Skip to content
EDWartens UK

Free course · PLC programming

Mitsubishi FX with GX Works2

The Mitsubishi FX family instruction by instruction: devices, contacts, timers, counters, data, analog and high-speed counting in GX Works2, with a look ahead to GX Works3.

See the modules

Free to learn. Verifiable certificate £19 when you pass the final exam (optional, VAT included).

Level
Beginner
Modules
17
Video
15 hours
Price
Free

Outcome

What you will be able to do

Create and download a GX Works2 project, use X, Y, M, D, T and C devices correctly, write ladder with LD, LDI, OUT, SET, RST, PLS, PLF and pulse contacts, control flow with MC/MCR, CJ and CALL, use timers, counters, MOV, CMP and comparison contacts, do integer and floating-point arithmetic and word logic, scale analog I/O, count an encoder, upload and download, and read a GX Works3 project.

  • Use X, Y, M, D, T and C correctly, including octal numbering and what survives a power cut
  • Write ladder with SET, RST, PLS, PLF and the pulse contacts
  • Control flow with MC/MCR, CJ, CALL, FEND and SRET
  • Pick the right timer and counter number for the resolution and retention you need
  • Move, compare and calculate in 16-bit, 32-bit and floating point
  • Scale an analog input and drive an analog output on an FX3U
  • Count an encoder with the high-speed counter and compute RPM
  • Open a GX Works3 project and find your way around

Software

MELSOFT GX Works2 (trial on request from Mitsubishi Electric) with its built-in simulator; GX Works3 optional, for the final study module

Hardware

None. The GX Works2 simulator runs every exercise.

Syllabus

17 modules

Each module has video lessons, notes and a short quiz. The final exam closes the course.

  1. 1The FX Family and GX Works24 lessons
  2. 2Devices: X, Y, M, D, T, C and the Special Relays5 lessons
  3. 3Contacts, Coils, Inversion and Comments2 lessons
  4. 4SET, RST, Pulses and Edge Contacts5 lessonsLab
  5. 5Program Flow: MC/MCR, CJ, CALL, FEND and SRET4 lessons
  6. 6Timers: 100 ms, 10 ms, 1 ms and Retentive5 lessonsLab
  7. 7Counters: 16-bit, 32-bit, Latched and Bi-directional4 lessonsLab
  8. 8MOV, CMP and ZCP5 lessonsLab
  9. 9Comparison Contacts: =, <>, <=, >= and Limits5 lessonsLab
  10. 10Integer Arithmetic: ADD, SUB, MUL, DIV, INC, DEC and NEG9 lessonsLab
  11. 11Floating Point and Type Conversion4 lessons
  12. 12Word Logic and Clock Pulses4 lessons
  13. 13Analog Inputs and Outputs1 lessonLab
  14. 14High-speed Counters and Encoders1 lesson
  15. 15Upload, Download and Communication2 lessons
  16. 16GX Works3 and the iQ-R and FX5: What Changes11 lessons
  17. 17Final Assessment1 lesson

How it works

How this course works

  1. Watch the video lessonsOne module at a time, at your own pace.
  2. Take the module quizA short quiz at the end of each module shows what stuck.
  3. Keep your notesWrite in My notes beside each module and ask the trainer if you are stuck.
  4. Practise in the labOptionalTry a task from the module in the EDWartens Lab, in your browser.
  5. Sit the final examPass it once you have been through the modules.
  6. Certificate, if you want oneOptionalPaid, and only after you pass. Anyone can check it online.

EDWartens Lab

Practise this in the EDWartens Lab

Write and test the same ladder logic in the Lab's PLC simulator, go online and force inputs. The Lab uses a vendor-neutral editor, so brand software stays in the course.

Works alongside Mitsubishi FX with GX Works2. The Lab is plc programming practice in your browser: no install, no hardware, free to use. Sign in as a learner and it opens with your account.

Open the free lab See the Lab
PLC programming: Program a PLC, see it run.

Levels to try with this course

Optional. Skip it whenever you like: it never blocks your progress or your certificate.

Why practise in a lab

Technical work is judged on what you can do: wiring, commissioning, finding a fault. Doing a task yourself teaches more than watching it a second time, and a lab lets you try it safely before you meet real equipment. It does not replace working on real hardware.

  • Practise safely, so a mistake costs nothing.
  • The lab checks your work like a site test, so you know when it is right.
  • Free, in your browser, with nothing to install.

Certificate

An optional certificate when you pass

Learning is free. Pass the final exam and you can have a certificate for £19, including VAT, with a number employers can check online. It records that you completed a free online course; it is not a regulated qualification or a CPD certificate.

  • Your name, the course, its study time and your final exam score
  • A unique certificate number and a QR code to its verification page
  • Issued by Wartens Ltd; add it to your LinkedIn profile in one click
  • Pay now or after you pass: it is issued the moment you pass the final

How the certificate works

Sample certificate for Mitsubishi FX with GX Works2

Credits

Who made the lessons

The video lessons belong to their creators. EDWartens wrote the study plan, notes, quizzes and the final exam.

Questions

About this course

Do I need GX Works2?
For the exercises, yes. Mitsubishi Electric gives trials on request through its regional offices, and many colleges hold licences. The simulator built into GX Works2 runs every exercise without a PLC.
GX Works2 or GX Works3?
GX Works2 programs the FX3 generation and earlier, which is still most of the installed base. GX Works3 programs the FX5 and iQ-R. The course is GX Works2 throughout, with a final module on what changes in GX Works3.
Do I need an FX PLC?
No. The simulator runs everything. The analog and encoder modules show an FX3U so you know the wiring.
Why are X and Y numbered in octal?
Mitsubishi numbers inputs and outputs in base eight: X0 to X7, then X10. It trips everyone once; the course makes sure it only trips you once.
What computer do I need?
A 64-bit Windows 10 machine with 8 GB of RAM. GX Works is Windows-only.
Is the course really free?
Yes. Every module, practice task and assessment. You create an account so your progress is saved and the assessments can be marked. The certificate is the only paid item, and only if you want it.
What certificate do I get, and is it a Mitsubishi qualification?
An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a verification code anyone can check. It is not a Mitsubishi Electric credential and is never described as one.
Who made the video lessons?
The creators named in the Credits block at the foot of this page, on their own YouTube channels. EDWartens did not make the videos and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.

Machine-builder PLCs

Take it with

See the whole path

The Professional Module is five live days of Siemens PLC, HMI and SCADA with an instructor, then a resume session and a CPD certificate.

See the Professional Module