# Career in plc



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Three typical methods.... if your company has a design-build arm, beg your way onto those jobs. Get a factory maintenance job as a factory electrician. The controls and instrumentation stuff is generally part of that work unless the company is huge. Get a job for an integrator in field service. Not so many guys want to be "road warriors", so those types of jobs seem to be plentiful.


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

*fastest way*

As Mark said above, out of them three I agree that a service rep or tech support rep is the easiest and fastest way to get into the field. Most of the time when you call tech support for a company, or get someone out for a service call they are fairly new because allot of people use these jobs as a stepping stones. I was going to go with a big name manufacture but someone i know who works for them said “drinking and divorce are there favorite pastimes" I passed on the job, so choose wisely.


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## dont (May 26, 2015)

Some technical colleges have classes on PLCs. Youtube videos are posted from people offering coursework. https://www.youtube.com/user/ShawnMTierney


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## bjjohns (Jun 10, 2015)

*Worked for me*

Service rep worked well for me. I'm currently doing a 20 month design/program/build project on a resin kettle. There are plenty of online resources to help you learn, such as PLCTalk, and StackOverflow. One thing I do want to point out is that companies tend to specialize in one brand/flavor of PLC's. I've been almost strictly ControlLogix now since 2002 for 3 different companies.


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## whalesurvivor (Jun 11, 2015)

70% of the manufacturing jobs posted in Kansas City are looking for Allen Bradley PLC experience. I suppose it varies by region.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

I can't speak for everyone, but I started in controls (RR) then went into construction then to factory maintenance.
From maintenance (BTW was the best learning experience of my career) I was able to get hired by one of our drive and motor vendor.
I quit the factory and was called by the vendor the next day. 

You can work your way up. By working with this equipment day in and out, you not only learn about these things, but you meet people that can help.


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

John Valdes said:


> I was able to get hired by one of our drive and motor vendor.
> I quit the factory and was called by the vendor the next day.


It works both ways, I was offered work before I left the company ( was closing), and I have hired people from vendors before. I think allot of big vendors get their skilled people from factory maintence.


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## NC Plc (Mar 24, 2014)

I wish my employer would buy more AB stuff but they are fairly dead set on Automation Direct.


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## dthurmond (Feb 7, 2011)

NC Plc said:


> I wish my employer would buy more AB stuff but they are fairly dead set on Automation Direct.


Automation direct offers classes in Atlanta Cummings a couple times a year . They have a beginners and advanced classes . I thought the beginners class was very helpful . They have a state of the art facility that you get a tour of .


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## bjjohns (Jun 10, 2015)

NC Plc said:


> I wish my employer would buy more AB stuff but they are fairly dead set on Automation Direct.


It is the price. AB/Rockwell charges obscenely for thier stuff, hardware and software, however you get great product support, pretty kick-a$$ ignoring the lameness that is RSView) , and decent options for cross platform communications.

My three major complaints about automationdirects plc's, in no particular order is lack of IEC 61131-3 support, bad time-slicing handling, and lack of "family" relationships between plc's - modbus is not the friendliest of communication protocols. I can work around some of the other "missing " features like lack of Hart support, and none of the more modern comm protocols (although they do support EthIP/Cip, just not well). When I use their stuff, I tend to do it where I just need a smarter relay.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

just the cowboy said:


> It works both ways, I was offered work before I left the company ( was closing), and I have hired people from vendors before. I think allot of big vendors get their skilled people from factory maintence.


From my personal experience, most manufactures will not talk to you unless you are a engineer with a degree. Mechanical or electrical. Seems more mechanical than electrical.
They would rather take a new kid with the sheepskin than take a seasoned veteran without a degree.
I got lucky because I got to know several manufacturers very well.
For the record, I was hired by a manufacture representative. Not the manufacturer.
I would have needed a degree to get on with any of the major players.

