VIDEO COURSE | ALLEN-BRADLEY MICRO800 · CONNECTED COMPONENTS WORKBENCH
Allen-Bradley Micro800 PLC Programming
from Scratch in Connected Components Workbench
Learn Allen-Bradley the way it is done on the plant floor. 114 lessons with exercises in Connected Components Workbench and FactoryTalk Design Workbench, three complete industrial projects and a real Micro850 training stand.
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Get instant access to every lesson published so far, and to each new module the moment it goes live.
Lifetime access. Connected Components Workbench Standard is free from Rockwell; for the full Micro800 simulator you need the Developer edition or a real controller.
Trusted by Industry Leaders to Train Their Teams
Knowing ladder logic is not the same as programming a real Allen-Bradley controller
- Most PLC courses stop at "turn on a light with a button."
- On the job you connect to a real Micro800, map physical I/O to variables and download a running program.
- Function blocks, analog scaling and PID control are rarely taught step by step.
- This course closes that gap inside the actual Rockwell ecosystem: Connected Components Workbench, Micro820 and Micro850 controllers, Factory I/O simulation and a fully wired training stand.
- Tutorials built around screenshots leave you stuck the moment you face real hardware, real wiring and a real I/O map.
Equipment was provided by our technology partner and authorized Rockwell Automation distributor, Elmark Automatyka.
Exercises in Connected Components Workbench and FactoryTalk Design Workbench
- Every exercise is done in Connected Components Workbench; the sorting station project is built in FactoryTalk Design Workbench, so you learn both Rockwell environments
- Connected Components Workbench Standard is free from Rockwell; the full Micro800 simulator is part of the paid Developer edition
- The same environment used for Micro810 through Micro870 controllers
- Ladder Diagram and Function Block Diagram in one project
- Micro800 simulator (Developer edition) or a real Micro820/Micro850: every program is tested before it goes to the line
- You go from a blank project to a downloaded, running program in module two
What you will learn in this Allen-Bradley PLC course
- Install and configure Connected Components Workbench from a free Rockwell account
- Write, debug and download Ladder Diagram and Function Block programs to a Micro800 controller
- Map global, local and system variables to physical I/O
- Build logic with timers, counters, edge detection, SET/RESET coils and flip-flops
- Scale analog signals and use process instructions: ALARM, HYSTER, SCALE, PID
- Test your programs against Factory I/O scenes before touching hardware
- Deliver three complete projects: sorting line, tank level control and pumping station
Learn From Working Automation Engineers
Equipment was provided by our technology partner and authorized Rockwell Automation distributor, Elmark Automatyka.
- Real hardware, real software - the Rockwell stack, not a detached simulation.
- Substance over filler - ~12 hours of dense, practical material
- Learn by building - every concept reinforced on an actual project
- Lifetime access - revisit any lesson, including future updates
Who is this Allen-Bradley PLC course for?
- Automation or controls technicians moving into the Allen-Bradley world
- Students and career-changers who know ladder basics and want real skills
- Engineers on another PLC brand who want to master the Rockwell ecosystem
- Anyone who wants a portfolio of three working projects, not just a certificate
What You Get When You Enroll
- 114 practical video lessons across 29 modules
- Three complete industrial projects: sorting line, tank level control and pumping station
- Connected Components Workbench - the Standard edition is free; we show which edition you need for the simulator
- Factory I/O scenes to test every program before touching hardware
- Instructor support via Discord chat and live webinars
- Lifetime access - learn at your own pace, forever
- Certificate of completion to boost your CV and LinkedIn
Meet Your Instructor
MSc. Eng. Maciej Kurantowicz
Automation & Robotics Engineer, Wroclaw University of Technology graduate
“ I believe everyone in the 21st century should know the basics of programming and automation!
What You Build in Each Part of the Course
Software
Exercises in Connected Components Workbench and FactoryTalk Design Workbench
- Every exercise is done in Connected Components Workbench; the sorting station project is built in FactoryTalk Design Workbench, so you learn both Rockwell environments
- Connected Components Workbench Standard is free from Rockwell and includes the Micro800 simulator in demo mode; the full simulator is in the paid Developer edition
- Every program is tested on the simulator or on a real controller before it goes to the line
- Factory I/O scenes (optional) turn the controller into a virtual sorting line, tank and pumping station
Equipment was provided by our technology partner and authorized Rockwell Automation distributor, Elmark Automatyka.
