Going to work at a system integrator?

I'm a Controls Engineer in my mid 20s who has been working in the field for a few years now. I've worked at both pharmaceutical and automotive manufacturers doing the usual plant support and new projects. I have a strong interest in my work designing new systems as opposed to constantly supporting legacy technology.

From my interaction with system integrators/machine builders, I sense that I would fit in well. The organizations seem to be smaller, more collaborative, encourage new ideas, and travel a lot more. I have noticed that are few Controls Engineers my age working at the manufacturers (similar to my role) but quite a few more at integration houses.

Does anyone have experience working on both sides of the fence? I am interested in hearing about your experience and observations. Thank you!

MikeT82 said:

Does anyone have experience working on both sides of the fence? I am interested in hearing about your experience and observations. Thank you!

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I have made the switch, supported manufacturing for my first 2 years out of school and have moved into system integration.

So far it's been a great move, I'm working with great engineers who have a desire to teach, the company is smaller so actually getting to know your co-workers is nice. We are a Rockwell Solutions Provider so every engineer has any and all pieces of software they may need loaded on their laptops, along with access to Rockwell Support.

I'm now involved in design, development and implementation of complete projects, very rewarding!

The programming that takes place here is a level or two higher then what I ever saw at my old job. I'm now back at the bottom of the learning curve, which isn't as bad as it sounds, once you stop learning....

Traveling can get old, but time usually goes by pretty quick when your on site (that is if your not waiting on someone else). If I had a family it would probably be more stressful.

Oh, plus I'm making quite a bit more money..

But if your a Mon - Fri, 7am - 4pm type, may not fit your life style.

Also, the typical responsibilities you'll have are: Creation of IO lists, Part Specifications/Ordering, Electrical Design/Approvals, PLC Programming, HMI Programming, System Commissioning, and Remote Support. You'll need to have a desire to venture into all of these avenues to enjoy the work.

I am a bit older than you (about 40 years) but here goes.

Started working life as an electrical fitter apprentice - motor winding, building switch boards, machining (shafts, bearings, commutators etc), building HV trannies (electrical ones), welders, we did anything that came along.

Late in the 2nd year of the apprenticeship they found I had a bent for design and placed me with the 2 company engineers and I spent the next 2 years designing some pretty massive control systems (all hard wired), switch boards, welders and HV trannies. During the whole period I was also sent out to do service work on machines (trouble shooting).

Absolutely impossible to get this whole range of experience in one place these days. The whole industry has become fragmented ('specialised'). We even did plate and tube rectifiers, Xray machines, humidicribs and anything else that came along.

Go to a factory in the middle of the night, machine broken down, no drawings, not much help from the operators as to the problem with the machine as they would rather sit on their tails than work. Marvellous experience.

Moved into technical sales, management, sales and marketing for 25 years.

During all these years I did an engineering certificate course, electronics course (transistors were the new buzz word), slaes, marketing amd management diplomas as well and selected intsrumentation courses.

Saw a lot of the working world from all sides and I found that the guys on huge money were doing everything. Auto glass factory here in Ozz the electrical technicians were maintaining the plant at night - no fitters, plumbers or anyone else just 2 of them. They were doing all trades work as well as electrical and PLCs. They were on huge money.

Went to work for an electrical contracting/switch board company - back to the trade - designing control systems etc - in fact systems integration.

The thing I like about SI is that it is varied, challenging, frustrating, you name it. Basically almost anything can lob on the desk and you just have to design it and get it to work. A lot of investigation is required to obtain the right equipment to do the job. It is great. I was the only one in the place doing this and invariably working on up ti 15 jobs a day. Investigating, designing, writing software, commissioning, organisng gear, supervising switch board and contracting staff - sometimes from thousands of miles away when commissioning a power station or something simple like that. Good fun.

You will find things a fair bit different in an SI house. There is usually a fair degree of organisation and people are assigned different tasks. For example, on a large project there may up to 20-30 peolpe working on a job with several team leaders. One area working on design, anoyher on PLC programming, another on SCADA etc - depends on how big the SI house is and the size of projects. I know many working in large and small SI houses.

A small SI house I could live with as there would usually be a fair amount of independance - a large SI house would drive me nuts - too splintered, spread sheets going back and forth, meetings, too organised. I cannot work that way but many can.

Since I have been working for myself doing the lot myself - design, build panels, programming, SCADA systems, commissioning, accounts, paper work you name it. I do have sub contractors that I trust and also sub contract to them as well.

If you can think on the fly, have varied experience in all sorts of things, have a bent for design and software, like living a hectic life with lots of stress meeting deadlines you will almost certainly enjoy the SI life in a smaller company. You will find you will need to be very well organised, you will need to get on well with people, be diplomatic and, at times, have to stand up for yourself and your company. Unfortunately in theses days where evryone wants to sue at the drop of a hat, apportion blame to everyone else when they are in trouble/behind on the job you will also probably have to be a lawyer as well. You will probably have to know the OHS&R laws, contracts, insurance etc etc. It is a very broad life experience.

Very good luck with your new experience. If you can stand the pace and learn all the law things you will probably really like it. I know I have absolutely no regrets about my varied life/work experiences.

I did manufacturing for 9 years and have been doing SI for 11 years. They both have their pro's and con's, but ALOT depends on the work environment. To whit, working for a LARGE SI firm may not be much different than working for a large manufacturer, other than you will travel more. In a large SI firm, you may be pigeonholed into a specialty. You may become THE SLC guy, or maybe you become THE pharmaceutical guy. At that point, growth becomes limited, learning stunted and you are no better than the 9-5 manufacturing guy doing the same work over and over. In a small SI firm, it's feast or famine. You will be the SLC guy, the PLC5 guy, the CLX guy, the TI guy and maybe even the wash the bosses car guy (facitious). That puts alot more pressure on you to learn and adapt. Plus, you will be thrown to the wolves on commissioning and startups. You won't be a part of a team of varied individuals with different expertises, you will be a part of the team, me, myself and I. You will be the programmer, wrench turner and politician (as you explain to your customer why its taking so long). If you are good on your feet, communicate well and absorb pressure while keeping your cool, then you can do well in a small SI firm. If you are used to a more structured environment, need to have a sense of normalcy and calm in your day to day routines, then stay in manufacturing or go with a large SI firm. If you are a complete nut like me, then start your SI business

I started out in my Dad's machine shop. Doing manual task at first, then saw cutting material for others. I learned how to run a mill and a lathe...though I wouldn't call myself a true machinist. Then I learned how to program CNCs, operating burning tables and milling centers.

Somewhere along the way I took an interest in control side of the shop, building control panels and helping wire machines.

It was only then, almost 10 years later that I began programming PLCs. Of course 10 years later for me was 20 years old.

Then my Dad's shop closed. I did some contracting, wanted to start a business, but wasn't ready. So I took a job at a manufacturing plant doing in house integration and maintenance. It was a time for me to grow up and settle down. But my time in maintenance working on machines probably did more to improve my programming skills than anything. EVERY programmer should work a few years in maintenance. And when I say maintenance, I mean tearing into the mechanical end of things in addition to the controls.

Once again all things had to come to an end, and the company I was working for got bought out and I no longer fit in. This time I thought I was ready and started TW Controls. I just entered my 3rd year in business and it has been very successful.

Coincidentally, when I started TW Controls, I mainly built control panels and wrote programs. I only did a slight bit of mechanical work. This year it looks like machining and fabrication will make up more of my business than controls will. Looks like I've about come full circle.