r/PLC

Community Overview

About r/PLC

This sub is dedicated to discussion and questions about Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs): "an industrial digital computer that has been ruggedized and adapted for the control of manufacturing processes, such as assembly lines, robotic devices, or any activity that requires high reliability, ease of programming, and process fault diagnosis."

The community at a glance

r/PLC is a Subreddit for Hardware and Robotics Enthusiasts with roughly 137K members. It uses a forum format for communication. It is the 7th largest community in the Robotics topic page and the 9th largest community in the Hardware topic page.

Roughly 26K members have joined in the past year. Popular discussion topics include Plc, Looking For, and Automation. Common discussion themes are Advice Requests and Pain & Anger. Product recommendations often mention plc, laptop, and hmi.

On Reddit
137K Members

Subreddit Analysis

via GummySearch
Yearly: +26K members
Growth: +23.7% / year

Member growth over time

All time (yearly)

  • 2014: 1K members
  • 2015: 1K members
  • 2016: 1K members
  • 2017: 2K members
  • 2020: 19K members
  • 2021: 12K members
  • 2023: 34K members
  • 2024: 23K members
  • 2025: 27K members
  • 2026: 14K members

Past year (monthly)

  • Aug: 2K members
  • Sep: 2K members
  • Oct: 2K members
  • Nov: 2K members
  • Dec: 2K members
  • Jan: 2K members
  • Feb: 2K members
  • Mar: 2K members
  • Apr: 2K members
  • May: 2K members
  • Jun: 2K members
  • Jul: 864 members

Themes

  • Advice Requests
    10 posts in the past month
    1. How should a plc engineer choose a suitable PC
    2. Siemens SIMATIC S7-1200 Analog Input Module bad?
    3. Controls Engineer Job Doubts
    #1
    Advice Requests
    How should a plc engineer choose a suitable PC · Siemens SIMATIC S7-1200 Analog Input Module bad? · Controls Engineer Job Doubts
    10
  • Pain & Anger
    3 posts in the past month
    1. easter eggs…
    2. losing my mind trying to connect to an old S7-200
    3. FactoryTalk Historian 12.01 - Unable to add points in Device Manager (“Successfully added 0 points”)
    #2
    Pain & Anger
    easter eggs… · losing my mind trying to connect to an old S7-200 · FactoryTalk Historian 12.01 - Unable to add points in Device Manager (“Successfully added 0 points”)
    3
  • Solution Requests
    3 posts in the past month
    1. Ethernet/IP Server Software
    2. Looking for a simple digital counter solution - 120VAC counter w/ integrated control voltage for 24VDC prox
    3. Yaskawa A1000 won’t clear 0PE01 error, help please!
    #3
    Solution Requests
    Ethernet/IP Server Software · Looking for a simple digital counter solution - 120VAC counter w/ integrated control voltage for 24VDC prox · Yaskawa A1000 won’t clear 0PE01 error, help please!
    3
  • Ideas
    1 post in the past month
    1. If you rebuilt your machine today, what would you choose differently?
    #4
    Ideas
    If you rebuilt your machine today, what would you choose differently?
    1

Topics

  • Plc
    178 posts in the past month
    1. Have PLC programmers become accidental network engineers?
    2. Rate my PLC lab setup & project ideas for Siemens S7-313C and KTP700
    3. What's the most valuable PLC troubleshooting tool that isn't software?
    #1
    Plc
    Have PLC programmers become accidental network engineers? · Rate my PLC lab setup & project ideas for Siemens S7-313C and KTP700 · What's the most valuable PLC troubleshooting tool that isn't software?
    178
  • Looking For
    87 posts in the past month
    #2
    Looking For
    87
  • Automation
    71 posts in the past month
    1. 4 Weeks as Automation Engineer - Advice on PLC Programmring?
    2. New job in industrial automation (IT background). advice for beginners?
    3. Automation Engineer (3 years experience) - Machine builder with mostly ad-hoc PLC code: how do I learn proper software architecture?
    #3
    Automation
    4 Weeks as Automation Engineer - Advice on PLC Programmring? · New job in industrial automation (IT background). advice for beginners? · Automation Engineer (3 years experience) - Machine builder with mostly ad-hoc PLC code: how do I learn proper software architecture?
    71
  • Struggling
    44 posts in the past month
    #4
    Struggling
    44
  • Control
    37 posts in the past month
    1. I have 10 no of Sinamics V20 VFD in a control panel where Modbus is used for frq source. Setting parameter for all VFD manually really drains the energy.
    2. Controls Engineer Job Doubts
    #5
    Control
    I have 10 no of Sinamics V20 VFD in a control panel where Modbus is used for frq source. Setting parameter for all VFD manually really drains the energy. · Controls Engineer Job Doubts
    37