Hardware
Which controller you need
- The course is recorded on Micro820 (2080-LC20-20QBB) and Micro850 (2080-LC50-24QBB); any Micro800 from Micro810 to Micro870 works
- We recommend a real Micro800 controller. Without hardware you can still complete the course, but only with the Developer edition of Connected Components Workbench (full simulator)
- The training stand is used in the lessons on downloading the program and wiring
- Only the sorting station project in FactoryTalk Design Workbench runs on the newer Lx0E generation of Micro800 (in the course: Micro850 2080-L50E); every other module works with any Micro800 in Connected Components Workbench
Module 1-2
Connected Components Workbench and the Micro800 simulator
- Create a free Rockwell account and install Connected Components Workbench
- Build your first project and run it on the Micro800 simulator or on your controller
- Write your first ladder rung: latching circuit with start and stop
- Download and test the program without any hardware
Module 3-4 and 6
Memory areas, data types and variables
- Where data lives in Connected Components Workbench: I/O, global, local and system variables
- BOOL, INT, DINT, REAL, TIME and when to use each
- Variable notation, aliases and a naming guide you can use at work
- Map physical inputs and outputs to readable tag names
Module 5, 7 and 8
Contacts, coils, seal-in circuits and alarming
- Direct and reverse contacts, coils and how a rung is evaluated
- Seal-in (latching) circuit for auto mode and the stop logic
- Alarm handling with reverse contacts
- Every program tested on the simulator and on the real training stand
Equipment was provided by our technology partner and authorized Rockwell Automation distributor, Elmark Automatyka.
Equipment was provided by our technology partner and authorized Rockwell Automation distributor, Elmark Automatyka.
Module 9-11
Program execution, SET/RESET coils and edge detection
- How the Micro800 scans the program and why rung order matters
- SET and RESET coils, assignment instruction and the RS/SR blocks
- Rising and falling edge detection with R_TRIG and F_TRIG
- Typical traps: double coils and lost pulses
Module 12-13
Timers and counters
- TON, TOF and TP timers: delays, pulses and sequencing
- CTU, CTD and CTUD counters with preset and reset
- Timer and counter status bits in your logic
- Exercises on the simulator and the training stand
Module 14-15 and 17-18
Compare, math, integer and floating-point operations
- Compare operators and conditions for process decisions
- ADD, SUB, MUL, DIV, MIN, MAX, LIMIT and AVERAGE blocks
- Integer and REAL conversions with ANY_TO_REAL and TRUNC
- Exercise: limit a conveyor speed and average a noisy reading
Module 16 and 20
Process control instructions: ALARM, HYSTER, SCALE and PID
- HYSTER: comparing two values with a deadband
- SCALER: raw counts into engineering units
- ALARM block and limit monitoring
- DERIVATE and INTEGRAL as the base for PID control
Module 19, 21 and 22
Program flow, user-defined function blocks and FBD
- JMP and LABEL for program flow control
- Your own functions and function blocks with inputs, outputs and instance memory
- Function Block Diagram: logic gates and the same program in a second language
- Reusable code you can carry from project to project
Project 1 - Module 23
Pumping station
- Structure a larger program into reusable function blocks
- Write a pump control function block from scratch
- Alternating duty, faults and run-time counting
- Web visualisation for the station
Project 2 - Module 24-25
Sorting station in FactoryTalk Design Workbench
- Connected Components Workbench vs FactoryTalk Design Workbench: what changes
- Design the sequence as a GRAFCET, then write the ladder logic
- Vision sensor, sorters and conveyors in a Factory I/O scene
- Download to the Micro850 and validate the whole line
Project 3 - Module 26
Proportional tank level controller
- Describe the station and map its analog signals
- Scale raw analog inputs into engineering units
- Build a PID loop and tune P, I and D on a live tank
- Extend the program with alarms and hysteresis
Equipment was provided by our technology partner and authorized Rockwell Automation distributor, Elmark Automatyka.
