City & Guilds Omron PLC Industrial Maintenance & Fault Finding Pro 1&2

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Course Information & Topics
Essential PLC training for anyone who intends to be working at an industrial level with PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers).

Our IMFFP® training course is for anyone who is interested in working with PLCs on the shop-floor while being able to fault find, make modifications and maintain the machinery/production line.

Upon completing the IMFFP® training course, you will able to work with live PLC's in industrial environments while not compromising safety or increasing production downtime when working on the shop-floor. Based around Syswin, CxProgrammer or Sysmac Studio, we will walk through the software and the majority of its available programming instructions that are most used throughout programs on the shop-floor. You will learn how to read industrial programs and incorporate instructions into Program Blocks, Sub-Routines and Function Blocks. We will explain the Standard Operating Procedures for working on the shop-floor with PLC’s, ensuring you are working safely and efficiently. Fault Finding methods and techniques are then demonstrated and practiced, making you more pro-active when working on processes/machinery, increasing production efficiency and reducing downtime.

At the end of the IMFFP® training course, you are expected to have a detailed understanding of the most used instructions and routines in programming, as well as being confident in approaching, maintaining and fault finding with the PLC in all situations.

Section 1
Background to the PLC
PLCs in Industry and where they are used
Understanding what PACs are and the differences between a PAC and a PLC
Understanding PLC Numbering Systems and converting between them (Binary, Decimal, Hexadecimal, Octal)
Understanding the Omron PLC Range
Understanding the differences between Modular, Compact and Rack-based PLCs
How to select a model of PLC for a control system
How to use the Omron website and locate important areas
Understanding what an Omron PSU is
Understanding the Omron CPU and its features
Understanding the Omron CPU LED indication and error displays
Understanding how to use the CPU Mode Selector
What is a PLC Battery and why is it important
Understanding the Omron Digital Input and Output Cards
The importance of the Omron Part Numbers
Understanding Memory Cards
How to wire the Omron PSU, CPU and Input/Output Cards
Understanding the differences between NPN and PNP wiring
Understanding how Modular PLCs are constructed and expanded
Increasing process control via Networking
Understanding the use of Bus and Ring Networks
Understanding basic PLC components
Understanding the differences between Steps, Rungs and Networks
Understanding Logic terminology (AND, OR, ANDN, ORN, EOR)
Understanding the Omron PLC hardware and internal addressing
Understanding the unique Omron Memory Area and how to manage it correctly
The importance of the PLC Scan and how it can be increased
Understanding what PC/Laptop Operating System you should use for CxProgrammer
Understanding the CxProgrammer environment
Creating your first project
Setting up communications between your Laptop and PC
Setting up Hardware Configuration and why its important
How to download safely to the PLC without accidentally shutting down production
Using CxProgrammer to create your first programming routines
Labelling your project with Symbols and Comments and the benefits of doing so
Understanding Online Editing and the dangers
Understanding the differences between Control Latches and Alarm Latches and their important signals
Understanding the dangers of duplication
Using CxProgrammer to create Timer delay routines using the variations of Omron Timers available

Section 2
Understanding the differences between PLC programming languages and the positives and negatives of each
Understanding the IEC 61131-3 Programming Standards and why we adhere to these standards
Understanding Omron Counters and what we can use them for
How to use programming instructions to monitor system equipment for maintenance
Understanding what downtime is and how to prevent downtime on the shop-floor
Undertaking an Upload and how to do so correctly
Understanding the dangers of the PLC scan and how it can affect your programs
Understanding the dangers of when working with PLCs and how to work with them safely to prevent accidents in industry
Understanding data handling with the Move instruction
How the PLC works with negative values and 2's complement
Understanding Analogue values and how they are inputted to the PLC
How to convert Analogue signalling from Raw to Engineering and Engineering to Raw
Understanding the common Bit Logic instructions in the Omron catalog
How to use the One Shot Pulse (Rising and Falling) instructions correctly inside of the Omron PLC
Using Set and Reset inside of the PLC and why it can be dangerous when used incorrectly

Section 3
How to undertake a PLC IO Test at the start of commissioning and installing a program
Understanding the use of clock memory of the Omron PLC
Adopting practices to help reducing downtime when fault finding on a PLC
Using Omron Cross-References to navigate through your program when fault finding
How to locate free addressing inside of the Omron PLC
Understanding the Omron Call Structure
Using verification to ensure accurate backups are available
Understanding the affects that Modifying and Forcing I/O has on the PLC
Understanding the dangers of Forcing Inputs and Outputs in your program
Adopting advanced backup procedures
Understanding how to monitor your programs more effectively
How to locate intermittent faults in a program
Using the Always On and Always Off flags effecively
Using Omron PLC diagnostics to locate problems in the PLC
Using Safety Interlocking to help increase the integrity of your programs
Understanding interrupts and background routines
How to create Function Blocks to further increase your program control
How to create Alarms inside of the PLC and how to manage these within your program

Section 4
Understanding the different types of CPU Faults
Understanding how to replace a PLC battery on the shop-floor correctly
Understanding how to replace faulty Input/Output cards
Understanding how to replace a PLC memory card on the shop-floor correctly
Understanding how to work with E-Stops and Safety Circuits and implement these inside of your program
Understanding the differences between standard PLCs and safety PLCs
Using Maths instructions inside of the PLC
Using Functions for calculations and data handling giving you further control of your program
Understanding the PLC electrical schematics and IO schedules and why we use these when commissioning and installing programs
Practice fault finding techniques by working with a real industrial program which is currently being used on the shop-floor with the help of your tutor
Understanding the use of sequencers inside of programs and how they can reduce downtime
Understanding the use of a cycle stop routine inside of a program
Using Comparators to monitor process safety limits
Understanding the further differences between PACs and PLCs
Understanding preventative maintenance techniques to be used with the PLC
Learn how to replace an Input/Output Card on a Live PLC System
How to protect your career when working with PLCs
Understanding SIL levels when working with a control system
Understanding IEC Safety Standards when working with a control system
Understanding the dangers of erratic signalling
Identifying faults inside of real industrial programs and how they can be prevented
Understanding best practice programming
Learn how to replace a CPU on a Live PLC System
Make changes to a real industrial program safely without affecting the control system