For me it was simply following the trends. It was both something I'd always done and a recent development. I had successful careers in both electronics and computers before I took a job programming the simple little boxes. But when doing electronics, I was there as microprocessors became how to do various functions and I was involved in automated testing, basically automation with big computers to test integrated circuits. Then electronics faded, so I taught for a year, then jumped into computers with the, then new, personal computers. I was a professional programmer and UNIX systems administrator when someone needed an automated tester again and I worked with the automation group. So, I automated things using PCs, Linux, cameras, V4L, and hardware I designed. I was asked to program robots, so I did. That company went away and I answered an ad for a PLC tech, then got a job as the whole automation and controls dept. at my last job. Along the way I founded a LinuxPLC project and I've designed an ARM based hardware PLC to run Linux. My object here is not to impress you, as this is not that atypical for people of my generation. But you'll know why I smile when someone wants the shortcut or management thinks a 20hr training seminar will do it. I guess I really don't know how to become an automation guru, it just happened. And at the moment, I'm heavily into renewable energy, feeding firewood to the stove and looking for an automation job.
For me I got a degree in Electronic Engineering Technology (Associates) and then BSEE. It might be a bit overkill for most automation, but it is a great foundation. I then trained under some other colleagues at my present company and am now developing new approaches to the way we do things here.
If I were to summarize what education was *most* helpful for this field I would say the Engineering Technology degree gets you 90% of the way there for most tasks. Having a course or two in feedback Controls systems is really going to help you with motion control, but can probably be had via on the job training and self learning.
I've also found that a basic skillset in mechanics is really helpful. The Statics and Dynamics combined course at the university was helpful. Basic skills in machining and mechanism design is helpful for when things go wrong. I've found that in my experience the controls guy has to do a lot of the troubleshooting since we have the skills to operate the oscilloscopes, high speed cameras, and software needed to diagnose problems. Learning how to gracefully tell your mechanical guru that there is a problem with *his/her* mechanism is a skill that is needed sometimes, but those are social skills.
Well, my education was pretty much all practical. No university degrees...just lots of curiosity and desire to know what makes things do what they do.
I am always surprised and disappointed when I read summer job applications from students and none of the applicants have any hobbies or pastimes that are even remotely related to technology and the field in which they wish to work. Seems like passion is hard to find these days. I always ate this stuff up big time...and I am sure that played a big part in enabling me to work in a field that I so enjoy. Recently, I had a machine operator who approached me and wanted us to send him on a "3 week course or something" so he could "program PLC's" too....hmmmm not quite that simple ! How about a good bunch of years practical experience in the field....or a few university level degrees instead.
I was a computer guy since about age 5. There's a very convoluted story that ends with my father needing someone to help write software to control industrial robots. At the time, it was all in C on QNX (a Unix-like OS). I knew C and Unix and I moved back to my hometown to help out. This was 1997, and I'd been out of college for about 6 months. At the time, I didn't know a servo from a hole in the ground, had never heard of a PLC, and couldn't read an electrical schematic if my life depended on it. But over about the course of 5 years I learned a little bit each day, until at some point I looked up and said, "You know what? I'm not half-bad at this stuff." I don't know that I'm comfortable taking on the term "guru," but I will put my company up against any other on the planet for the kind of stuff we do.
An interesting argument...I see it is an old post but I thought I would put my 10 pence in.
My counter argument is yes you are probably right, but then I suppose you could give guidance to a child on how to do surgery. I mean its not that difficult how hard can it be to cut something and then glue it with surgical glue.
But to be fair to you....PLC prog is not difficult and that is putting my ego to one side. I have been doing this type of stuff for more years than I can remember. It is very very easy...but that's the trap it is very very easy to create a mess and not so easy to rectify. Its easy to use a paintbrush but can you create the next master piece....
I do take your point and I certainly feel like the job could be done by a child and I must admit most of the work I see looks like it has been by a child with a very big ego.
I've worked as a Controls Engineer for 26 years. I hear this garbage all the time, but I NEVER actually see the PLC code written by a child/monkey/whatever actually work. I have degrees in Mathematics and Electrical Engineering, and had an almost perfect score on the GRE Analytical section back when they had it (not analytical writing). Yes it is easy to write PLC code. It is, however, difficult to write PLC code that works and works well and works on time. Having low-IQ types do PLC programming is equivalent to giving typewriters to monkeys to have them write the plays of Shakespeare. Through sheer randomness, eventually it is accomplished.
Is this childish PLC code going into a nuclear power plant or a pharma plant? Would you risk people's lives on it? Can I appear as an expert witness for the prosecution at your trial for negligent homicide? Were you the one making the decisions that caused the Deep Water Horizon disaster?
