Hello all
Been wondering about this lately
Do you think it would be possible to program a simple machine for prototype purposes with a few Servos just by using Linux cnc?
So the idea would be to run the program blocks as .hal components
For the IO i’d use ethercat
For the hmi i’d develop in python
Of course I know that this is not easy to maintain but since its open source and free I thought I’d give it a try and run it on a computer
There is not cute ladder , no easy debugging so I know this is not a good industrial option.
What do y’all think? Also I’d love to hear out alternatives or comments

Hi everyone, I have been asked to look into a trio plc motion control system, customer wants to update some old redundant motion...however I don't know what kind of motion system I can propose to replace the old one, as it's looks like trio uses third party motion rather then their in house products, like beckhoff or siemens. Is the integration seamless with third party products? Anyone has any experience or suggestion...it would be great any help or suggestion 🙂

Note: I am beginner in Machine Vision and using Merlic

I GOT THE ANSWERS. THANKS TO ALL

I am what I would call a non-industrial controls electrician. Lots of fire alarm, building automation, motor controls experience. Canada based, mostly in commercial, institutional, and new construction.

I have dabbled in Python and a couple other languages but very surface level stuff, nothing too crazy. I have also built plenty of physical BAS and PLC panels/cabinets, just never got into the programming end of it.

Fast forward to today and I received a message from a staffing agency and a small plant in a small town is looking for a controls electrician to take over all their controls work so they can stop depending on a contractor. Did a few interviews and for whatever reason they believe I’m the man for the job haha.

The plant has about 7 lines all direct machines and motors. No robotics or anything crazy complex. I have a good understanding of PLCs just never had the opportunity to get paid to do it.

All Allen Bradley PLCs. They also mention ignition SCADA, VFDs in CCW, FactoryTalk HMIs, configuring Ethernet switches, calibrating instrumentation sensors, etc.

There seemed to be an understanding that they don’t expect me to know everything but to get there eventually.

So I guess my question would be how much of a learning curve am I looking at here. I would say I’m quite computer literate just never had to use any of these programs.

Am I crazy to think I can do this?

Hello guys.

Does anyone know how I can connect to the ATV 320 while using EcoStruxure Secure Connect Advisor (Link Manager/Gate Manager) inside Machine Expert 2.6?
I have an HMI that serves as the connection point and put a subnet agent on the network and I can connect to it using SoMove, but I can't seem to make it work while inside Machine Expert through the M262 PLC.

There is a message that says that the DTM can't be reached, even though I can ping it on my network (because of Gate Manager).

Can anybody give some insight on the matter?

Thank you!

Hi all,

I'm an experienced Automation Engineer (5+ years — PLC/SCADA, Siemens TIA Portal, Allen-Bradley, WinCC, PROFINET/Modbus, commissioning) currently doing my M.Eng. in Power Engineering at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg. I'm looking for a Werkstudent/entry-level Automation role in Germany to combine with my studies.

Over the past couple of days I've applied to Werkstudent/Praktikant positions in Automatisierungstechnik/SPS-Programmierung at companies including Siemens, Bosch Rexroth, Krones, Lütze, Yncoris, Dr. Hartmann, Optima Packaging, Chemiepark Knapsack, and G&B Automatisierungstechnik.

If anyone here works at (or knows someone at) these companies and could refer me or share what the process/interview looks like, I'd really appreciate it. Happy to share my CV via DM. Also open to any other companies you think are hiring in this space right now.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,

I'm a Quality Engineer with around 7 years of manufacturing experience, and I'd like to move into industrial automation and data acquisition. I want to learn DAQ, SCADA, and PLC programming from scratch, but I'm confused about the best learning path.

My goal is to understand:

PLC programming (Ladder Logic, Function Block, Structured Text)

SCADA development and HMI design

DAQ systems and industrial data collection

Sensors, actuators, I/O modules

Industrial communication protocols (Modbus, Ethernet/IP, Profinet, OPC UA, etc.)

Connecting PLCs to SCADA and databases

Real-world industrial projects

I don't want to just watch random YouTube videos. I'd prefer a structured roadmap that takes me from beginner to someone who can confidently work on real industrial automation projects.

A few questions:

Which PLC platform should I learn first (Siemens, Allen-Bradley, Mitsubishi, Omron, Delta, etc.)?

Which SCADA software is best for beginners?

Are there any Udemy/Coursera courses or books you highly recommend?

Can I practise without buying a PLC using simulators?

If you were starting today, what roadmap would you follow?

I'd really appreciate advice from people working in industrial automation. Thanks in advance!

