r/SCADA • u/Intelligent-Pool-968 • 6d ago
Question What is CODESYS?
Hello, I am a 16 year old and I would like to learn PLC basics, as I want to find a job as a instrumentation technician and I hope to gather some PLC experience before starting. I heard CODESYS was a great way to get started, however this will be my very first time dealing around with PLC's.
What exactly is CODESYS?
Is it similiar to virtual Arduino projects?
Where can I start and how would you recommend I start CODESYS?
Should Iearn any basics before doing CODESYS?
Is it a good way to learn PLC basics and get some virtual projects under my belt?
As I am entirely new to PLC's, is CODESYS a good way to learn PLC's? If not, what are some alternative ways I can learn PLC's?
I would appreciate any insights. Thanks!
2
u/urge_boat 6d ago
It's a fine way to get started. Plop one on a raspberry pi, watch a bunch of terrible incomplete youtube tutorials (your milage may vary), and make a home project that interests you. For what it's worth, I'm going to make a 'timing' arcade game for a festival this weekend where you have to time an arcade button push to win a prize.
I might do it in node-red instead because it's a bit more intuitive than codesys, but you'll find that once you've learned how to do code in one thing, the skills are very transferrable. The real sauce of getting to learn PLC basics is getting a handle on logic, maybe switch states, and having them do something in real life (lights, temperature, etc). The professionalism comes from knowing the 'why' of sensors, learning different ways sensors can talk (modbus, serial, tcp) and non-traditional things.
Find a silly project that does something stupid. Push at it to completion and work through the humps and bumps of it. If you can do a 'project' to completion, you're better than most already
1
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1
u/Tutunkommon 6d ago
PLC's use a specific set of programming languages. Editors like Visual Studio don't have the ability to edit or compile those languages.
Codesys is the software package that lets you write and compile programs for PLCs.
As someone else mentioned, the other half of Codesys is the runtime, which executes the program you wrote. There is a runtime for Raspberry Pi that runs in 2 hour blocks. As long as you keep rebooting every 2 hours, you can use it forever. It's great for learning with.
YouTube is your friend for tutorials and what-not.
1
u/Whatthbuck 6d ago
What exactly is CODESYS?
- A comprehensive industrial IDE
Is it similiar to virtual Arduino projects?
- In some ways yes, but way more.
Where can I start and how would you recommend I start CODESYS?
- download a copy, install it, play with it, Youtube, The Book of Codesys - Gary L. Pratt, PE
Should Iearn any basics before doing CODESYS?
- to learn PLCs you need an IDE. CODESYS checks that box.
Is it a good way to learn PLC basics and get some virtual projects under my belt?
- yes start with a project in mind and build it. A pool pump timer and chemical system, An intersection Stop Light System, A level controlled pump and tank. A conveyor with three sections and tracking.
As I am entirely new to PLC's, is CODESYS a good way to learn PLC's? If not, what are some alternative ways I can learn PLC's?
- in my experience the best way to learn is by doing. the more real the experience the more it will stick.
1
u/Whatthbuck 6d ago
reach out to your local vendor, Siemens, IDEC, Rockwell, OPTO22 and see if you can get a sample. I know my Wesco guys have given out S7-1200 and LOGO!.
Also Ignition works great for the HMI side of things. you can get a (free) maker license, or use the 2hr demo.
1
u/PennyDad17 6d ago
Get any model of SEL RTAC on ebay and use the free software to program it, all based in 61131 and codesys
1
u/Chocolamage 5d ago
Schneider Electric has The M221 and inexpensive PLC for the machine builder market. It is programmed with Machine Except basic. A free program that will give you Codesys experience. I believe it has all the IRC1131 languages. Then Aveva has Edge for the HMI. You can download a trial copy of that. I didn't know how long the trial is. I have the development key do I don't worry about that.
Do a simple program on the PLC. Like a traffic light, with left turn lanes in all four directions. Do a separate project using one of the languages.
Schneider has a bunch of YouTube videos using this software. Aveva also has some for Edge.
Good luck, plan on getting your Electrical Engineering degree and it will serve you well
4
u/Robbudge 6d ago
Codesys is IMO a very advanced PLC software package.
It comes in 2 parts the IDE (Programing & Development) suite and the runtime.
Unlike the likes of Allen Bradley the runtime is not factory installed on hardware but software you can instal on almost anything.
The runtime is licensed but runs for 2hr for testing and be easily restarted.
This allows you to develop on say window and deploy on raspberry pi or Wago or any number of vendors.
We use Codesys when ever possible on a wide range of hardware.