Many believe that the electrical automation industry is favorable, but in reality, it is quite challenging. Let’s start with the essential skill – PLC programming.
PLC, the brain of industrial control devices, is essentially standard equipment. However, this brain, like humans, has a “nationality” distinction, which for PLCs means – brand. Each brand develops its own software, establishes its own rules, and monopolizes the market to protect its profits. PLC software is akin to mobile operating systems; different manufacturers create different systems, and engineers using various products must learn different operating habits and rules.
The current industrial automation control field exhibits a clear concentration of brands, with international brands holding an absolute dominant position. Siemens leads the market with a significant advantage, followed closely by Mitsubishi Electric. As a practitioner, I have personally experienced the complete evolution of Siemens’ PLC product line: from the early S7-200CN (domestically produced 200 series), S7-300 mid-range machines, S7-400 large machines, gradually transitioning to the current 200 SMART (economical solution), S7-1200 (compact PLC), and S7-1500 (high-performance models) series products.
There are significant differences between German brands represented by Siemens and Japanese brands (such as Mitsubishi): the former maintains hardware stability while aggressively iterating software systems – the TIA Portal development environment is rapidly upgraded at a rate of one major version per year; similarly, Rockwell Automation (AB) from the US also maintains an annual version update rhythm. In contrast, Japanese brands tend to have a relatively slower product iteration pace. I speculate this is because Western brands charge for software, and to prevent cracking, they have a higher frequency of updates.
This speed of updates poses severe challenges for practitioners: even if one is proficient with current products, they must continuously adapt to new product features. Complicating matters further, there are significant differences in PLC usage across different companies (such as Siemens, AB, Mitsubishi, Omron, Keyence, Delta, and Xinjie that I have encountered in my career), often requiring specialized technical preparation for specific platforms.As one ages, the physiological functions of technicians naturally decline (learning efficiency decreases, concentration wanes), contrasting sharply with the “Moore’s Law”-like evolution speed of PLC technology. This contradiction makes it increasingly challenging to maintain technological advancement. Unlike IT, where there are few platforms, there are numerous industrial control brands, various software, and different usage methods, which is also a concern for engineers: how much should one learn to be sufficient?