PLC & Control

Your symbols will start to pop up in a quick pick list. Arrow down to find your proximity switch if you can't remember it, or better yet keep typing it all out and press enter when done. Viola! You've just typed your first symbol program.

Other symbols programming tips I can offer is a grouping of symbol names such as STATION 1 could mean S1. If you are state logic programming, you might remember a station more so by its function. Let's say you have a station on some automation that presses a part assembly together. I would call all the internal bits by "PRESS" to indicate all these bits that begin with PRESS have the same functionally with my press station.

The fun doesn't stop there. Can't remember which control relay enables the fast speed index? Just type CR to bring up the list of all your control relays.

How about when you are creating bits that transfer information from your Panel View to your PLC? You could also group all those symbol names together with a PV.

I hope you can see based on the samples shown that trying to memorize your program by the address names is pretty tough. Giving each of your symbols a name and you should be able to program faster than before. Group your symbols names to speed up symbol searches. Come up with your own "short hand" that you can remember easily or use the NPFA chart for some ideas.

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