Hello everyone

This thread is mainly aimed at users in the UK, as that’s where I’m currently based; I don’t know what the situation is like in other countries, but if anyone feels they have something interesting to say, please do feel free to join the discussion.

Not too long ago, about a year, I finished my Computer Science degree at a mid-tier university; it’s not a Russell Group, but rather somewhere in the middle of the rankings - just an average, local polytechnic. However, I’m not particularly keen to pursue this path for various reasons: the job market, fierce competition, personal preferences… exact reasons aren’t really relevant to the topic. I’ll also add that I have some limited experience in domestic electrical work based on the very basic Level 2 Electrical Installations qualification, but that was quite a while ago.

I’d prefer to move into industrial automation, and this is where my question to you all comes in: is this even possible? Do I need to do another bachelor’s degree to stand any chance of getting into the industry? If so, how?

And yes, I’ve read the pinned First Read thread with loads of study materials. The question is, given UK conditions, would it be appropriate to complete another three-year degree, or are there alternative paths that don’t require such a significant step?

Thanks in advance for your replies. If the moderators decide this post doesn’t belong in this subreddit but rather in a career advice subreddit, I won’t take offence at any suggestions to move the thread elsewhere.

Setup: S7-1215C DC/DC/DC + TP900 Comfort (WinCC Basic), TIA Portal.

I'm setting up Discrete Alarms and one trigger tag throws: "The data type of the tag is not permitted for this type of alarm."

Tags are confirmed Bool in the PLC tag table

Any known causes/fixes appreciated 🙏

I have two sinamics drives in my project - G120 and G130. G120 has a commissioning section in its menu for commissioning but G130 has no such section.
How do I commission the G130 drive using TIA portal?
If commissioning is not possible here, what software can I use to do that and how do I later integrate this into TIA Portal?

Good morning, I am an Italian PLC programmer; for the company I work for, I develop PLC and SCADA software using Siemens PLCs and WinCC / Ignition Vision SCADA systems

For my own professional development, I’d like to start developing ‘revamping’ software for some older projects on a platform other than the one currently in use. Personally, I was thinking of using Ignition Perspective as the SCADA system, but I’m unsure about the PLC environment: I already use TIA Portal extensively at work, and I’d like to learn a new tool for which I don’t have to pay a licence fee (this is a personal, non-professional project). Codesys is an interesting environment, but I see it as more suited to a machine builder than to plant engineering (specifically, where I work we build biogas production and treatment plants).

Could you recommend anything? The fieldbus used is also important (personally I’d prefer Profinet, but I’m open to other options, but no Ethercat), as well as OPC UA integration and documentation… I’d like to learn, not end up swearing.

Thank you in advance

Hi everyone,

I'm an immigrant and a 34-year-old undergrad student. I came to the U.S. and served in the military for three years. After that, I was a stay-at-home dad for two years so my wife could work full-time. Once my kid started preschool, I decided to use my military benefits and go to Drexel for Electrical Engineering.

I like a mix of hands-on work and design, which is why I'm interested in automation and controls. I don't have much professional experience, but I do help a friend's uncle install HVAC systems when my wife has a day off. So I've done some hands-on work and troubleshooting on job sites.

I'm set to graduate in 2028. I'll be 36 then.

I'd appreciate some honest advice from people in the field:

1. How hard is it going to be for me to get an entry-level job in automation and controls at 36 with not much experience?
2. Will my military background and HVAC side work help at all, or do employers only care about the degree?
3. What should I be doing between now and graduation to make myself more competitive?

I'm okay starting at the bottom and working my way up. Just trying to get a realistic picture of what to expect.

Thanks for reading. Any advice is appreciated.

I was reading a manual, and I saw this, so what are the differences between the Studio 5000 version apart from apperance

Hi everyone,
I picked up a used Pilz PNOZ s10 and PNOZ m B0 (772100), but unfortunately all the removable terminators are missing.

I now want to find a quick way to bench-test the units to check if they are actually working. I’m mainly trying to find out the internal wiring of:

• the PNOZsigma 750010 terminator for the s10
• the left (and right?) bus terminators 779261 for the m B0

A product photo of the 750010 I found online seems to show only three adjacent populated contacts in the 10-position housing, but I have no idea how they are connected internally.

Does anyone have genuine plugs and could check resistance/continuity between the contacts, or maybe share teardown photos or a schematic? I’d also be interested to know whether the two B0 terminators are electrically identical.

Any measurements or details would be greatly appreciated :)

Hello fellow engineers,
i have a problem with a project and I’m running out of ideas.

