| Not many people know what exactly Control | | | | engineer entail? Well, pretty simply, it involves the |
| Systems Engineering is. It is a subset of Control | | | | design of the two layers mentioned above. |
| Engineering, which encompasses any kind of | | | | Depending on the project you are involved in, it |
| engineering where control is involved. Simply | | | | may include both or just one of the components. |
| speaking, taking a bunch of inputs, performing | | | | Often, when working in a team, you will be |
| calculations and setting outputs to cause the | | | | designated within one of the two layers. This |
| desired reaction is a control system - which is | | | | means that you will have to work closely with |
| what control engineering is all about. Control | | | | other members of the team so that the |
| systems engineering, in its most common form, | | | | software layer looks at the correct places in |
| involves the control of electrical or otherwise | | | | memory of the control layer for the information |
| powered machinery or equipment with analog and | | | | to display. |
| digital signals from some kind of control device. | | | | For both layers, there are tons of different |
| This includes, but is not limited to Integrated | | | | vendors and providers, all using different systems |
| Controllers, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) | | | | to communicate and control. Luckily, there are |
| or Remote Terminal Units (RTU). The latter is | | | | quite a few standards in place which means that |
| used where there are many remote sites which | | | | there are big similarities between manufacturers. |
| report back to a Central Monitoring Facility (CMF). | | | | Because of this, the learning curve between |
| A full control system generally consists of the | | | | products is usually not that hard, provided you |
| equipment itself, the electronic control layer as | | | | know as least the first well. There are still |
| described above and a software package which | | | | differences however, which means that as a |
| sits on a computer or otherwise, which allows | | | | control systems engineer you need to be able to |
| humans to interact with the equipment. This is | | | | learn and adapt to different situations. |
| usually referred to as a Human Machine Interface | | | | Being a control systems engineer is a challenging |
| (HMI) or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition | | | | career choice but if you are into this kind of thing |
| System (SCADA). These systems are generally | | | | it can be incredibly rewarding. Not to mention that |
| buttons, numerical setpoints and displays which | | | | any kind of engineering pays very well! It also |
| allow the operator to see exactly what is going | | | | allows for a bit of travel and moving around as |
| on with the equipment - including faults, status, | | | | clients are often remote sites such as mines, |
| flows, pressure, levels et cetera. This allows | | | | electrical and water distribution. With a degree in |
| faster fault finding, diagnostics and general | | | | electronics, control systems or mechatronic |
| information about the entire plant in one place. | | | | engineering, it is an obvious choice. Good luck with |
| So now that you know what exactly a control | | | | whatever option you choose. |
| system is, what does being a control system | | | | |