Flair

  • Off topic
    3 posts in the past month
    1. My office today near Valdez Alaska
    2. Simulation of a smartphone assembly line
    3. Star-Delta Issuer
    #1
    Off topic
    My office today near Valdez Alaska · Simulation of a smartphone assembly line · Star-Delta Issuer
    3

Product recommendations

  • plc
    11 posts in the past month
    1. Best 500/600$ PC for PLC programming?
    2. What is best Family and Brand of PLC to use in a new automated factory with IIOT in mind? Read Comment for Background.
    3. What is best Family and Brand of PLC to use in a new automated factory with IIOT in mind? Read Comment for Background.
    #1
    plc
    Best 500/600$ PC for PLC programming? · What is best Family and Brand of PLC to use in a new automated factory with IIOT in mind? Read Comment for Background. · What is best Family and Brand of PLC to use in a new automated factory with IIOT in mind? Read Comment for Background.
    11
  • laptop
    5 posts in the past month
    1. Best portable "Desk" for laptops?
    2. Need advice on the best laptop for student
    3. Need advice on the best laptop for student
    #2
    laptop
    Best portable "Desk" for laptops? · Need advice on the best laptop for student · Need advice on the best laptop for student
    5
  • hmi
    5 posts in the past month
    1. What are the best web based HMI solutions out there for small systems?
    2. Recommended Free HMI/SCADA Platform for Proof of Concept?
    3. Recommended Free HMI/SCADA Platform for Proof of Concept?
    #3
    hmi
    What are the best web based HMI solutions out there for small systems? · Recommended Free HMI/SCADA Platform for Proof of Concept? · Recommended Free HMI/SCADA Platform for Proof of Concept?
    5
  • courses
    5 posts in the past month
    1. Please recommend some courses or learning materials
    2. recommend me a course for abb automation builder.
    3. Please I am a beginner in automation. Please I need a guide in this journey or a roadmap that will be of great help in this journey... Please this is what I love and want to be a great person in this. Please recommend books,videos, courses and all. God bless you
    #4
    courses
    Please recommend some courses or learning materials · recommend me a course for abb automation builder. · Please I am a beginner in automation. Please I need a guide in this journey or a roadmap that will be of great help in this journey... Please this is what I love and want to be a great person in this. Please recommend books,videos, courses and all. God bless you
    5
  • label makers
    2 posts in the past month
    1. Please recommend label makers for wiring/tubing
    2. Please recommend label makers for wiring/tubing
    #5
    label makers
    Please recommend label makers for wiring/tubing · Please recommend label makers for wiring/tubing
    2

Frequently asked questions

Who is r/PLC for?
Best for Hardware and Robotics Enthusiasts enthusiasts looking for a Reddit-based community with forum discussion.
Is r/PLC free to join?
This listing is not marked as paid-only. Access rules and any fees are decided by the community.
How many members does r/PLC have?
Roughly 137K members, based on figures reported by the community or its host. Member counts are approximate and change over time.
What platform is r/PLC on?
r/PLC runs on Reddit. Reddit communities (or "subreddits") are forum-based groups on the popular social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website Reddit. Reddit is commonly known as "the front page of the internet". Users submit content to the site such as links, text posts, and images, which are then voted up or down and discussed by other members. From investing Reddit communities, to professional ones, to ones just for laughs, you're likely to find a community for you on Reddit.
What topics does r/PLC cover?
On the Hive Index, r/PLC is organized under Hardware, Robotics Enthusiasts.
How do I join r/PLC?
You can join r/PLC by clicking this link, or pressing the "Go to community" button above.
What are the Hardware communities like?
Communities for hardware engineers, electronics hobbyists, and embedded systems developers. Discord and Reddit host communities for Arduino, Raspberry Pi, PCB design, and DIY electronics, alongside more professional spaces for engineers working on commercial hardware products.