Working @ home

Are there PLC programmers out there who work partially @ home. I mean, not working for a boss, but doing projects ?

Is this something that is possible ?

That's how I make my living.

Of course, PLC programming is not all I do. I also get involved with HMIs, drives, motion control, hydraulics, pneumatics, sensors, vision systems, AutoCAD, and anything else relating to automation.

The company I work for is 2 1/2 hours away and it has been that way ever since I started. I think I make it to the office 3 times a year. All my work is out of my house. Same as Steve though I get have to do the down and dirty parts of the job also. I wish I could just sit at home and wrie code all day. Life would be grand then!!!

Yes of course.

In our Country, many engineers can do his own project at spare time, if he can find a project, although it is not supported by all bosses.

I work from home maybe 10 hours a week for my regular job.
Sporadic work on the side I do from home.

It is possible, but be sure to get specs from the customer that are very detailed in order to meet their desires.

I did it for a number of years. But, I now live in the middle of the three counties of highest unemployment in the country. If you are in a good area, there should be no trouble. If you like to travel, even better. Find out what others are charging. Don't undercut them pricewise. I find in the northern two thirds of Illinois, it is not well recieved. Some employes think that if you write a 300 I/O in a day, plus all the card connection schematics, then you screwed off all afternoon. Others are wonderfull to work for. I find that the rates are down considerably around here, and that the work is much harder to come by. But then, I have noticed that during election years, things ready bite.

There are plenty of moonlighters out there, and they can really hurt you. There is a guy across the street from me who is a maintenanceman. He moonlights for $8.00/hour, even though he does it in a field with no training. Most of his projects are scrapped before they are half completed, and many others are never fired up if they are completed.

I went into the largest AB shop in the region, and was asked what I wanted. I told them $25.00 hour. They were paying $12-14. Ten years ago I was talking to a local company, since I wanted to get off the road. I was thrilled at the idea of no travel, and was willing to accept $20.00, maybe even less. They told me, "We are paying one guy $30 right now, we'll give you $40!" I thought about it for about 15 seconds before I accepted. Didn't want to seem too anxious.

Know your competition, know the market. Know where to get help to bail you out. (Here is a good place!)


Good Luck, best regards.....kc

I can access the factory network and PLCs from home though I generally am in the office during regular hours. If I have extra work to do however I usually do it from home rather than at the office.

I also take on a couple of outside contract jobs a year. These are usually smaller jobs that won't get in the way of my responsibilities.

I'm similar to Alaric. I take on a couple of side jobs for very specific individuals/groups every year. However, I make sure that everyone involved understands that my current employer gets the highest priority.

However, unlike Alaric, I don't, think I could actually work from home on something for my current employer. I find that I can't focus very well at home. I would see a baseball game walking past a TV or see that the lawn needs to be cut and work would get pushed aside. For me work is work and home is home. It's just a mental affliction for me.

Keith

kamenges in part said:

For me work is work and home is home.

Click to expand...

For me, HOME is work, WORK is my vacation.

:]

Home, sweet home...
Working at home is OK. But, when you work at office... your older and more experieced colegs are able to help you.

And when, like me, you ARE the oldest and most experienced in the office, where do you come for help?

. . . HERE of course!

it's quite common imho, i know people who works even only from home... for me it's good to work in both, office and home as well... if i have a good idea i can realize it in the middle of the night or watch hockey during manual creation, but office is calm oasis ( especially on weekends ) ... beside... i can store here all those devices and tools...

before some time... i was working on project to asia, sitting in couch at cottage... nice surrounding, good weather... lousy mobile internet connection and different timezone made real hell from my vacation...