Finishing School on PLC, VFD and HMI

The Electronics and Computer Science of Don Bosco College of Engineering (DBCE), Fatorda, organized a Finishing School on Industrial Automation Training in association with Autotech Technologies. The programme was a 20-day course conducted from 14th July to 7th August 2025 and focused on Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Variable Frequency Drives (VFD), and Human-Machine Interface (HMI).

The resource persons for the Finishing School were Mr. Sandip Mone, Proprietor and Trainer, Autotech Technologies, and Ms. Sanjita Nadkarni, Project In-charge and Trainer, Autotech Technologies. The programme was organized for students of the Electronics and Telecommunication and Mechanical Engineering departments of DBCE. The industrial automation platforms and brands covered during the course included DELTA VFD, Allen Bradley PLC, and DELTA HMI.

The course commenced with an introduction to DELTA Variable Frequency Drives. This module included an overview of electric motors, interpretation of motor nameplates, and basic concepts of VFDs, along with their advantages and industrial applications. Students were trained to program VFDs by setting and modifying various parameters. Demonstrations of forward and reverse motor operation using the VFD were conducted. Other important topics covered in the VFD module included braking techniques, multistep speed commands, relay triggering, external input wiring, sensor wiring, and load connections.

The second module focused on Programmable Logic Controllers. Students were introduced to the Allen Bradley MicroLogix 1000 PLC, its associated software, and the fundamentals of ladder diagram programming using industrial examples. The topics covered included basic logic gates (AND, OR, XOR), one-shot rising instructions, latching, interlocking, binary bit concepts, up and down counters, ON-delay and OFF-delay timers, and a range of basic and advanced industrial programs. This module also included hands-on sessions on PLC wiring, where students learned to connect input devices as well as output components such as indicators and relays.

The final module covered DELTA Human-Machine Interface systems. Students were introduced to touchscreen HMI operation and the various communication ports used to interface with PLCs. The concepts taught included page generation, tag generation, downloading HMI programs to the PC, and establishing communication between the PLC and HMI. Practical exercises included controlling PLC outputs through HMI keys, assigning variable numeric input values to PLC timers and counters via the HMI, and displaying timer and counter values using the value display feature.

The valedictory function of the Finishing School was held on 7th August 2025. The function was graced by the Principal, Dr. Neena Panandikar; the Head of the Electronics and Communication Engineering Department, Dr. D. S. Vidhya; the Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department, Dr. Suraj Marathe; and the resource person, Ms. Sanjita Nadkarni.

Certificates were distributed to the students upon successful completion of the course. The students shared positive feedback, highlighting the practical exposure and industry relevance of the training. As a token of appreciation, the management and students felicitated Ms. Sanjita Nadkarni for her dedication and commitment. The Finishing School was coordinated by Prof. Flavia Leitao.