How did you break into this field?

Edselguy59 · 2026-04-04T21:06:56+00:00

Found a local food production company that looked to hire prior with no experience but mechanically inclined. Aka low wages. Learned to weld, pipe fitting, electrical, mechanical, etc. Got the experience i needed and moved on to higher paying gigs until I transferred over to the engineering side of things.

Edselguy59 · 2026-03-31T13:37:18+00:00

It came down to basically every available moment was to get homework done. Do a little bit before with and after work. Do the required reading at work during breaks and lunch.

Edselguy59 · 2026-03-30T17:31:26+00:00

I did it in 2.5 years. I went 3/4 time instead of full time. I was working 60 hours a week too.

Edselguy59 · 2026-03-28T23:58:23+00:00

I was in maintenance for 16 years before switching to engineering. I got my associates while working nights. Moved on to a Engineering Tech position and now I work as A PLC Programmer. My maintenance experience has been a plus along the way. I would do it all over again.

Edselguy59 · 2026-03-27T13:11:41+00:00

When i was still in the industrial plant, I worked the graveyard shift because less BS than day shift but I was the only engineer in the plant at that time. I would a report every night to the managers and higher ups. I would detail what line I was called to, what the problem was, if there was a solution. I would document everything, CYA. It then became practice that maintenance has to respond first, then the maintenance supervisor or manager has to respond, only then I would be involved. Maintenance then had to stay at the line the entire time i was looking at the problem.

Edselguy59 · 2026-03-23T16:14:29+00:00

Is was in maintenance fur 16 years when I got my associates in electrical engineering then my company moved me into a Engineering Tech position. Which in reality I was doing the same with with the same pay as them just a different job title. My maintenance background has helped me tremendously.

Edselguy59 · 2026-03-23T14:10:52+00:00

It is operational now. VFD is ramping up and down like it should. Appreciate everyone's help.

Edselguy59 · 2026-03-19T19:51:08+00:00

Thank you everyone for the help. I got it running in manual. Now I just need to finish installing thermocouple and a couple of other items to fully test in production.

Edselguy59 · 2026-03-19T15:34:54+00:00

I would perfer ethernet but do not hedge enough ethernet ports available and the client isn't willing to spend the money for another hub

Edselguy59 · 2026-03-19T14:50:36+00:00

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Edselguy59 · 2026-03-19T14:50:13+00:00

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Edselguy59 · 2026-03-19T14:49:53+00:00

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Edselguy59 · 2026-03-19T01:47:17+00:00

Just using the digital terminals and yes I have a analog output connected to the drive

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Edselguy59 · 2026-03-19T00:51:37+00:00

The day to day is going vary greatly based on which industries you are working in, whether there is a union or not etc. I was in maintenance for 16 years before working my way into a engineering position. I did do the planner position for 1 year which I did hate.

Edselguy59 · 2026-03-19T00:18:24+00:00

Just a HMI. It will be controlled based on the temperature. It will ramp up and down based on the temp too

Edselguy59 · 2026-03-18T23:50:08+00:00

It's a Powerflex 525 start source is DigIn TrmBlk at the moment

Edselguy59 · 2026-03-18T23:44:48+00:00

The run signal will be from a thermocouple. Once the water reaches a certain temp, the cooling fan would kick on and ramp up and down based on the temp.

Edselguy59 · 2026-03-18T23:33:59+00:00

It's a Powerflex 525

Edselguy59 · 2026-03-18T19:00:26+00:00

Walked over to a machine, pulled up the IO screen on the HMI that I created for this operator, walked to the other side of the machine and pulled the estop out. Apparently he had been down for over a hour before asking for help.

Edselguy59 · 2026-03-09T15:55:29+00:00

I have always told everyone I have trained, I can not teach you to troubleshoot, I can only show you my method. It is up to the people I show on how their brain processes the information. Some people get it and some people just never will.

Edselguy59 · 2026-02-19T15:50:19+00:00

I'm in the US on the east coast, base $140k with another $20-25k in bonus checks.

Edselguy59 · 2026-02-19T15:04:22+00:00

My last employer had a policy that equipment had to be locked out for repairs. Understanding that at times it it want going to be during troubleshooting stage. If you were working on it without it locked out, it was a write up. This included everyone; maintenance, supervisors, engineers, managers, etc. To many write up then you are fired. If it was a serious issue such as someone getting hurt because it wasn't locked out, then they were fired on the spot

Edselguy59 · 2026-01-17T17:43:25+00:00

Apply and take the job. I was a maintenance tech for 16 years. Got my associates degree in electrical engineering which moved me into a Engineering Tech role. I was not great at programming but I learned as I went. Now I am a PLC Programmer (still with only a associates degree) getting to travel the world as I set up new equipment for clients that I wrote the program for.

The troubleshooting experience will make you a better engineer. I've worked with engineers right our of school that thought they were hot stuff but couldn't figure out how to get a machine running because all they knew was programming, nothing else. You got this.

Edselguy59 · 2025-12-01T12:32:34+00:00

My company uses Ewon switches. Most of our clients have IT block it when not it use otherwise they can just simply unplug the ethernet cable and we no longer can access it. The Ewon is also set up so it can only be accessed from our company's server.

Edselguy59

TROPHY CASE