WHAT DOES A CONTROLS ENGINEER DO?

Published: August 15, 2024 - The Controls Engineer develops and maintains manufacturing control and data acquisition networks, ensuring efficient operation and data flow. Troubleshooting of both hardware and software issues, along with the development and integration of operator interfaces, enhances user interaction and system functionality. Documentation, upgrading, and training in programmable logic controllers and AC/DC drives are key responsibilities, aimed at supporting continual improvements and modernization within the plant's manufacturing processes.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Controls Engineer

1. Controls Engineer Duties

  • Project Leadership: Lead PLC and automation projects and serve as an expert in related tasks.
  • Process Analysis: Analyze plant processes, design, and implement improvements.
  • Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot issues with hardware and processes.
  • Maintenance Planning: Plan preventative and predictive maintenance.
  • Problem Resolution: Work with others to detect problems and implement solutions.
  • Technical Training: Train technicians in PLCs, automation, and predictive maintenance.
  • Operational Efficiency: Ensure that the plant is running smoothly and efficiently.
  • Quality Assurance: Assure plant is meeting quality and safety standards.
  • Productivity Enhancement: Drive productivity through a strategic use of technology.
  • Operations Support: Provide tactical and strategic operations support.
  • Architecture Management: Manage electrical and controls architecture.
  • Project Management: Support and manage electrical and controls capital projects.
  • Resource Development: Drive development of internal resources.

2. Controls Engineer Details

  • Contractor Relationship Management: Managing relationships with contractors and integrators.
  • Electrical Safety Program Maintenance: Maintaining the plant electrical safety program.
  • Process Enhancement Investigation: Investigate refinement and enhancement opportunities for the plant processes, systems, and facilities.
  • Technical Assistance Provision: Provide technical assistance to reduce/eliminate issues associated with equipment performance, quality, and safety.
  • Troubleshooting Support: Provide electrical and controls troubleshooting support to operating departments and the maintenance team.
  • System Operation Efficiency: Ensure the efficient operation of process and packaging systems via integrity and reliability of control systems throughout the plant.
  • Capital Project Leadership: Provide electrical/controls leadership for capital project execution.
  • Project Management: Ensure that projects meet operating expectations and are completed within authorized budgets and schedule constraints.
  • Standards Compliance for Designs and Installations: Ensure designs and installations conform to plant and GMI standards.
  • System Design Interface and Improvement: Interface with corporate personnel, engineers, vendors, and operating technicians to effectively develop and implement system design improvements.
  • Contractor Relationship Establishment: Establish relationships with contractors and carry out procedures based on site and corporate engineering standards on the highest professional and ethical basis.
  • Corporate Controls Compliance: Interface with the corporate controls engineering team, ensure compliance with corporate controls initiatives and standards.

3. Controls Engineer Responsibilities

  • Specification Development: Develop electronics specifications for K&P.
  • Vendor Collaboration: Work with vendors to design, implement, and maintain plant floor data collection.
  • Data Utilization: Utilize collected data for dashboards, troubleshooting, and advance controls.
  • Data Management: Own all data backup strategies.
  • Cost Analysis: Determine a strategy for rebuild vs. replace cost scenarios.
  • Technical Support: Support and assist the Maintenance and Engineering staff with troubleshooting, repairs, upgrades, PMs, and projects.
  • Installation Collaboration: Collaborate with maintenance staff and vendors during the installation of controls-based equipment.
  • Leadership Support: Provide support and direction to Electronic Technicians as needed, interact cross-functionally with other maintenance and engineering department personnel.
  • Team Development: Create a cohesive team for the development and delivery of key projects and factory operations.
  • Hardware Installation: Install new hardware/instrumentation for cost/quality enhancements.
  • Project Management: Controls Project scope includes design, fabrication, integration, and install.
  • Industry Awareness: Keep abreast of technology advances as they pertain to the seafood manufacturing industry and plant processes.
  • Quality Control: Measure test coverage, success, and failures.
  • Innovation Facilitation: Help fail early to get to market faster.
  • Process Evolution: Build and evolve testing and validation processes to scale and minimize manual testing of new builds and deployments.

4. Controls Engineer Accountabilities

  • Project Management: Provide assistance for integration on major capital expenditures, ensuring projects are on time, within budget, and fully functional.
  • Automation Strategy Execution: Execute strategies for automation, controls, and technology to reduce costs and improve product quality.
  • Training Needs Assessment: Determine the King & Prince teams' training needs.
  • Technology Monitoring: Keep abreast of technology and equipment developments.
  • Training and Documentation Provision: Provide training and documentation to meet the company’s needs.
  • Vendor Training Coordination: Coordinate outside vendor training classes.
  • Safety Compliance: Ensure projects are executed with the proper safety devices per OSHA, NFPA 70E, and GMI Corporate Standards.
  • Quality Assurance Collaboration: Work with the Quality department to ensure all installations and projects meet the plant's quality and sanitation requirements.
  • Relationship Building: Establish relationships with the System Engineers (SE) and Line Teams to address issues.
  • Capital Planning: Help develop the capital plan and manage obsolescence in each area of the plant.
  • Requirements Identification and Decomposition: Identify needs, break them down into requirements, and help decompose them into features for the engineering teams.
  • Systems Integration and Testing: Deploy, develop, integrate, and manage pipelines to integration test components and validate requirements and features.

5. Controls Engineer Functions

  • Network Management: Develop and maintain the plant's manufacturing control and data acquisition networks.
  • Problem Solving: Troubleshoot hardware and software problems.
  • Interface Development: Develop and integrate operator interfaces between manufacturing networks and users.
  • Report Development: Develop and implement network system reports.
  • PLC Specification: Specify and facilitate the implementation of programmable logic controllers within the plant's equipment overhaul and modernization program.
  • PLC Maintenance: Document, upgrade, and troubleshoot equipment programmable logic controllers and AC/DC drives.
  • Program Revision: Revise equipment programs as necessary to support manufacturing process improvements.
  • Maintenance Scheduling: Schedule the planned maintenance of all manufacturing networks.
  • Training Coordination: Train designated personnel in the operation and maintenance of programmable logic controllers and manufacturing networks.
  • Equipment Procurement: Prepare appropriation requests for the specification and purchase of new equipment and systems.
  • Compliance Documentation: Prepare TS16949-compliant instructions and work methods.
  • Quality Assurance: Hold the responsibility and authority for quality commensurate with the accountability of the job description.
  • Engineering Liaison: Function as the liaison with manufacturing engineering on all equipment control and motion issues.