Are you born as a consultant, graduated from an institution of higher learning as a consultant, or does the “High Wizard of Consultation” bestow this title upon you? Likely, it’s none of the above. While the path from a project focused engineer to a consultant can vary, it’s more than likely that you’ll evolve into a consultant over time.
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PLCs, HMIs, and SCADA Systems are all great tools. On their own, each has plenty to offer. PLCs have massive sets of I/O and specialty cards, support large memory formats with advanced features for the most demanding control applications. SCADA systems and HMIs have a dizzying array of finely developed 3D objects, clean high-performance graphics, advanced trend and alarm objects, and slick new navigational methods. You can hardly go wrong selecting products from any of the major players: Rockwell, AVEVA, Schneider, Siemens, and GE, not to mention several lesser-known names. And while chock full of all that there is to technically offer, typically a system’s success hinges not on the tool themselves, but on the skills the operations teams possess and how they use each tool. In fact, your most important tool might be your listening skills!
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Children are natural engineers. They love building and taking things apart. Their innate curiosity about the world around them creates the perfect opportunity to introduce and explore what it is that engineers do.
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Notice, I didn’t call it the “New Normal.” The COVID 19 pandemic has caused disruptions and challenges that no one ever could have predicted. For the past 8 months (yes that’s right, it’s been nearly 8 long months since the world was turned upside down), adaptability has proven to be, perhaps, the most essential skill of all. Out of necessity, most workers have transitioned to working from home. This has forced both companies and employees to adapt and adjust quickly.
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Sometimes it can feel like PID tuning is a cross between engineering, mathematics and the Dark Arts. There are some definitive engineering and mathematical steps to take when tuning a loop (for the first time or for the ninetieth), but there is also a lot to be said for experience and understanding how to tweak things based on the loop makeup and response you are seeing.
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MES Components Value
November 10, 2023
A Tale of Two Nic(k)s
October 6, 2023
PLC Standards for the New-ish Millennium
September 15, 2023
Benefits of Upgrading a Facility to Ethernet
August 18, 2023
Early Partner Engagement in Digital Transformation
August 4, 2023
Challenging Labor Shortages: Options to Mitigate
June 21, 2023
MES Enablement: The Universal Translator
June 8, 2023
Breaking the Mold: Our Approach to Digital Transformation
May 26, 2023