Courses & Study Notes
Structured notes, exercises and knowledge checks from the courses I’m working through as I learn industrial automation.
How I’m Using This Section
I’m using courses to build the foundation for the hands-on work in My Controls Lab.
Rather than simply watching a lesson and moving on, I want to identify what I should understand, write down the key ideas in my own words, test myself with questions, and—whenever possible—apply the concept with real hardware.
These pages are my study record. They will grow as I progress through the material and as my understanding improves.
Currently Studying
COURSE IN PROGRESS
PLC & CLICK Fundamentals
Building my foundation in PLCs while learning with AutomationDirect CLICK hardware.
This course follows the PLC training material I’m working through from InterConnecting Automation and AutomationDirect. I’m organizing what I learn into objectives, key concepts, hands-on exercises and knowledge checks while applying the material to my own CLICK PLC lab.
Topics include: electrical control fundamentals, switches and relays, PLC inputs and outputs, sinking and sourcing, PLC scan operation, CLICK hardware, ladder logic, timers, counters, math, sequencing and analog I/O.
How I’m Studying
1. Learn
Work through the original lesson and identify what I should understand.
2. Understand
Turn the material into key ideas and explanations that make sense to me.
3. Test
Use questions and practical exercises to find the gaps in my understanding.
4. Build
Whenever possible, reproduce the concept using actual controls hardware.
Original Training Source
The first course on My Controls Lab is based on PLC training I’m working through from InterConnecting Automation, an AutomationDirect training partner.
The original videos and instructional material belong to their respective creators. My Controls Lab does not reproduce the original training videos or transcripts. The learning objectives, notes, explanations, lab ideas and knowledge-check questions here are my own study materials created as I work through the training and apply the concepts in my home controls lab.
Training Provider: InterConnecting Automation
Training Partner: AutomationDirect
Course Material Will Grow With Me
I’ll add material here as I actually work through it—not fill the site with subjects I haven’t studied yet.