PLC jobs

[Plastic]

Warning... Soapbox opinion rant

It's a little messed up because when they have machines/etc break down, they need it to be back up and running immediately. Whether that be during your regular shift or 3:00 a.m. it doesnt matter to them because they're losing thousands of dollars a minute or whatever.

"THEY" are losing? There is NO "they". This is YOUR income, this is your job. This is what provides FOOD and SHELTER to you and your family.

Ride it out. This environment breeds some of the best, and long-term players in the business. Yes, there is stress, but it forces one to analyze, decide and execute, in a timely fashion.

You learn to set priorities based on "up-time" vs. fluffy an wasteful adventures.

Hundrends, and thousands of downstream peoples incomes depend on your ability to be the (up-time)hero in your facility.
You will become better and better the more presuure challenges that you mire through. You will rise above, and become respected, by your subordiantes, your peers, and your superiors. And best of all at the end of the day, you will go home knowing that you have added key value to job, and that is rewarding.

Working on the "front line" in industry is kind of like the military, BUT in industry, there is not someone trying to KILL you, while you are doing your job.

THANK YOU, to all Veterans, and current military personnel for protecting our country. THANK YOU, for your sacrfice for our Freedoms.

 

[RheinhardtP]

Anybody mention mining....

 

[OkiePC]

I think most manufacturers of any product use PLCs. I know small shops dabbling with DL05s and Micrologix, uniform services, public utilities and sewer systems, carwashes use them, every manner of food producer/packager, warehouse systems; they are everywhere.

Fewer and fewer people seem to be taking up the workload, while more and more of us seem to work longer and longer weeks around here. We have had something of a boom here in the OKC through Tulsa area actually all of Oklahoma has low unemployment with lots of businesses of all sizes expanding and moving here.

With the major interstates trucking is huge around here too, along with the oil and gas stuff. I am in a Rockwell class this week, and of 8 of us, I think 4 are in oil and gas, plus the instructor has a history there, and then some guys from Purina and myself (food).

 

[hadji likes plc]

can pet food

 

[Winklehoffen]

PLCs are everywhere, in almost every industry for almost every application. I'm an industrial electrician/automation contractor that services every and any client that will pay me. We use PLCs for everything from water and wastewater treatment to vacuum machinery.

If you know how to program and can understand a process the opportunities are unlimited.

 

[Ken Moore]

Petro chemical, oil & gas.

 

[Darkzadow]

Steel production.

 

[MikeW]

Testing lab for a global manufacturer.

 

[AsAboveSoBelow]

Right on. Thanks for the ideas guys.

 

[jgreenewv]

First two years out of college primarily in underground coal mining.

Next 11 years in water/wastewater.

Moved into automotive this summer.

So far, I have to say, I'm experiencing MUCH less stress at the current job than the last. That could be due to the fact that I don't have customers AND service folks calling me at all hours to help troubleshoot problems.

I am learning a ton of new processes, equipment, and timing requirements. Yes, there are deadlines to meet, and yes people scream quickly if a machine is down, but you're going to get that to varying degrees no matter where you are.

 

[joseph_e2]

My first PLC was a GE Fanuc 90-30 that handled the tow winch interlocks on an offshore work boat (oil industry). That lasted about 6 years (5 in the field, one in the office), during which time I think I can count on one hand the number of times I had to look at the PLC. Since then (2003), I've been in the automotive industry, working with them just about every day I'm at work.

The only way I can see to work with a PLC and still avoid a "production environment" is to work for some PLC manufacturer doing nothing but R&D. Even then, though, you will still need to get into the field to see the devices in the wild.

 

[MartB]

OEM for Pharmaceutical & Nutraceutical industries mostly.

 

[drummin89]

Cocoa manufacturing facility

At times it can be hectic but generally they schedule production early enough that there is some leeway so a day down won't hurt. Most of the time product sits in the warehouse or in tanks for a while before it ships.

Plant manager is a smart guy too and he appriciates us controls guys for what we do.

 

[dcooper33]

Plastic bag manufacturing, trash bags, food storage, etc.

Sometimes it blows my mind the level of science and advanced math that is utilized to make a superior piece of trash (bag, that is)

I think it goes to show that in this world, no matter how mundane the product is that you're manufacturing, the process can be intensely interesting, and there is always room for creativity and improvement.

By the same token, if you're working with cutting edge hardware, then you're working with big $. This usually means an investment in some kind of production that has to continue to pay for all the cool toys we get to play with every day. It's a good thing to keep in perspective when the "get it running yesterday" mentality is getting to you.