Bonus - Module 27-29
Analog I/O, hardware wiring and PowerFlex drives
- Reading analog inputs and signal scaling in LD and FBD
- Wiring the Micro800 training stand: power, digital I/O and the operator panel
- Controlling a PowerFlex 525 drive from the Micro800
- Logging measurements in arrays
Allen-Bradley PLC course curriculum - full table of contents
- 1.1. Quick survey: your hardware
- 1.2. Create an account and download free CCW software Free lesson 1:59
- 1.3. Download links and installation
- 2.1. Configuring RSLinx Classic for the Micro800 Simulator in CCW 6:51
- 2.2. Connecting CCW to a Real Micro850 over USB and Ethernet 6:51
- 3.1. Latching circuit - your first ladder diagram program in CCW Free lesson 9:31
- 3.2. First Project in Structured Text 6:52
- 3.3. Quiz: First CCW project and PLC simulator
- 4.1. Memory areas 5:02
- 4.2. Global and local variables and I/O mapping 5:06
- 4.3. What is Bit, Byte, Word, Dword 4:26
- 4.4. Quiz: Memory areas and basic data types
- 5.1. BOOL vs INT variables example 1:52
- 5.2. Variable types (BOOL, SINT, INT, DINT, REAL…) 6:06
- 5.3. Array basics 4:15
- 5.4. Writing values using variables to HMI panel 5:38
- 5.5. Different types of notation 3:43
- 5.6. Quiz: Introduction to variables and notation
- 6.1. Contacts Direct -| |- and Coil -( )- 5:55
- 6.2. Simulator - Contacts Direct -| |- and Coil -( )- 1:26
- 7.1. Variable naming guide 7:02
- 7.2. Quiz: Variable naming guide
- 8.1. Auto mode seal-in circuit 3:04
- 8.2. Buttons backlighting - lamps 2:51
- 9.1. Contacts Reverse -|/|- 3:26
- 9.2. Motor Starter with Alarm 7:22
- 9.3. Exercise: Where the reset contact goes, two alarm versions Free lesson 6:54
- 9.4. Quiz: Contacts Direct -| |- and Coil -( )-
- 10.1. PLC memory 9:35
- 10.2. PLC scan cycle 4:50
- 10.3. System variables, first scan pulse 5:16
- 10.4. Quiz: How the PLC Executes the Program
- 11.1. Assignment coil 2:23
- 11.2. SET and RESET coils 2:36
- 11.3. SR and RS flip-flops 4:43
- 11.4. Exercise: Motor starter alarm with SET and RESET coils 12:44
- 11.5. Exercise: Motor starter alarm with RS and SR flip-flops Free lesson 8:25
- 11.6. Quiz: Assignment Instruction, SET RESET Coils
- 12.1. Rising edge trigger R_TRIG 4:33
- 12.2. Falling edge trigger F_TRIG 2:33
- 12.3. Exercise: Start and reset on edges in the motor starter 11:38
- 12.4. Quiz: Edge Detection Instructions
- 13.1. Timer TP 3:06
- 13.2. Timer TON 3:33
- 13.3. Exercise: Timed motor run with TON and TP 9:54
- 13.4. Timer TOF 2:19
- 13.5. Timer RTO 3:47
- 13.6. Timer TONOFF 2:32
- 13.7. Quiz: Timer Instructions
- 14.1. Counter CTU 3:48
- 14.2. Counter CTD 1:58
- 14.3. Counter CTUD 1:46
- 14.4. Exercise: Counting motor starts and run time with CTU and RTO 8:09
- 14.5. Quiz: Counters
- 15.1. Compare operators, LIM_ALRM 7:34
- 15.2. Comparators in practice: pump with level hysteresis 11:55
- 15.3. Testing the comparator program on the trainer 5:48
- 15.4. Quiz: Compare operators
- 16.1. ADD, SUB, MUL, DIV 8:25
- 16.2. Exercise: Scale a raw analog value with mathematical functions 9:09
- 16.3. MOD, TRUNC, RAND 6:22
- 16.4. Exercise: Count boxes on a pallet with MOD and TRUNC 20:05
- 16.5. ABS, NEG 2:57
- 16.6. MOV 2:04
- 16.7. Exercise: Pick a pallet recipe with MOV 11:50
- 16.8. SQRT, LOG, EXPT, POW 7:42
- 16.9. SIN, COS, TAN, ASIN, ACOS, ATAN 8:11
- 16.10. MIN, MAX, LIMIT, AVERAGE 5:58
- 16.11. Exercise: Limit a speed and average a reading with LIMIT and AVERAGE 14:37
- 16.12. Quiz: Math Functions
- 17.1. HYSTER - deadband between two values 2:47
- 17.2. SCALER - scaling to engineering units 3:08
- 17.3. Exercise: build your own alarm system
- 18.1. Integers in controller memory 4:13
- 18.2. Negative integers and the sign bit 4:23
- 18.3. Integer overflow 3:55
- 18.4. Explicit conversion only 3:42
- 18.5. ANY_TO_… conversion instructions 10:31
- 18.6. Quiz: Integer Operations
- 19.1. REAL and LREAL - how numbers are stored 6:26
- 19.2. Floating-point arithmetic 4:49
- 19.3. Infinity, NaN and division by zero 3:42
- 19.4. Quiz: Floating-Point Operations
- 20.1. Jump and Label 4:50
