The father of the PLC explains its birth

May 18, 2015

In this exclusive interview, Dick Morley describes how the first Modicon PLC was created.

Dick Morley is considered by many to be the father of the programmable logic controller (PLC). His involvement with the creation of the first Modicon PLC for General Motors in 1968 was a historic step in the development of industrial controls.

We had the chance to sit down with Morley and ask him a variety of questions regarding the birth of the PLC and his specific involvement.

In this first installment of our series, Morley explains how the PLC originated.

We built them and we didn't know we were building them."

About the Author

Mike Bacidore | Editor in Chief

Mike Bacidore is chief editor of Control Design and has been an integral part of the Endeavor Business Media editorial team since 2007. Previously, he was editorial director at Hughes Communications and a portfolio manager of the human resources and labor law areas at Wolters Kluwer. Bacidore holds a BA from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. He is an award-winning columnist, earning multiple regional and national awards from the American Society of Business Publication Editors. He may be reached at [email protected]