This week, we started working on the PLC(programmable logic controllers). First, we made simple circuits with the PLC, which was controlling a pneumatic cylinders. We did a lot of different exercises starting with basic tasks and gradually moving to harder ones. The 12 tasks we had to complete took us the whole week, which I think was quite a lot. The teacher guided us through the tasks, but he also let us figure things out on our own.

The PLC we used was a Siemens 1200, which is a very common model. We programmed the ladder diagram using logical gates. Every task involved a cylinder to move in a different sequence. At the end we finished all the tasks in the brochure, we had to program something similar to an automation machine. This final task was very challenging and required a lot of problem-solving. I think that way se learned a lot because we could try working on our own. There was allso a lot of things we also did on the side like trying to program it in different ways.