Programmer/Electricain/Mechainc What hat do you wear most?

At the end of every wire is a device that requires a screwdriver or wrench to work on it. So naturally there is a wide diversity of disciplines in which we function. Some PLC programmers rarely ever touch the field actuator. Others spend more time in the role of a mechanic than as an electrician or programmer. Others are mostly electricians with just enough PLC thrown in for spice.

Where do you rank yourself? Is there dirt under your fingernails?

About 80% - 90% of my work is programming/design related, but I would say I spend 4 hours a week actually trying to fix something that has a problem. Most of the time this consists of helping one of the maintenance techs work through the actual problem and training them.

So some days there is a little grease under the fingernails, other days there is none.

You neglected to put "Design, program AND build" but I voted anyway.

I rarely work on any of the machinery around here anymore unless it's PLC related or in need of redesign due to a change in our process. I kinda like it that way.

I am an industrial electronics field service tech. Primarily I work on just about any type of electronics the customer wants specializing in VSD's.

In house, I get to be a bench tech, review bom's on projects for complete and accuracy, engineer field retrofits and put them in, spec parts to customers, phone tech support, write up "how to's" as needed, conduct our training courses for customers as needed and anything else my boss thinks up.

Many years ago I was given the American Indian name of "WEARS MANY HATS". I am sure that many members here also deserve this name. At work I do not have to wash the dishes or take out the trash.

dirty nails

I guess i may be the exception. i work for a small but growing company. One minute i may be programming a PLC, The next designing a mechanical system in Cad. the next changing a worn greasy bearng. And I love the constant change

I hired in as an electrical troubleshooter, but I'm the only one here that can set up drivers & actually connect a laptop to a PLC. I have to do regular maintenance when we are short-handed. So, I quess you could say I'm 40% programmer, 40% electrician, and 20% maintenance mechanic. Some days, I don't open my toolbox at all, and some days I don't get out the laptop. At the end of the week, the percentages I listed are pretty accurate.

HI,

I'm 40% programmer, 40% electrician, and 20% maintenance mechanic.

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Ditto for me
Dirt under fingernails? Probably 3 days a week
BD

All of the above, plus machine operator and set up technician, and don't forget training others. Oh yeah, draftsman, secretary, copy boy, machinist, flashlight holder.

Yesterday, I wrote a training manual for a slitting machine's new HMI/PLC upgrade I was supposed to do today. Well Scheduling cancelled the 2 hour p.m. I had scheduled to swap the PV1200 for a PM3000. So, instead, I worked on a rubber extruder for four hours, did a couple of hours of report writing, backed up a few programs and polished a few AutoCad drawings.

I had to run the extruder while keeping one of the strip accumulator dancer bars from sticking. What a POS. Time to Lawtonize it. I found a similar length THK rail with a 1750lb load rating in the storeroom. (the dancer weighs about ten pounds ... that's classic Lawtonizing) While baby sitting the slow moving 2 inch strip, I removed all the V roller guiding and installed the new THK bearing and rail. Only had to stop running long enough to drill and tap two 1/4-20 holes, and rescale the string pot in RSLogix5k.

Then I gave a 30 minute description of one our money pit projects to a clueless member of management ... Yeah, they got their money's worth out of me this week.

Lets see, where does, welding and cutting come in? Programming, yes, design yes, build yes, install yes, troubleshoot yes, maintenance and repair yes, cutting and welding yes.

I do everything from design and build, to fit and fabricate the structure to fit the new equipment. Unfortunatly, I am usually the guy who understands exactly how the whole process works, so I am usually the one who has to retrofit or fix said process.

Thats what you get for being a bit of an over achiever.

Not that it has really gotten me anywhere. I still end up doing some really bad jobs sometimes, but in my line of work you are paid the same whether you are marching or fighting.

Willpower

Dream Stage (Mechanical Design)

___________

Conceptually everything works as planned on the CAD, how beautiful?................


Reality (Assembly & Testing)
_______

Hell!.............


.... Sorry! I have washed my hands and carry on with another project?. It is you assembler and programmer to make it roll. Can't you't even do that?

Program new and modify existing in most electrical controls, fault find and teach, write machine manuals in terms that operators and even fitters understand.
New Lean manufacturing now in place on site so sorry Leadfoot but have now got to add sweep up and empty the bins to the list.
Dont really begrudge working on the machinery as it keeps the mind active and a break from programming when the brain starts to stall is good.

I program and design most of my time.and maintain my own systems.

Some time I need to do some wiring or mechanicl works not so often.
I just thought about that today,my hand so hurt me becouse the mouse I have it in my hand almost 8 hours a day.
I never thought it will come to that.

I do a little more programming now than i use to.i would say 10% the other 90 is in the trenches!!..I dont get any dirt under my nails..becouse i dont have any..I am a bad nail biter(The stress of it all ) However if i dont come home with a least 2 or 3 gashes/scrapes then its a slow day..

ArikBY said:

I program and design most of my time.and maintain my own systems.

Some time I need to do some wiring or mechanicl works not so often.
I just thought about that today,my hand so hurt me becouse the mouse I have it in my hand almost 8 hours a day.
I never thought it will come to that.

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Arikby if that is the case then DEFINITELY purchase ERGONOMIC devices, do not try to be cheap on this aspect. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, bursitis, and tendonitis are serious problems. Investigate what you should do, exercises etc, to help prevent or alleviate the pain or future problems.