix
- How to integrate Push Buttons, Pilots Lights, Motors and Photo Eyes with PLC Logic
- How to use PLCs in a Motor Control and Part Sensing applications
Who should take this course:
Anyone who has basic electrical knowledge and wants to learn how to setup, program, and troubleshoot PLCs.
Instructor Bio:
Shortly after earning a degree in Electronics, Shawn Tierney spent twenty five years working in the field as a Rockwell Automation authorized distributor specialist helping countless Engineers and Electricians learn how to select, setup, program, and troubleshoot Allen-Bradley industrial automation controls.
During his time as a specialist, Shawn attended over fifty weeks of Rockwell training and gained his certification as a Rockwell Automation Specialist and Information Software Specialist, and graduated from Rockwell's STPA Certification program with the highest recorded score.
During that time Shawn also earned his Microsoft Certifications in Server and Desktop Operating Systems, becoming a Microsoft Certified Professional.
Shawn left his job as an Automation Specialist in 2015 to focus on sharing everyting he's learned in affordable, self-paced courses at TheAutomationSchool.com
Student review: “Great Course! Clear and easy to follow instruction and examples by Shawn. I'm looking forward to taking the other courses. 5 star!!!” – R.M.
Student review: “This is excellent training for beginners. It is very detailed and full of valuable information. I would recommend this to any hobbyist / technician / engineer / scientist with no prior PLC knowledge or experience.” – G.P.
Student review: “From having no knowledge of plc's and ladder logic, to creating simple programs, This course did exactly what it was supposed to do, introduction into plc's.” – M.I.I
Student review: “This course was excellent at getting the inside concepts of a plc and what it does! Shawn had me running a plc program in a emulator within hours.” – F.B.
Course and Bundle Pricing:
- Instant Access
- Lifetime Access
- PLC App Sim Program (Win 10/11)
- Lesson Q & A Support
- Weekly Live Q&A (Les. 1.10 & .11)
- Completion Cert
- Beginner Topics
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- Instant Access
- Lifetime Access
- PLC App Sim Program (Win 10/11)
- Lesson Q & A Support
- Weekly Live Q&A (Les. 1.10 & .11)
- Completion Cert
- Beginner Topics
- Intermediate Topics
- 60+ Bonus Videos
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- Instant Access
- Lifetime Access
- PLC App Sim Program (Win 10/11)
- Lesson Q & A Support
- Weekly Live Q&A (Les. 1.10 & .11)
- Completion Cert
- Beginner Topics
- Intermediate Topics
- +++ Bonus Videos
- X
- + Micro800 Course
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- X
- Instant Access
- Lifetime Access
- PLC App Sim Program (Win 10/11)
- Lesson Q & A Support
- Weekly Live Q&A (Les. 1.10 & .11)
- Completion Cert
- Beginner Topics
- Intermediate Topics
- +++ Bonus Videos
- X
- + Micro800 Course
- + CompactLogix Course
- + ControlLogix Course
- + PanelView Plus Course
- + FTViewSE Course
- + CCW VFD Quickstart
- X
- X
- X
- X
- Instant Access
- Lifetime Access
- PLC App Sim Program (Win 10/11)
- Lesson Q & A Support
- Weekly Live Q&A (Les. 1.10 & .11)
- Completion Cert
- Beginner Topics
- Intermediate Topics
- +++ Bonus Videos
- + MicroLogix Course 2024 Update
- + Micro800 Course & 2024 Update
- + Compact Course & 2024 Update
- + ControlLogix Course & 2024 Update
- + PanelView Plus Course & 2024 Update
- + FTViewSE Course
- + CCW VFD Quickstart
- + Master Logix: PLCLogix
- + Master Logix: FactoryIO Pre-Order
- + Ultimate SLC Pre-Order
- + Ultimate PLC-5 Pre-Order
NOTE: To purchase this course as a gift, or for a co-worker to take, please choose the Voucher option at top of the page.
Sample Lesson and Snapshots
This lesson covers the benefits of the PLCs used in this course, chief among them is free programming and emulation software.
NOTE: If the above Sample Lesson Video does not load, your place of business may be blocking our video host, Vimeo.com. To verify this, try viewing the video on your Cell Phone or Home PC, or ask your IT department to unblock educational videos hosted on Vimeo.com.
Lessons and Reviews
Reviews
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Richard Irizarry
Course Requirements and Questions
Requirements to follow along and/or complete any optional exercises:
Students who wish to complete any optional exercises, or just follow along with the instructor as he teaches, will need the following:
- An internet connection to take this online course as well as to optionally download the free PLC programming and emulation software from Rockwell's website
- Students who wish to use a physical PLC (in place of the free PLC emulator) will need either a MicroLogix 1000 or 1100 for use with the free programming software, plus a programming cable compatible with their PLC and PC (all of this is covered in the course)
- A Windows PC compatible with the above software (see below) and PLC
- Optionally any Input (push buttons, switches, etc) or Output (pilot lights, relays, etc) devices the student would like to use with their MicroLogix 1000 or 1100 (a list of the devices we use is provided)
- NOTE: While the course covers how to find I/O wiring diagrams, it does not include lessons on basic electricity or basic wiring skills
Note: Currently, Rockwell states their free RSLogix PLC and Emulation software supports these Windows versions:
- Windows XP Pro SP3 32-bit
- Windows Vista, Home or Business
- Windows 7, Home or Pro
- Windows 8, Home or Pro
- Windows 10 (Unofficial, instructor tested)
Legal Stuff: The permitted use of this course, and the included course materials, code snippets, downloads, and software:
The purchase of a single copy of this course grants a single individual with the right to use the courses for personal instruction and reference only. Purchasing a course for yourself (or for another) does not grant you, them, or anyone the right to distribute or share this work beyond the single individual that registers to take the course.
This means the course and course materials may not be shared with friends, relatives, co-workers, or students, as each sale is for an individual license to view the lessons, and download any course materials, documents, code files, and software that are included with the course.
This per-person licensing helps ensure that the instructor who created this course (and exclusively holds the copyright for it,) can cover the expense outlaid to create the course, as well as cover the continuing costs of keeping the course available to new and existing customers, and additionally cover the expense of answering new questions that paying customers may have, all while providing the instructor (and copyright holder) with fair compensation for access to their copyrighted course and course materials that are licensed on a per-person basis.
Note that it is unlawful to share this copyrighted course and course material *even* if you do not charge for doing so, or do not make a profit doing so (including non-profit and governmental organizations,) as the nature of this unique, copyrighted, proprietary educational work (for which the instructor holds the sole copyright,) is that it is designed as a chargeable training resource that is not made freely available to the public, and as such its only value is in its controlled distribution. Therefore, any unauthorized sharing of the course or the course materials would greatly reduce the potential for additional sales and licensing, directly impacting the ability of the instructor and copyright holder to cover their costs to produce the course, as well as to continue to make it available to new and existing customers, and to support customers who lawfully purchased it.
If you have any questions on the above, please contact us using the "contact link" in the site menu.