[bin95]

I was reviewing the article CNC Programming vs PLC Programming by Peter Jacobs. It made me curious and ask you all, is it common or not that CNC programming instructors teach their students the basics about PLCs too? Or is that just a thing thought to maintenance thing?

As both CNC controllers (computer) and the PLC control the CNC mill, I imagine students should at least have some awareness, as the article above gives. It could be some or many instructors are faced with time/money barriers and as the depth of PLC knowledge would be a rare necessity, they couldn't justify adding it to the course. Especially if the instructors are not aware of the more cost-effective (both time and money) PLC training solutions out there. But I would hope all at least make the students aware of the PLC side of a CNC mill, machining center, etc.

What has been yall's experience? Thanks in advance for giving me additional insight.

[Al_The_Man]

I have found that generally as a rule, those that instruct in CNC programming or courses, strictly stick to CNC instructions and those instructions that are passed over to the CNC, M03, M04 , M05 etc for e.g. for processing.
Usually ladder is a whole other area.
IOW, Part programming is one area, typically production.
Ladder is mainly used for maintenance and trouble shooting.
And if the system allows it, editing and adding M/C control features.

[Algirdas]

at some point yes. If a student is absolutely new to the area, CNC programming demonstrates how machine works and gives instant result. Line after line execution, combining instructions into one line, passing operands to instructions.
Calls and returns. Importance of syntax. Then step by step program execution.
However, there are significant diferences, why I wouldn't recommend CNC programming as an introduction to PLC programming.
CNC Programming is a top-level "language". It is just designed that way to be easy understandable and univarsal as much as possible, starting from sewing machines and going to 6-axes or even 8 axes grinding machinetools. G-code is oriented fo movement control. You can create and troubleshoot CNC programs very well having no idea about hardware design and how it works.
PLC programming is universal way of control, thus for such a high level task as synchronous axes control is really difficult. In order to compile good PLC program and to do that effectivelly it's necessary to know the hardware very well. PLC programming is a low level - close to hardware. Knowing high level programming features as for instance, database control doesn't help much in PLC programming. Knowing hardware helps a lot.

[Al_The_Man]

As someone who serviced and retrofitted CNC machines for some decades , I would say those CNC programming and operators that are capable of same, it is not necessary to know what goes on in the PLC part of the control.
Alternatively, those involved in maintenance and/or writing PLC code, then some degree of CNC programming is essential, often some occupations overlap, and may be an exception to the rule.
Boolean logic is quite different to CNC code. and a whole different area.