Fundamentals of Ladder Logic Industrial Programming

In Fundamentals of Ladder Logic Industrial Programming, you'll learn ...

• Different types of programmable logic controller system components
• Basic ladder logic symbols and syntax, and how to read through code
• Advantages and disadvantages of ladder logic
• Alternatives to ladder logic, such as structured text and function blocks

Overview

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Credit: 2 CPD

Length: 26 pages

This course provides learners with an in-depth overview of the fundamentals of ladder logic industrial programming. Ladder logic is a vital programming resource because it is intuitive for non-computer programmers, specifically, electricians, to understand. Automated industrial processes all over the world utilize ladder logic in their programmable logic controllers (PLCs) to run everything from manufacturing a bag of potato chips to controlling a gas-fired turbine that generates electricity for a city.

This course will cover the basic components of a programmable logic controller system, and learners will gain an understanding of the basic symbols utilized in ladder logic and the syntax of the overall code. This will then lead into practical applications of ladder logic and allow the learner to practice reading actual code.

As the learner goes through the course, they will learn the advantages and disadvantages of ladder logic and alternatives to ladder logic, such as structured text and function blocks. The course contains various code examples that will allow the learner to practice and develop basic troubleshooting skills.

Specific Knowledge or Skill Obtained

This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills:

• The purpose and function of programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and how they control industrial automation systems.
• The major hardware components of a PLC system, including processors, input/output modules, communication modules, and power supplies.
• How to interpret ladder logic diagrams by understanding the roles of rails, rungs, contacts, and coils in simulating electrical relay logic.
• The ten basic ladder logic symbols—including normally-open and normally-closed contacts, transition-sensing contacts, and various coil types—in practical control circuits.
• How to develop and analyze ladder logic programs that incorporate set/reset coils, seal-in circuits, and interlocks for safe and reliable equipment operation.
• How to implement advanced ladder logic functions such as timers, counters, comparison, and arithmetic operations to enhance automation sequences.
• How to apply ladder logic to real-world control problems, including analog signal processing, timing operations, and sequence automation.
• PLC troubleshooting tools and techniques—such as trending and cross-referencing—to diagnose faults and verify program performance.
• How to create user-defined function blocks (add-on instructions) to modularize and simplify complex ladder logic programs.
• Compare ladder logic with alternative IEC 61131-3 programming languages—Function Block Diagram (FBD), Sequential Function Chart (SFC), Instruction List (IL), and Structured Text (ST)—and identify scenarios where each is most effective.

Certificate of Completion

You will be able to immediately print a certificate of completion after passing a multiple-choice quiz consisting of 10 questions. CPD credits are not awarded until the course is completed and quiz is passed.