Learn Basic PLC Experiments: 2026 Hands-On Tutorial with CODESYS & Factory I/O

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The classic ladder + timer + counter + sensor set is still the right curriculum; add OPC UA tag-mapping and a network safety step in lab 5.

Use a single tag database, version-controlled program, and a 24-V bench PSU , these three habits avoid 80 percent of classroom failures.

, we ship starter kits, expansion modules, and EOL reference parts within 24 hours.

A 2026-updated hands-on tutorial: ladder logic, timers, counters, sensor wiring, and a new OPC UA lab, all runnable on a low-cost student kit plus CODESYS and Factory I/O simulation.

Learning PLCs in 2026 is cheaper, faster, and more open than it was two years ago. CODESYS 3.5 is free for personal use, Factory I/O simulates an entire plant on your laptop, and a single bench kit (CPU + digital I/O + 24 V PSU) costs roughly the same as a textbook. This hands-on tutorial rewrites the original 2024 article for a 2026 classroom or self-study path: the experiments are the same logical set , ladder logic, sensors, timers, counters , but the tooling, the safety step, and the optional IIoT lab are new.

The whole bench fits on a half-size desk and can run from a standard laptop. Here is the 2026 starter list KOEED sees most students buy:

Start every project on Factory I/O before you touch a real wire. The simulator validates the ladder in 20 minutes and saves you from burning a $40 I/O module on the first wrong polarity.