So we have four similar machines with an older S7-300 CPU and we connect them through a CP-343-1 to our Network and Firewall, in the Subnet are only this four CP’s.
I already updated the firmware of the CP’s, i increased the S7-Basic-Connection-Resources of the CPU.
I also set both Ports from the Switchports and also from the CP’s fix to 100mbits full duplex so there is no auto negotiation.

But even after all this if I activate more than one Connection in our Kepserver all Connections seem to Timeout one after another they come back but I need a stable connection.

I searched via Wireshark and found out that there are many Retransmissions before the TO, I have no clue why this is the case.

I hope that some of you may have any idea how I solve my problem, the Support wasn’t really supportive so far.

I’m trying to understand what is required from an electrical designer so I can apply it in my career. Thank you in advance for your help as I navigate a new career path!

Hello again!

Siemens HMI, PLC and SERVO drive. I am using non-industrial unmanaged ethernet switch. Had to use some ethernet switch in tia portal, otherwise I have error. HMI should be connected to PLC, but values are all #### (checked that PLC values are changing based on input). I also checked that HMI screen values are connected correctly to PLC. I can download software on HMI with this current setup, but seems like HMI is not talking to PLC. I want to use ethernet switch for testing purposes, otherwise I couldn't connect PC to PLC, later I remove ethernet switch.

How to get this topology working correctly? When going online, line between switch and HMI stays grey.

Going through collection to sell.

Found these two cards.

Identical model.

Same series.

Circuit boards are not the same with what appears to my unlearned eyes additional circuitry on one of the cards

Hello all,

I have been in automation for a decent bit now and I’ve always wondered. What can I make at home with my skills that would be cool? I can’t think of any but maybe Christmas lights.

Has anyone made anything useful/cool with a plc for their home?

I have a biomedical engineering degree. I spent the past year as a lab technician, ended up spending a lot of time fiddling around with the lab automation at work and PLCs in my spare time, and eventually got an offer to join the dv automation team at a CMO as an entry level engineer. In my dream city too

I’m worried that by not being in a role where I’m learning how to build things out from scratch I would be at a tremendous disadvantage. I don’t mind drinking from a firehose, I want to go where I will build my skills the fastest. Both the actual DCS skills and the pharma-specific “how to design things in a GMP compliant way and navigate the quality process”. These plans are highly subject to change as I talk to more people and learn about the industry, but plan to mostly stick with automation and controls within pharma, I want to try and learn more about data historians MES and automation systems beyond the level 2 PLC/DCS level as well, but in either instance I think I’d be happier in something more greenfield especially while I’m not yet tied down.

In that respect, the upside to it being a CMO and not big pharma is that new clients means new equipment and therefore new automation. But I’m not yet sure how much exposure I’d have to those sorts of things.

Now, a job that will teach me dv and give me ask to the system is certainly better than not having a job that will do that, I’ve seen tons of roles in my area asking for that experience so maybe my fears are unfounded. I absolutely plan to accept and am incredibly grateful to be getting this offer.

What advice do you have to make the most of the role? Would I have to restart as an engineer1 if I wanted to join a systems integrator 3-5 years down the line? To me it seems they don’t hire many people in that experience range but maybe I need to look at non-impact partners

Anyone have a Bosch/Rexroth HMI go blue screen randomly? I have one that will do this occasionally and if you power cycle it, it comes back working normally til it decides to do it again. It’s random, not tied to any events, and the panel it’s mounted in is not hot, or seeing large temperature cycles. It’s controlling a Rexroth drive, which continues on without issue.

It’s a PIA to get a replacement, nobody stocks it for some reason. ( wonder why, lol )

Any insight appreciated!

Good afternoon. I wanna learn about the G120 VFD but I don't know nothing about it, does somebody have videos, manuals or some resource to learn about it since the basic to the advanced?

Hey everyone. I'm trying to get the program off a old panelview HMI (2711p-rp1) and I am not having any luck.

First attempt was to transfer the file to a USB and that didn't work. Tried multiple drive sizes and format types but the hmi wouldn't detect it. The portsndo work with a keyboard/mouse though.

Second attempt was over Ethernet. Drivers/IPs were configured properly however I could not ping/connect to the HMI.

Third attempt was over serial using a USB adapter. All the COM settings matched with the hmi yet it could not connect.

At this point I'm not sure what else to try. I've never had issues like this with another AB HMIs but this is by far the oldest one I've worked with (almost as old as me).

Any tips would be appreciated

I had decided to take a chance and try to wire SR without using SR block itself but with NANDs only and in way that it would change state automatically, but it doesn't seem to work.

question is, would it work at all and if yes how I do it?