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Servo programming is where ordinary PLC logic starts getting rather serious.
Starting a motor output is one thing. Synchronising axes, building electronic cams, controlling acceleration profiles and troubleshooting a Rockwell Kinetix system that refuses to cooperate—well, that is a different afternoon entirely.
The Udemy course Advanced Servo Motion Mastery 1: Servo PLC Programming focuses on advanced motion-control programming using Allen-Bradley PLCs, RSLogix 5000 or Studio 5000, and Rockwell Automation Kinetix servo systems.
I believe it is a very good specialist course for experienced PLC programmers who already understand basic servo setup and want to move into more complicated motion applications.
[Advanced Servo Motion Mastery 1 (Servo PLC Programming)]
What Does the Course Cover?
Created by Shane Welcher, the course currently contains 19 sections, 67 lectures and approximately 17 hours and 36 minutes of video. The Udemy listing shows a 4.5 rating from more than 100 reviews and around 880 enrolled students.
Major topics include:
- Studio 5000 servo emulation
- Servo-ring troubleshooting
- Axis and drive inhibition
- Periodic and continuous task timing
- Servo commissioning and tuning
- Acceleration, deceleration and jerk
- S-curve movement profiles
- Mechanical conversion constants
- Linear and cubic servo cams
- Virtual axes
- Motion Axis Time Cam instructions
- Advanced Rockwell motion programming
This is not a quick overview of what a servo motor does. The material concentrates on how motion systems behave inside an Allen-Bradley control project and how programmers can build more reliable motion sequences.
Servo Testing, Tuning and Motion Profiles
One section walks through servo commissioning, trend monitoring and tuning. It also examines S-curve movements and the effect of acceleration, deceleration and jerk settings.
Those settings matter more than they initially appear.
A machine may reach the correct position but still shake, overshoot or punish its mechanical components because the movement profile is too aggressive. Smooth motion is not merely prettier to watch—it can reduce vibration and unnecessary mechanical stress.
Electronic Cams and Virtual Axes
The course also covers electronic camming, including the difference between linear and cubic cam profiles and the use of Rockwell’s cam editor.
Students work with advanced instructions such as MATC, while the instructor’s supporting course description also identifies MAPC and MAOC as important subjects in the advanced training series.
These instructions are useful in machines where one axis must follow another axis or a defined motion profile. Packaging machinery, flying-cut applications and synchronised conveyors are familiar examples.
It can look intimidating at first. Honestly, it is. But seeing the logic built and tested step by step should make the subject considerably easier to follow.
This Is Not a Beginner Course
The instructor clearly states that students should already understand Rockwell servo controls. Ideally, learners should have completed the earlier Servo Motion Mastery course or possess enough experience to create and commission a basic servo project independently.
This course is best suited to:
- Allen-Bradley PLC programmers
- Controls and automation engineers
- Machine builders
- Industrial maintenance specialists
- Technicians working with Kinetix servo systems
- Programmers developing synchronised motion applications
A beginner who has never configured an axis in Studio 5000 will probably find the pace difficult.
Are There Any Downsides?
The biggest limitation is its narrow platform focus. This is Rockwell Automation training, not a general servo course covering Siemens, Mitsubishi, Omron or Beckhoff systems.
The listing was last updated in November 2020. Core motion concepts remain useful, but software interfaces, supported hardware and recommended workflows should be checked against current Rockwell documentation.
The presentation may also feel less polished than a modern corporate training package. The value here is the detailed practical knowledge rather than flashy production.
Final Verdict
Advanced Servo Motion Mastery 1 is a very good course for experienced Allen-Bradley programmers who want deeper knowledge of servo programming, tuning, camming and motion troubleshooting.
It is detailed, specialised and definitely not designed for complete beginners. For someone already working with Studio 5000 and Kinetix systems, however, the course offers a substantial amount of focused motion-control training.
Check the current course price and availability here: