Warning signs of poor PLC programming practices.
After 15+ years of troubleshooting automation nightmares,
I’ve seen countless PLC programs fail catastrophically.
Here’s what most engineers miss…
Many believe
“If it works, don’t touch it”
It is the golden rule of PLC programming.
But that’s exactly how disasters begin.
7 warning signs your PLC code needs immediate attention:
- Zero documentation - Like driving blindfolded
- No version control - Playing Russian roulette with production
- Duplicate code blocks - Copy-paste programming at its worst
- Minimal comments - The “I’ll remember what this does” syndrome
- Missing error handling - One sensor failure = complete system shutdown
- Hardcoded values everywhere - A maintenance nightmare waiting to happen
- No structured programming - Spaghetti code that even its creator can’t understand
Poor PLC programming isn’t just about:
- messy code
- unstructured
- poorly structured
- difficult-to-maintain code
It’s about:
- Safety risks
- Career limitations
- Production losses
- work life imbalance
- Maintenance headaches
My PLC Solution Framework:
- Maintain version control
- Document EVERYTHING
- Use structured programming
- Create reusable function blocks
- Implement proper error handling
- Comment like your job depends on it (it does!)
Great PLC code isn’t about working today.
It’s about maintaining tomorrow.
Code like you’ll maintain it forever, document like you’ll hand it over tomorrow.
Great PLC code should be
- Clean
- Structured
- Self-documenting
- Easily maintainable
The secret?
- Use structured text
- Regular code reviews
- Follow naming conventions
- Create clear documentation
- Implement modular programming
What You Gain:
- Enhanced safety
- Reduced downtime
- Easier maintenance
- Faster troubleshooting
- Better team collaboration
Your future self will thank you! 
P.S. Are you guilty of any of these warning signs? Let’s discuss in the comments below! 
Credits: Vivek Yadav