- What This Cheat Sheet Covers
- The C-358 Study Scope at a Glance
- Safety, Startup, and Shutdown Basics
- Manual vs. Automatic Operation
- Mission Programming, Logic, and I/O
- Workspace Mapping, Zones, and Wi-Fi
- Silver vs. Gold: What Changes on Exam Day
- Registration, Membership, and Prep Materials
- A One-Week Review Plan Using This Sheet
- FAQ
- C-358 covers eight core topics, from safety and startup to fault diagnosis - memorize all eight, not just favorites.
- Silver is tested through SACA's online system; Gold adds a proctored, hands-on performance assessment.
- SACA education members get free certification access - but training and equipment access are billed separately.
- Wi-Fi configuration and fault diagnosis are easy to under-study; both show up in real workspace scenarios.
What This Cheat Sheet Covers
This is a one-page-style refresher for the Autonomous Mobile Robot Systems 1 (C-358) micro-credential from the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA). It's built for candidates who have already worked through a full study plan and want a tight, exam-week review of the exact concepts SACA expects you to know cold. If you haven't done the deeper prep yet, start with the C-358 Study Guide and come back here once you're in review mode.
Everything below maps directly to the official study scope for the credential - safety, startup and shutdown, emergency stopping, manual and automatic operation, battery charging, PC-based control software, mission programming, workspace mapping, Wi-Fi configuration, and fault diagnosis. Nothing here is generic industrial-automation trivia; it's specific to how AMR platforms are operated and programmed under SACA's framework.
The C-358 Study Scope at a Glance
SACA doesn't publish C-358 as a small number of weighted "domains" the way some certifications do - instead, the credential is organized around a single connected scope of AMR operation and programming skills. For a full breakdown of how these topics relate to each other and where to focus your time, see the C-358 Exam Domains Guide. For this cheat sheet, treat the scope as eight review blocks:
1. Safety
Lockout procedures, personnel protection zones, and the general safety mindset required before touching a live AMR.
- Know why safety rules exist before memorizing the steps
2. Normal Startup and Shutdown
The correct sequence to bring a unit online and take it offline without triggering faults.
- Sequence order matters more than individual button names
3. Emergency Stopping and Reset
What happens when an E-stop is triggered, and the correct reset procedure afterward.
- Reset is never a single step - expect a sequence
4. Manual and Automatic Operation
Switching modes, driving manually, and handing control back to automatic mission execution.
- Know which mode allows which type of intervention
5. Battery Charging
Charging states, docking behavior, and how charge level affects mission availability.
- Understand charge thresholds relative to mission assignment
6. PC-Based Control Software
The interface used to monitor, configure, and issue commands to the AMR fleet or unit.
- Know where settings live versus where live status is shown
7. Mission Programming (Logic and I/O)
Building missions using logical conditions and input/output triggers.
- Practice reading a mission flow, not just writing one
8. Workspace Mapping, Zones, Positions, Markers, Wi-Fi, and Fault Diagnosis
Everything related to the physical environment the AMR operates in, plus connectivity and troubleshooting.
- Map errors and connectivity errors are commonly confused - know the difference
Safety, Startup, and Shutdown Basics
Questions in this area typically describe a scenario - a technician approaching a unit, a shift change, a maintenance window - and ask what the correct next step is. The exam rewards candidates who know the order of operations, not just isolated facts.
- Before startup: confirm the workspace is clear and safety systems are active before powering on.
- Startup: follow the documented power-on sequence; skipping steps is a common wrong-answer trap in scenario questions.
- Shutdown: a proper shutdown protects battery health and avoids leaving the unit in an ambiguous state.
- E-stop: triggering an emergency stop halts motion immediately - resuming operation requires a deliberate reset, not just releasing the button.
Key Takeaway
When a question describes an emergency stop scenario, look for the answer that includes a reset step - "just release the button" is almost always the wrong choice.
Manual vs. Automatic Operation
Manual mode is for direct human control - repositioning a unit, testing a path, or responding to an obstacle. Automatic mode is for running assigned missions without ongoing human input. The exam tests whether you know which situations call for which mode, and how to transition safely between them.
- Manual operation is typically used for troubleshooting, repositioning, or initial setup.
- Automatic operation depends on missions that have already been programmed and validated.
- Switching from manual back to automatic often requires confirming the unit's position matches what the map expects.
