When working with control engineers and technicians, I seem to hear the same two competing answers come up in discussions - the most important tool for the engineer or technician who chases the shop floor - a multimeter or a good old screwdriver?

Most everyone seems to agree they are both important, but one locates the problem and the other fixes the problem, and people seem to disagree which is the more useful, so I am curious to learn more.

Do you agree with one of these opinions, or do you have a different answer entirely?

Would love to hear your thoughts.

 

Other: your brain.

If I was on a budget and had to scrimp on screwdriver or meter, I'd get a good meter and a cheap screwdriver.

 

This is a pretty simplistic question. Lots of site technicians (and many field service people) have a voltmeter and screwdrivers. But if they don't understand the process and don't use or have access to P&IDs and electrical schematics, neither a screwdriver or voltmeter is going to be very helpful. Familiarization, some training and knowing how to use drawings/schematics are very important.

AND, not all problems require a screwdriver to fix. There are blown fuses (easily found with a voltmeter and electrical schematics--but not fixed with a screwdriver (unless a daring individual uses a screwdriver blade to pop the fuse out when there's no fuse-holder available); there are failed solenoid-operated valves (again, easily found with a voltmeter--but not fixed solely with a screwdriver); mA transmitters out of calibration (some can be fixed with a screwdriver; some require a hand-held communicator); there are failed motors; failed level switches; failed speed pick-ups; failed thermocouples; etc.

As I write I'm differing a little with joseph_e2: As an engineer, I'd like to have a cheap voltmeter and a good screwdriver (hopefully one with a "sharp" tip). Usually, I'm just looking for the presence or absence of voltage, not necessarily the precise magnitude of the voltage (OF COURSE, there are exceptions!). For me--a really good screw-holding screwdriver is also very important (for older screw terminal blocks).

 

Good old fashioned network Hub ( not a switch) and some patch cables. Not the first time I've need Wireshark to solve the problems, But a multimeter, a Loop Calibrator and screwdrivers have to be the staple, along with some crimps.

 

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As I write I'm differing a little with joseph_e2: As an engineer, I'd like to have a cheap voltmeter and a good screwdriver (hopefully one with a "sharp" tip). Usually, I'm just looking for the presence or absence of voltage, not necessarily the precise magnitude of the voltage (OF COURSE, there are exceptions!). For me--a really good screw-holding screwdriver is also very important (for older screw terminal blocks).

I've been burned a few times by a cheap meter that didn't work well, even for presence/absence of voltage or open/short of resistance. Honestly, any tool you're going to use regularly should be reasonable quality or your life will be frustrating.

 

I guess asking which is most important is a pretty simplistic way to ask a question, since every situation is pretty different from the one before it, so everyone will have a different take. Like asking which car part is most important.

The screwdriver vs voltmeter options always seemed to be when someone was standing there trying to figure something out, 9 times out of 10 they always seem to look around for a meter or screwdriver first. Maybe it's just a coincidence for those places I've been.

I think my own record is 7 clamp meters at once to trace down 7 branch circuits (unlabeled, cabinets were a mess) to figure out which one was tripping a breaker every 15 minutes or so. But using a lot of new clamp and screw terminal blocks, I use a small flat tip screwdriver way more often than a meter.

 

I'd opt for the meter first, because the local bubba can usually come up with a screwdriver even if they don't have a meter on-site.

But I always carry my own meter and screwdrivers

 

David Peterson misuses the term "control engineer".
There are electricians that wire things.
Automation people that program PLCs.
Control engineers get into the nitty gritty of closed loop control.
Be serious. What do you control with a screw driver or multimeter.
For control you need to log excitation and responses and then use a software packaged to do the system identification and calculate the gains.

 

I've been burned a few times by a cheap meter that didn't work well, even for presence/absence of voltage or open/short of resistance. Honestly, any tool you're going to use regularly should be reasonable quality or your life will be frustrating.

I have to agree with "joseph_e2" id rather have a meter, I trust, rather than any old "ElCheapo" that shows +-12V