# Become better with control /instrumentations



## Pattrick (Aug 14, 2019)

Hello everyone I'm a 3rd year IBEW apprentice. I want to know better and be specialized in control / instrumentations. Any books or additional training that I can take along my apprenticeship?
Please delete if not allowed. Thanks! 

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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

Pattrick said:


> Hello everyone I'm a 3rd year IBEW apprentice. I want to know better and be specialized in control / instrumentations. Any books or additional training that I can take along my apprenticeship?
> Please delete if not allowed. Thanks!
> 
> Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk


First welcome and as a IBEW apprentice you can ask away.

Manufactures web sites are your best friend. 
One easy starting place is Automation direct they sell all types of controls and offer lots of free videos and reading at entry level up to complex stuff.
They also offer free software for PLC's and HMI's
Click PLC if you want to learn basics then buy a PLC and play with it. 
Productivity series PLC if you just want to learn basic and advanced PLC.
C-more micro for HMI.

Good luck
Cowboy


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## Pattrick (Aug 14, 2019)

just the cowboy said:


> First welcome and as a IBEW apprentice you can ask away.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks you so much. I will try to get my feet. 

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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

See if you can work with another guy or a crew on a control job. 

You can learn some stuff from books but the vast majority will be actual hands-on experience.


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## Flyingsod (Jul 11, 2013)

Grab the instructions from any control parts you come across. Read them untill they start making sense to you. If they never make sense to you, you are not control guy material, you are a parts changer. Oh and get an arduino kit from amazon and play. If an arduino kit isn’t fun for you, again, you are not control guy material. Good luck!


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## 5kv flash (Jul 15, 2016)

Flyingsod said:


> Grab the instructions from any control parts you come across. Read them untill they start making sense to you. If they never make sense to you, you are not control guy material, you are a parts changer. Oh and get an arduino kit from amazon and play. If an arduino kit isn’t fun for you, again, you are not control guy material. Good luck!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Your not a guy I would listen to ,no inspiration here,most guys in the trade have no patients to pass on what they have learned ,I go out of my way constantly to help other people I am a fast learner, not everyone learns at the same pace, I love when I hear the word( can't) lol I will spin circles around that person and prove it can be done I hate 2nd place...

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## Blue Sky (Aug 17, 2013)

For instrumentation you could download the PDF:

Lessons In Industrial Instrumentation by Tony R. Kuphaldt

*Socratic Instrumentation*


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## Easy (Oct 18, 2017)

Control circuits / instrumentation is kind of a life time venture. I agree that some people are not really cut out for it but just like Beethoven you can overcome anything if you really work at it.
If it's something you do all the time you eventually get good at it, but if your doing construction work you probably won't. If your able to find a job working for a company that does controls exclusively then you would have a better chance at success. Start out learning motor controls, work on conventional machine tools, relay logic and then move on to bigger things. The quickest way is hands on exposure and working with someone who enjoys sharing knowledge.


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

Easy said:


> The quickest way is hands on exposure and working with someone who enjoys sharing knowledge.


In my last job it wasn't to difficult train someone who was interested as we had 1 to 5 control issues a day. In my new job its difficult as we maybe have 1 or 2 control issues a month. 

When there's lots of troubleshooting work its easy to invest the effort or wash the guy out as hes never going to learn. When there's not much troubleshooting there's lots of time for bench testing but its hard to replicate what happens in the real world. 
Im just glad to see anyone joining a forum and asking advice as it shows there willing to put in the effort.


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