If this distinction still feels fuzzy, it's worth revisiting how much hands-on practice you've logged - the C-358 difficulty guide breaks down why practical familiarity, not just reading, is what separates candidates who pass from those who don't.
Mission Programming, Logic, and I/O
This is where C-358 gets closest to programming logic rather than pure operations. Expect to interpret or troubleshoot a mission built from conditional logic and input/output signals.
Core Mission Programming Concepts
Missions chain together movement instructions with logical conditions and I/O triggers to automate a task from start to finish.
- Logic blocks determine what happens next based on a condition (sensor state, position reached, signal received)
- I/O points connect the AMR to external equipment - doors, conveyors, signal lights
- A well-built mission has clear start and end conditions, not just a sequence of moves
On the exam, expect questions that show a simplified mission logic flow and ask what will happen under a specific condition, or ask you to identify the missing step needed for the mission to function correctly.
Workspace Mapping, Zones, and Wi-Fi
Mapping questions test whether you understand how a physical space becomes a digital map the AMR can navigate. Zones restrict where the unit can travel or how fast; positions and markers give the unit fixed reference points; Wi-Fi configuration determines whether the unit can communicate reliably with the control system at all.
- Zones: define speed limits, restricted areas, or interaction rules within the map.
- Positions: fixed coordinates the AMR can be sent to or can use as reference points.
- Markers: physical or virtual reference points used to correct or confirm the unit's location.
- Wi-Fi configuration: connectivity settings that, if wrong, cause the unit to lose contact with the control system mid-mission.
Silver vs. Gold: What Changes on Exam Day
C-358 is offered at two levels, and the format difference matters for how you prepare.
| Level | Assessment Format | What It Proves |
|---|---|---|
| Silver | Online testing through SACA's system | Knowledge of AMR concepts, procedures, and terminology |
| Gold | Proctored, hands-on performance assessment (in addition to Silver knowledge) | Ability to actually operate and program an AMR under evaluation |
Because Gold is performance-based, cheat-sheet review alone won't get you there - you need real time on equipment. For Silver, this page-style review is a legitimate final step before test day, especially paired with the passing score guide so you know what level of mastery is actually required.
Registration, Membership, and Prep Materials
A few mechanics are worth having memorized before you schedule anything:
- C-358 is issued by the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) - confirm any prep resource you use references SACA specifically.
- SACA education membership includes free certification access for students enrolled at a member institution - but training and equipment access are planned and paid for separately.
- Official study resources include original C-358 practice questions, an AMR study guide, and separate exercise sets for Silver knowledge review versus Gold lab practice.
For the exact eligibility mechanics and how membership status affects your path, check the C-358 requirements page. If you're budgeting for training, equipment access, and the credential itself, the certification cost breakdown separates those line items clearly, and the exam dates guide covers scheduling windows so you're not cramming this cheat sheet the night before with no runway left.
Key Takeaway
Don't assume membership means the whole path is free - it covers certification access, not training time or hands-on equipment access for Gold.
A One-Week Review Plan Using This Sheet
If you already have foundational knowledge and just need a structured final week, spread this cheat sheet across seven days instead of trying to absorb it all at once.
Safety and Operating States
- Drill startup/shutdown sequences and E-stop reset order
- Compare manual vs. automatic mode scenarios
Programming Logic
- Work through mission logic and I/O practice items
- Trace mission flows step by step instead of skimming
Mapping and Connectivity
- Review zones, positions, markers, and Wi-Fi configuration
- Practice fault-diagnosis scenarios that mix connectivity and mapping symptoms
Full Review
- Run through original C-358 practice questions under timed conditions
- Re-check this cheat sheet section by section
Running full-length questions in exam-like conditions on our practice test platform is the fastest way to find which of these eight blocks is actually weak versus which just feels weak. Pair that with a quick pass through the pass rate data so your expectations are grounded in reality rather than test-anxiety guesswork.
FAQ
No - it's a review tool for candidates who have already studied. Use it alongside the full study guide and hands-on practice, not as a substitute for either.
It covers the knowledge concepts relevant to both levels, but Gold also requires a proctored hands-on performance assessment that can't be prepared for through reading alone.
Candidates often confuse Wi-Fi connectivity faults with mapping faults. Practicing fault-diagnosis scenarios that separate the two is high-value review time.
SACA offers original practice questions and a dedicated AMR study guide as part of its official prep materials, separate from the knowledge and lab exercise sets.
Membership can include free certification access for students at a member institution, but training and equipment access typically need to be arranged separately.