- 20.2. JMP and Timer 1:40
- 20.3. Return 2:47
- 20.4. Quiz: Program Flow Control - JMP and LABEL
- 21.1. DERIVATE, INTEGRAL 4:06
- 21.2. Quiz: DERIVATE, INTEGRAL Instructions
- 22.1. User-defined functions and function blocks 6:11
- 22.2. Variables in functions and function blocks 7:53
- 22.3. Quiz: User-Defined Functions and Function Blocks
- 23.1. FBD logic gates - theory
- 23.2. FBD program exercise
- 23.3. FBD program solution
- 24.1. Project description 9:10
- 24.2. Main program: global variables for the visualization 6:46
- 24.3. Prog1 and global variables for the Python screen 5:16
- 24.4. Pump Control for the Python screen: what changes 4:57
- 24.5. Function Block: Pump Control for the visualization 7:21
- 24.6. Reading the electrical drawings 8:41
- 24.7. Pump Station Project Structure 7:29
- 24.8. Function Block: Pump Control 14:46
- 24.9. Function Block: Water Generator 11:49
- 24.10. Function Block: Pump Operation 13:55
- 24.11. Main program, part 1: analog input, scaling and tank 5:54
- 24.12. Main program, part 2: reset, safety and interlocks 6:12
- 24.13. Main program, part 3: pump blocks, contactor and lamps 6:44
- 24.14. Main program, part 4: lamps, alarms and blinking 12:29
- 25.1. Visualization connection 7:44
- 25.2. Program and visualization tests 12:42
- 25.3. Pump Station Exercise 5:57
- 25.4. Exercise solution: three duty pumps and a standby 9:00
- 25.5. Exercise solution: program changes in CCW 12:29
- 25.6. Exercise solution: testing on the trainer 5:48
- 26.1. CCW vs FactoryTalk Design Workbench: Which Tool for Your Micro800 3:17
- 27.1. Installing FactoryTalk Design Workbench: Download, Setup and First Start 2:39
- 27.2. Connecting FactoryTalk Design Workbench to the PLC: First Project, Add Device and Online Settings 5:42
- 28.1. Sorting Station Overview: FTDW Template, Factory I/O Driver and Start/Stop Latch 12:20
- 28.2. Infeed Conveyor Sequence: Grafcet Steps with EQ, MOVE and a TON Timer 13:52
- 28.3. Testing the Infeed Conveyor Sequence Online with Factory I/O 6:15
- 28.4. Sorting Conveyor Sequence: Steps 0 to 20 and Adding Exit Sensors 2 and 3 10:41
- 28.5. Sorting Step 30, Sorter Outputs by Product ID and Passing the Sort Job ID 11:07
- 28.6. Testing the Complete Program: Conveyor Handshake, Timers and Stop Behavior 12:33
- 28.7. Line Reset with the First Scan Bit, Button Lights and a Blinking Reset LED 11:38
- 28.8. Homework: Sorter 3 for Metal Items, Home Position Check and Alarms 1:25
- 29.1. Introduction to PID Control: The Tank Loop, SP, PV, CV and the P, I and D Parts 6:09
- 29.2. The PID Block in FactoryTalk Design Workbench: Inputs, Gains, Control Direction and STI 6:06
- 29.3. Programming the PID Block in FTDW: STI Interrupt, PID Instance, Pin Wiring and UID/UIE 18:16
- 29.4. Testing and Tuning the PID Controller in Factory I/O: Manual Mode, Kc, Ti, Td and FC 18:55
- 30.1. Analog signals on the training station 6:51
- 30.2. Reading the analog inputs
- 30.3. Signal scaling in LD and FBD
- 30.4. Universal scaling formula
- 30.5. Logging analog values in an array
- 30.6. MIN/MAX/AVG from a measurement array
- 31.1. Wire markers: from the drawing to the trainer 5:42
- 31.2. How the PLC Trainer was built + electrical schematic (PDF) 1:16
- 32.1. Controlling a PowerFlex 525 from the PLC: wiring and drive settings 8:11
- 32.2. VFD program: run forward, speed from the potentiometer 1:42
- 32.3. Analog output test: drive speed from the PLC 3:50
- 32.4. VFD program: auto and manual mode, forward and reverse 10:43
Watch 3 Free Sample Lessons Before You Enroll
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Discord Support
- Ask questions and get answers from instructors and fellow students
- Share your projects and get feedback from the community
- Access exclusive resources, tips, and industry news
- Network with automation engineers from around the world
Bonuses Included
Access to Forum and Chat for Students
Join our private Discord server for automation engineers. Get help with your Connected Components Workbench projects, share your programs and network.
