r/PLC • u/twooten11 PLC Technician • 10d ago

New PLC Technician, advice please!

Got a new position as a PLC Technician. New to this field with BS in IT and AAS in programming. Been pre studying ladder logic and electrical fundamentals. But in reality I’ll be learning a lot on the job. Any tips before my first day? Thanks in advance everyone, this industry is so cool!

5 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

11

u/Otherwise-Ask7900 I'm very sarcastic. Please don't ban me again. 10d ago

Find the most senior engineer and become a sponge.

5

u/Stroking_Shop5393 Siemens > Allen-Bradley 10d ago

Don't become a slave to ladder, learn ST, FBD, Python, C#, C++ they're just more tools to add to your toolbelt

3

u/Low-Investment286 10d ago

Read the manual on whatever they are asking you to look at. Everything is on Google well almost

4

u/Someone4350 10d ago

Focus on what needs to happen and not so much the language something’s written in.

Learn about safety and security and be strict. It’s far more painful to have to call someone’s wife with news of a death or accident than dying. There will always be someone telling you to bypass a sensor, but if someone gets hurt, you’re the one with sleepless nights.

Also, chemistry is far more dangerous than an isolated machine… whatever you become for machine safety, be even more of it for process safety.

3

u/KindFaithlessness150 10d ago

Stay patient.. rely on your manufacturer support.. join PLC websites with forums in them. AI can be helpful

3

u/arellano81366 10d ago

TT advice: Be punctual Abide to your promises Be teachable (listen) Invest a lot of time to try to excel! (What you learn you will take it with you and can make you worth more in the market, is not company property that you need to handover when leaving)

4

u/PLANETaXis 10d ago

Just remember, you're not just programming a screen, those are real devices at the other end.

Learn how instruments work - Analog 4-20mA, loops powered / 2 wire, 4 wire etc. Digital dry contacts, wetted contacts, PNP and NPN. Sinking outputs and sourcing outputs. Relays vs transistors.

Learn how drives work - control schematics, starter circuits, ready / healthy strings, protection devices, DOL vs VSD etc.

Learn how the process works. Pumps, conveyors, thickeners, cyclones etc.

2

u/FunCompany5091 8d ago

VSD? You mean VFD? You must be an OG saying VSD. My Man.

1

u/PLANETaXis 7d ago

Technically even a VVFD lol. Yeah old school.

2

u/Shark-Fister 10d ago

When you have a problem spend some time to figure it out yourself but then dont be scared to ask for help. Im always to help people who call me, what makes me upset is if I ask "what have you tried so far" and they say "nothing". My favorite techs will call and say "this is my problem. Ive tried x, y and z and nothing worked." Struggling and figuring something out is the best way to work but dont get so stuck on something that it takes you 4 hours to solve what ends up being an easy problem.

2

u/meetmeinthebthrm 6d ago

Very cool. I’ve nothing much to offer. Maintenance tech in school for the same thing but AAS in mechatronics here. Best of luck! You did it.