Pprocess control engineer
The responsibilities of aprocess controlengineer vary from industry to industry, but one constant is that the engineer will interact extensively with customers, clients, management, and supportpersonnelin ensuring the smooth operation of automation and controls. Depending upon the specific industry in which this professional works, he must be skilled in assessing documentation requirements and generating designs. In-depth knowledge of testing, start-up procedures, and system integration options is also necessary.
Since there are so many departments involved in process controls, clear and concise communications are imperative for the processcontrol engineerto be successful. He must be an inspirational team leader and be able to independently make decisions. Project management is a large part of the job, and upon completion of each project, detailed documentation of the project from inception through completion is required.
The engineer must have demonstrated proficiency in the development and management of process control solutions, from collecting data through the design, configuration, and integration processes. He must be competent in programming and the development and implementation of engineering guidelines and standards. Knowledge is required in batchprocess manufacturingsoftware programming as well as inVisual Basicand PC networking.
Besides technical knowledge and expertise, the position requires exemplary interpersonal relationship skills. The success of each project and the subsequent satisfaction of clients depends on this person's ability to not only lead by example but also inspire support personnel to be creative, supportive of each other's ideas and efforts, and goal-oriented. He should demonstrate understanding of the project team's goals and provide appropriate technical guidance on design and engineering issues. The process control engineer needs to keep abreast of emerging technologies and applications to guarantee a competitive edge in the industry in which he works.
This engineer is often required to perform many tasks in a typical workday. As project goals and guidelines are altered by clients and/or technical roadblocks, he must be able to accurately assess the situation. He should then be able to present alternate solutions based on his knowledge and experience as well as that of his colleagues.
The educational requirements for a process control engineer can vary greatly depending on the specific position and industry. An undergraduate degree in electrical, chemical, orcomputer engineeringis usually preferred, however. The number of years experience required also varies with the industry, position and job responsibilities.
Сontrol systems engineer
The field of controlsystems engineeringis relatively new and has become more relevant with the progression of technology. He or she designs, develops, calculates, and implements many complex systems that work together as whole to complete a task. This includes the electrical and mechanical elements of home appliances like washing machines, as well as the complicated systems contained in automobiles and airplanes.
To fully understand the job description of a controlsystems engineer, one must have a general understanding of what control systems are. The design and implementation of most control systems is highly complex, but a general definition is that acontrol systemis a device or set of devices used to control other devices or systems in order to accomplish a particular task. For example, an automobile contains electrical and mechanical systems that affect one another to propel the vehicle. Most modern cars run on both gasoline and a battery powered electrical system. Both of these systems must work together for the car to function properly.
A control systems engineer may have to work with systems involving electrical components as well as mechanical, biological, chemical, and financial aspects. He or she may concentrate his specialty in any of these areas or take part in all of them at simultaneously. He or she will also need a strong understanding of control theory and be able to use modern computer aided design tools and software.
Two major sections of study are important for any control systems engineer to become familiar with. These are modern and classical control systems engineering. The classical theory involves limited controls that only deal with single-input and single-output systems using differential equations. A differential equation is a mathematical equation used to determine a single function using several variables. This means that the engineer must figure out what causes and effects will occur in any given system under several potential circumstances.
Modern control theory, on the other hand, can deal with multi-input and multi-output controllers using complex s-domain. This is an important development for the control systems engineer, because it allows him to create complicated multi system units used in complex devices and machines.
Until recently, one could not study control systems engineering as a unique and separate field of study. Even now, many universities provide coursework in control systems in their electrical andmechanical engineeringclasses. A control systems engineer may study one of these targeted subjects with an emphasis on control systems and control theory.