Industrial Automation Training Curriculum

This revised 1-month training curriculum is based on the provided by SOAP Engineering, covering essential topics in industrial automation, SCADA systems, PLCs, HMIs, roles in automation engineering, and best practices. The program is scheduled only on weekdays from December 1 to December 22, 2025 (16 weekdays total). Topics have been condensed where necessary to fit the schedule while maintaining comprehensive coverage. Each weekday session focuses on 1-2 integrated topics for in-depth study, discussions, hands-on exercises, and review of diagrams/images from the materials. Sessions assume 4-6 hours, including theory, practical demos, and Q&A.

  • Overall Structure:
    • Days 1-4: Introduction to SOAP, SCADA, and basics.
    • Days 5-8: History, benefits, roles, and engineering principles in industrial automation.
    • Days 9-12: Internship project deliverables and PLC components/languages.
    • Days 13-16: PLC program design, implementation, troubleshooting, HMIs, and presentation etiquette.

Daily Topics

  • December 1 (Monday): Introduction to SOAP – Overview of the company, current projects (e.g., City of Abilene, Oxy-Oman, ConocoPhillips), and core focus on SCADA, Optimization, Automation, and Production; combined with What is SCADA? – Definition, purpose, remote monitoring/control, real-time data processing, and event logging.

 

  • December 2 (Tuesday): Industries Using SCADA – Applications in energy, manufacturing, oil and gas, water/wastewater, transportation, building automation, logistics, and other automation scenarios; combined with Components of SCADA Systems – Sensors and actuators (e.g., temperature, pressure, flow rates, equipment status, pumps, valves, switches).

 

  • December 3 (Wednesday): SCADA Field Controllers and Supervisory Computers – PLCs/RTUs for local control, supervisory computers for data gathering, processing, analysis, reporting, and HMI for operators.

 

  • December 4 (Thursday): SCADA Communication Infrastructure – Protocols (e.g., Modbus RTU, RP-570, Profibus, IEC 61850, DNP3) and networks (serial, Ethernet/CAT5/CAT6, wireless/WiFi/radio, cellular/LTE/5G, satellite/Starlink); combined with Benefits of SCADA – Increased efficiency/productivity, improved quality/safety, enhanced data collection/analysis, reduced labor/maintenance, increased compliance/reliability.

 

  • December 5 (Friday): What is Industrial Automation? – Application of machines/software for tasks once done by humans or impossible tasks, using programmed commands and feedback control for autonomous operation; combined with History of Industrial Automation – From the Industrial Revolution (mechanization), 1946 automobile industry origins, evolution with computers, to Industry 4.0 (AI, IoT, cloud computing).

 

  • December 8 (Monday): Benefits of Industrial Automation – Increased efficiency/productivity, improved quality, enhanced data collection/analysis, reduced labor/maintenance/waste, enhanced safety, expanded capabilities, environmental impact, increased compliance/reliability.

 

  • December 9 (Tuesday): Roles and Responsibilities of Automation Engineers – Communicating with clients, identifying efficiency opportunities, researching/designing automation technology, creating connections between inputs/outputs/actions; developing software robots, testing/debugging solutions, documenting/maintaining processes, providing technical support/training, building safety controls (combined Parts 1 and 2).

 

  • December 10 (Wednesday): Basic Principles of Electrical Engineering in Automation – Flow and use of electricity, high voltage vs. low voltage, digital vs. analog signals; combined with Basic Principles of Mechanical Engineering in Automation – Actuators for power creation and mechanical motion in automated systems.

 

  • December 11 (Thursday): Basic Principles of Computer Engineering in Automation – PLCs and RTUs for control and data handling; combined with Internship Project Deliverables – BOM (Bill of Materials), I/O List, and PLC information gathering.

 

  • December 12 (Friday): Components of PLCs – CPU (execution and communication), Memory (program/data storage), Input/Output Modules (interface with sensors/actuators), Power Supply, Programming Device.

 

  • December 15 (Monday): Programming Languages of PLCs – Overview of Ladder Diagram (LD), Function Block Diagram (FBD), Structured Text (ST), Instruction List (IL), Sequential Function Chart (SFC), with focus on their uses (e.g., LD for Boolean logic, ST for algorithms).

 

  • December 16 (Tuesday): Designing PLC Programs – Defining objectives/specifications (inputs/outputs, functions, safety), choosing hardware/software, creating logic diagrams/flowcharts with standard symbols.

 

  • December 17 (Wednesday): Implementing PLC Programs – Connecting hardware (per instructions/wiring), ensuring power/grounding, using programming devices to create/edit/download programs, following syntax/rules, simulation/testing for errors.

 

  • December 18 (Thursday): Troubleshooting PLC Programs – Using diagnostic indicators (power/communication/faults), monitoring/debugging tools (breakpoints, watch windows), multimeters/oscilloscopes for measurements (voltage, current, etc.), checking connections/interference.

 

  • December 19 (Friday): Using Ladder Logic and Structured Text for PLC Programs – Ladder Logic (graphical, relay-like, for Boolean operations); Structured Text (textual, flexible for algorithms/arithmetic); conversion between languages and software tools.

 

  • December 22 (Monday): Testing and Certification