Now, I did meet a guy that was hired by Baldor to head up the servo program. He was a writer (code), teacher and programmer.
He only had a high school diploma. 
But he was one of the best in his field. Baldor picked him up from a rep.

I guess we all have a story to tell.


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## NC Plc (Mar 24, 2014)

dthurmond said:


> Automation direct offers classes in Atlanta Cummings a couple times a year . They have a beginners and advanced classes . I thought the beginners class was very helpful . They have a state of the art facility that you get a tour of .


Yea my boss is going to start by supplying me with the $40 a month video library they have online. Eventually I will get to go to their Atlanta classes.


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## Skeet (Nov 6, 2009)

Kr8nrg said:


> I'm currently an electrician for a commercial company, but I want to get into Plc and instrumentation. I have no experience in this field and was wondering what classes or refresher course to take. And will a company take a chance on somebody with no experience and with a couple of classes under their belt about the field?


Most will tell ya that field experience trumps a degree, but that said...be a self-taught student as you be someone's helper. This is an EXCELLENT study course and book.

Yes. Someone will hire you. A lot of that is based on your motivation and enthusiasm energetic work ethic. THAT is all just about priceless 

Good luck!

http://www.ibiblio.org/kuphaldt/socratic/sinst/

http://www.ibiblio.org/kuphaldt/socratic/sinst/book/liii_2v12.pdf


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## picklesbc (Oct 21, 2014)

I stumbled into a job in automation right out of school (electrical foundation). On the surface it was just panel-building, but four months in they have me wiring brewhouses (which my company builds. Yes, there is free beer), programming, and travelling to sites to commission said brewhouses. 
So maybe a panel workshop? Like paid training kinda, and they'll hire most anybody, apparently.


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## MoscaWD (Apr 22, 2015)

If you end up in any sort of industrial environment (where I started) it is impossible to avoid PLC's. Automation is taking over in a big way. Allen Bradley is partnered with my local college, so when I did my PLC certification it was with all Allen Bradley (although I got to do my final project with the Toshiba PLC's I worked with at the time). All HVAC is now automated as well, although they tend not to use ladder logic as their programming language. Depending on where you want to go, the usual partnership around here is HMI / PLC courses. 

All I can say about for experience with jobs, is apply anyways. If you get an interview and put your best foot forward, most companies I have worked for or work for are looking for someone who will and can learn and work hard, more so than someone who already has all the answers.


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## Michigan Master (Feb 25, 2013)

whalesurvivor said:


> 70% of the manufacturing jobs posted in Kansas City are looking for Allen Bradley PLC experience. I suppose it varies by region.


I think one of the reasons AB is so popular is they supply many of the colleges with equipment and software for curriculums. When those kids graduate and get a job they then want to spec PLCs they are familiar with - smart marketing.

Our company has primarily GE PLCs (this decision was made years ago due to the high number of FANUC robotic cells we have) although we do have some AB and Siemens. Working in maintenance is a great way to get troubleshooting and programming experience.


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## JRaef (Mar 23, 2009)

One proven path, contact System Integrators in your area and apply for service or panel shop jobs. Many have panel shops but cannot install or service their equipment in some areas unless the electricians are licensed, which many panel shop wireman lack. look at the "Locations" section of CSIA (Control Ststem Integrators Assoc.) for people in your area, they are often always looking for licensed people and may be willing to let you learn the PLC stuff on the job in order to have access to your license (assuming you have one). It won't pay as well n the beginning compared to electrical contracting, but would give you a path toward what you want.

http://www.csiaexchange.com/4.aspx


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## sparkiez (Aug 1, 2015)

I invested a couple hundred on ebay used PLCs and some components and set up a test bench and started reading and watching videos and playing around. Your job may be able to let you use their AB software as well (it is very expensive) but the little micrologix 1000's have free programming software you can only use on that PLC to get you started. It is a specific ML1000 though. I think it has 4 inputs and 6 outputs (also called a 10-point ML1000).


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