Apurva Bhagali Introduction to Controls Engineering

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An Introduction to Controls Engineering

Hello there! It's my pleasure to share with you my insights about controls engineering. My name is Apurva Hagley and I've been working in this field since 2017. My experience spans various industries, majorly focusing on automation projects.

In this blog post, I would guide you through an introduction to controls engineering. I'll be touching on a typical day in a controls engineer's life, and the steps you can take to pursue this career path.

Understanding Controls Engineering

Controls engineers, also known as systems engineers, automation engineers, or process controls engineers in different industries, deal majorly with industrial automation projects. Automation has permeated across numerous industries including material handling, manufacturing, dairy processing, air handling, and robotics.

As a controls engineer, you not only work with software, but also you deal with a significant amount of hardware. To be specific, controls engineering largely intertwines hardware and software. Some typical hardware that a controls engineer interacts with include programmable logic controllers (PLCs), human-machine interfaces (HMIs), drives, and motors.

Workflow of a Controls Engineer

The job responsibilities of a controls engineer span across various phases of a project. However, these phases are often completed by a team of controls engineers, each with their specialties. Here is a typical workflow:

  1. Requirement gathering: This includes understanding the project aims, surveying the site, and getting acquainted with the crucial hardware to be installed.
  2. Design phase: Here, the controls engineer finalizes the layout of the plant, network topology, and the make and model of the hardware.
  3. Programming: In this phase, the finalized hardware is controlled through programming programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and HMIs (human-machine interfaces) screens.
  4. Testing: The program is tested and adjusted as necessary before being deployed on the actual hardware on the site.
  5. Commissioning: This phase signifies the deployment of the project on the site.
  6. Support: After commissioning, support is needed to ensure no further troubleshooting is required.

Pursuing Controls Engineering

In terms of education, graduates with an electrical engineering (EE) or industrial engineering (IE) degree are commonly found in this field. But the necessary skills can be divided into three main categories; a great understanding of devices and wiring, creating specs, and software development.

The Bottom Line

Controls engineering is an interesting and rewarding field with vast applications in industrial automation. Despite having its challenges, the position is often time-sensitive, the job promises rewarding experiences.

Should you find interest in controls engineering, feel free to contact me for further information or assistance. Cruise through the exciting journey of controls engineering and enjoy what it has to offer.

Thank you for reading, and enjoy the unlimited possibilities in the field of controls engineering.


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