National speaker on Robotics, Automation, and Innovation topics.

Orlando Charria has been a lecturer on robotics and automation at many universities in Colombia and internationally.

He is a dreamer, writer, scientist, ecologist, and innovation enthusiast. He grew up simply in rural areas. He is an Electronic Engineer with extensive experience in industrial automation, with specialization studies in Computer Vision in the Netherlands and a Master’s in Environmental Sciences.

In recent years, drawing from his interdisciplinary background, he has developed several applications and inventions to address significant environmental issues. He is designing the First Climate Change Electroválvula to collect wastewater and rainwater. He also designs Vertical Agricultural Growth Units (VAGUs) to produce food in adverse environmental conditions with limited land and water resources. Another significant design is a human-powered generator that allows people to generate electricity while exercising.

He believes that children are the future, which is why he initiated a collection of books on robotics for children, aimed at helping them understand science and nurture their creativity.

Author of Fundamentals of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs).

Industrial automation is a necessity. This book is available in Spanish, English, and French.

This book is specifically for Spanish-speaking professionals interested in working in automation in the United States and Europe. Although it is written in Spanish, it teaches terms in English so you can understand technical literature in that language. While there are many PLC books, this should be your first choice because it provides the foundation for all types of technical literature.

It’s equivalent to buying THREE books: one on theory, one on practice, and one on projects. It’s the only book on the market with software simulation.

Learning about Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) is a necessity for any technician or engineer seeking or already working in automation. You’ll be more competitive if you can program different PLC brands, much like speaking multiple languages.

The goal is to teach you the fundamentals applicable to the majority of PLC brands and allow you to practice as much as possible. After this, it will be easy for you to understand other PLCs like Allen Bradley, Siemens, AutomationDirect, EZ automation, Triangle Research, Telemechanique, etc. The first chapters familiarize you with the available PLC technologies and common terms in the automation industry. Knowing the technical language is essential for job interviews.

The second part is dedicated to learning the most basic Ladder Logic instructions, common to all PLCs. This book, unique in the world, includes software simulation (available for download) that allows you to test each of the 40 step-by-step lessons on Ladder Logic programming.

The last part includes 14 real projects with their programs, which you can simulate. Practicing real concepts will help you understand and reinforce them.

This book also includes other very useful materials:

• An appendix on Fundamentals of Electricity to refresh or learn concepts before diving into automation.
• Basic ladder logic for various PLC brands: Allen Bradley®, Siemens®, General Electric®, Triangle Research®, and AutomationDirect®. Learning in a generic brand makes it easier to do it with a specific brand.
• A very important third bonus is the simulator software for practicing the lessons, ensuring you’re not just a reader. You can write programs and correct them until they work properly.

This material is excellent for beginners, as it doesn’t assume any prior knowledge. Many educational institutions worldwide have selected this book and method to train students in industrial automation, and you’ll discover why. The learning methodology allows you to work with discrete or digital signals, enabling you to repair, design, and understand simple automation programs. Our second book (in preparation) will teach more advanced concepts.

We value your positive feedback (reviews), and we provide free support (in English and Spanish) for our learning method to close the gap between author and reader. You’ll find our email addresses inside to help with software simulator installation, writing programs, simulation, answering your questions, and more.

Note for teachers/instructors: Please don’t limit your students by teaching them a particular brand of PLCs. You should teach them as many brands as possible, as that’s the true concept of education.

author of Vertical Agriculture

Could we grow food differently? Could this be the agriculture of the future?

Imagine a new world where you are invited to develop a New Agriculture that takes into account all your background, combined with ancestral and technological knowledge. Since this process is just beginning, you can be a part of it, regardless of your age, knowledge, or location.

What if this agriculture proposal could represent the future we want: fewer chemicals, fewer resources, less harm to nature…?

You’ve probably noticed that the climate is changing. There’s talk of increasingly hot days, heavy rainfall, intense droughts, hurricane seasons, and more. Add to this pollution, reduced biodiversity, and fewer resources to feed the population. It’s very likely that we’ll need to take drastic measures, change the way we grow food today if we want to ensure food for the future.

Vertical Agriculture is a proposal to become more resilient and adapt our world to climate change. It’s an open invitation to rethink our agricultural processes where knowledge and technology are shared rather than imposed.

This book will help you understand how to be part of the change, providing a future for new generations…

Twenty short chapters, including one specifically dedicated to the vision of Vertical Agriculture, will help you grasp the basic concepts of how to grow food indoors, with or without technology.

There are fundamentals about solar energy, lighting, irrigation, alternative energies, rainwater harvesting, electricity, and automation. This book is for anyone who wants to learn how to grow food in the future and help create a better world.