Lifetime Access to the Course
Permanent access to all course materials, updates and every new module added in the future.
Equipment was provided by our technology partner and authorized Rockwell Automation distributor, Elmark Automatyka.
Bonus Modules: Analog I/O and PowerFlex 525 VFD
Reading analog inputs, signal scaling in LD and FBD, a universal scaling formula, logging measurements in arrays, and running a PowerFlex 525 drive from the Micro850.
Equipment was provided by our technology partner and authorized Rockwell Automation distributor, Elmark Automatyka.
Bonus Module: Real Micro800 Hardware
Wiring a real Micro800 training stand and a web visualization for the pumping station project.
Bonus: EPLAN wiring schematic of the training stand
The complete 15-page EPLAN schematic of the ControlByte PLC Trainer with Micro850, PowerFlex 525 and the 440C-CR30 safety relay, as a PDF. Use it to wire your own stand and to practise reading real industrial drawings.
Virtual PLC Simulator in Your Browser
Write ladder logic and test it on animated machines at simulator.controlbyte.tech. Practice on your phone, tablet or PC with no installation. Course students unlock all tasks.
Homework from our students
A few screenshots and photos students share on Discord while completing assignments.
Course Value
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Start With Allen-Bradley Today
114 lessons and three industrial projects, all built in Connected Components Workbench on Micro800 controllers.
Allen-Bradley Micro800 PLC programming course in Connected Components Workbench
A Rockwell Automation course from scratch for electricians and automation engineers: Micro820 and Micro850 controllers, Connected Components Workbench, Ladder Diagram and Function Block Diagram, 114 lessons and three complete projects. Allen-Bradley PLCs from Rockwell Automation are common in North America and on machines shipped worldwide. Micro800 is the entry point to that family: the Ladder Diagram and Function Block Diagram fundamentals, timers, counters and troubleshooting habits you learn here apply later in Studio 5000 on CompactLogix and ControlLogix PLCs.
Connected Components Workbench from zero
Installation from a free Rockwell account, connecting to the Micro800 simulator and a real Micro850 training stand, first project and download.
Ladder Diagram and Function Block Diagram
Contacts, coils, seal-in circuits, timers, counters, edge detection, SET/RESET and a variable naming guide, written in both LAD and FBD.
Analog signals and process instructions
Scaling analog inputs and outputs, ALARM, HYSTER, SCALER and other process instructions used on real machines.
Three projects tested in Factory I/O
Sorting line, tank level control and a third complete industrial project, tested against Factory I/O scenes before touching hardware.
Allen-Bradley PLC course - frequently asked questions
You need one of two things: a Micro800 controller (the course is recorded on Micro820 and Micro850) or the Developer edition of Connected Components Workbench with the full Micro800 simulator. The free Standard edition only has a demo simulator. We use Factory I/O scenes to test the programs. Equipment was provided by our technology partner and authorized Rockwell Automation distributor, Elmark Automatyka.
The Standard edition of Connected Components Workbench is free, but its Micro800 simulator runs in demo mode only; the full simulator is in the paid Developer edition. In the first module we walk through creating a Rockwell account, downloading the software and choosing the edition. Exercises are done in Connected Components Workbench; the sorting station project uses FactoryTalk Design Workbench.
The Micro800 family - the lessons are recorded on Micro820 and Micro850, and the same Connected Components Workbench workflow applies from Micro810 to Micro870.
From module one. The course begins with installing Connected Components Workbench and your first program, then builds up through variables, bit logic, timers, counters and analog handling.
Forever, including every module we publish after you enrol.
You get immediate access to every lesson already published and to each new module the moment it goes live, at the price you paid today.
No. The course covers Micro800 controllers (Micro820 and Micro850) programmed in Connected Components Workbench, the Rockwell software for small machines. Studio 5000 Logix Designer, formerly RSLogix 5000, is used for larger CompactLogix and ControlLogix PLCs. Ladder logic, timers, counters and troubleshooting work the same way there, so the course is a solid foundation if you plan to move on to bigger Allen-Bradley PLCs.
Ready to Actually Program Allen-Bradley?
Connected Components Workbench, Micro820 and Micro850, Factory I/O and three complete projects - in one course.
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Everything published so far plus every future module. Lessons are released as we finalize them.
Lifetime access. Connected Components Workbench Standard is free from Rockwell.
