PLC & SCADA Systems
Overview
PLC and SCADA systems control and monitor modern industrial plants and utilities. This course explains how they work and how to maintain them: PLC hardware and programming basics, communication networks, SCADA architecture, alarms, troubleshooting and cyber security.
Who should attend
Instrumentation and control engineers and technicians, electrical engineers, and operators working with automated systems.
Training methodology
Technical presentations, worked examples and calculations, case studies from industrial facilities, videos, group exercises, and a personal action plan.
Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Describe PLC hardware, I/O and scan cycles
- Read and write basic ladder logic programs
- Explain industrial communication networks and protocols
- Describe SCADA architecture, HMIs and alarm management
- Troubleshoot control systems and apply cyber security basics
Course outline
Day 1Automation Fundamentals
- Levels of industrial automation
- Control system architectures
- PLC, DCS and SCADA compared
- Sensors and actuators
- Safety instrumented systems overview
- Discussion: your plant's control system
Day 2PLC Hardware
- CPU, power supply and racks
- Digital and analogue I/O
- Scan cycle
- Addressing and memory
- Installation and wiring practice
- Practical: configure I/O
Day 3PLC Programming
- IEC 61131-3 languages
- Ladder logic instructions
- Timers and counters
- Analogue scaling and PID basics
- Program documentation
- Programming exercises
Day 4Networks and SCADA
- Industrial networks: Modbus, Profibus and Ethernet
- Remote terminal units
- SCADA architecture and servers
- HMI design
- Alarm management
- Exercise: design an HMI screen
Day 5Troubleshooting and Security
- Systematic troubleshooting
- Diagnostics and fault codes
- Backup and change management
- Industrial cyber security basics
- Maintenance of control systems
- Troubleshooting scenarios and action plan