Application Centered Methodology For Teaching Programmable Logic Controllers

The paper discusses the methodology used for teaching programmable logic controllers – a part of the Mechatronics curriculum. The goal of the curriculum is to nurture skills that can help in implementing a Mechatronics project from the functional specifications. To this end, we developed a teaching paradigm involving several modules each with six identical steps. In this teaching paradigm, students see: 1. tangible results after every module, 2. the applicability of mechatronics concepts in real-world situations, 3. the importance of looking for alternative approaches for solving a given task, and 4. understanding of the product/process design The paper describes the methodology, presents the applications used (and the relevant hardware and software concepts), shows the gradual increase in complexity, and presents the advantages of the methodology based on student reviews.