guilty by association - has this ever happened to you

[Jeff23spl]

And from over the pond as well. I developed a thick skin to it. If I've been on site for a prolonged time I always leave a day or as long as possible not plugged in, or better still with the laptop in the bag just so they get the message it works fine.

--
(despair.com favourite)
Customer Service - We're not happy until you're not happy

this reminds me one few years ago, i got a call for a warranty on a control panel that was delivered ''not programmed completly fonctionnal''!!! They request that i pay for the trip and expence etc...I have worked the first day without bringing the laptop just to show them thaqt nothing was wrong with the programm even is wiring issue was harder/slower to troobleshoot with going online...Amoung the issue, closed and opened LS was reversed!!! I got paid!

 

[DamianInRochester]

One thing I learned quickly when I first started out. When they call you in to debug the machine don't just automatically hook up with a computer to see what is going on in the program. The problem is twofold. First, you send a message to them that all the problems that happen on the machine require that you hook up to the machine with a computer. Secondly, if the machine does require be hooked up to all the time then quite frankly the program must not be very good.

Once you have fixed the problem a few times without having to do anything with the program, they start getting embarrassed to call you for every little thing. Especially if you fix it in under a minute or two.

It is good to let the maintenance guys struggle with it a little before getting involved. It also helps prevent you from becoming a maintenance guy yourself.

 

[Brijm]

Don't take it personally.

But I would recommend documenting everything that is changed by you, and make sure the boss has a cd with the original program.

The unfortunate thing, is that there is some out there who do cause problems to generate work/overtime.

 

[Donnchadh]

Hi

I have caused a few problems in the past and i find putting my hand up and saying ya that was me so when it's not my fault I can say its not me.
Now in saying that when you work on a plc that may not even control that but if the plant or machine you will get the call straight away because you will be guilty until you prove it's not you and that's the way it's going to be.
Screen Shoots are great to show want you have found so bubba can make all the changes he wants but without being nasty just say well this is how I did it and this is how it is now I always ask someone in the plant what way would they like it to be and then is our problem not mine

Donnchadh

 

[Ned_Flanders]

It happened to me only this week.

There is an adjacent plant to mine and a manager wanted a control modification on a system that feeds into ours.
I cannot access the DCS but have a colleague in the other plant who can. He made a plc modification and 2 hours later a control fuse blew on a conveyor.

When I got to work the next day it was MY NAME in the log that said I must have done something!

A bit of investigation showed a graduate electrician had hooked up the remote marshalling terminals to 110volts the same day.

I'm pretty sure they still believe the plc change was blowing the fuse.