Exploring troubleshooting techniques

We now know what some problems that could affect the performance of a PLC are, and their common causes. As anyone who has ever worked on an electromechanical system knows, simply knowing what a cause could be is not the same as knowing what the cause is. In this section, we’re going to explore some troubleshooting techniques to help pinpoint a problem.

Before we get into troubleshooting, we need to look at the tools that every engineer should have in their toolkit.

The PLC toolkit

There is nothing more embarrassing than showing up to a service call or being asked to troubleshoot a PLC and not having the necessary tools. The following is a list of common tools that everyone who is tasked with troubleshooting a PLC-based machine should have:

• Screwdrivers: Everyone tasked with fixing a machine should, at the minimum, have a series of flathead and Phillips screwdrivers of varying sizes. Usually, it’s a good idea to get...