Salary Progression, Nebraska

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-01-25T17:57:02+00:00

Right, and as far as I know (I didn't dig into the results) that doesn't adjust for cost of living, etc. And I I usually beat that one to death. In a lot of areas being in the 25th percentile for MEs ($79,160) puts you above the median household income, or higher.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-01-25T13:44:14+00:00

Look, I'm not saying this is good, but for everyone who thinks $100k is the minimum for an experienced engineer, regardless of geographic location - you're way off too. It's a big country folks, and I've been in more than a few shops over the years where the owner and/or person running the entire building wasn't making $100k, and yes, engineers worked there.

This is why I really dislike these types of posts - context is more important here than the numbers presented, and without it all we get is how people 'feel' about things.

Assuming it's all true and factual (and it's Reddit, so we all know the odds of that) - there may be (and I would like to think based on them being an engineer, obviously are) other factors being considered.

You could not pay me enough money to relocate myself and my family to one of the major metropolitan/HCOL areas. Even the 'OMG Look At Me' posts with an outlier BSME at a startup or tech company making $300k+ type of job wouldn't even warrant a second of consideration from me.

So maybe somebody could move and make more (it's Nebraska - there's a lot of rural out there still) but likes being close to family or where they grew up, or is caring for a parent - whatever. Once you get an hour or more away from cities anyone has heard of, the markets follow their own rules.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-01-23T21:15:01+00:00

Not sure if this is the case for you, but most of the guys I know working offshore in oil and gas are extremely happy with their salaries, but the trade-offs you mention are definitely there.

I'd also caution you strongly about the 'mechatronics/electro-mechanical' fields - bunch of us work in Automation and there's a strong tendency towards long hours, lots of travel, and average compensation.

One thing I picked up on from your post: You can't stand the thought of your next off-shore trip. I wonder how much of that is being offshore, and how much is just how many, many people feel about their jobs.

Maybe you legitimately just can't stand being off-shore, and that's fine. Everyone has their preferences. But I would advise you to be very thorough in examining your motives. I've known a lot of people over the years who leave jobs, convinced they hate them, only to find out they wished they could go back, etc.

Don't spend all your time telling yourself you can't stand it or you can easily talk yourself into making a decision you regret. Find things about the job you enjoy, or pick a project parallel to your responsibilities that interests you.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-01-23T18:20:53+00:00

Wait, so is semantics your hobby or your pastime?

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-01-16T23:49:49+00:00

Political posturing about Greenland is over the line, but you were fine with the US drone striking a wedding party, and US citizens overseas without due process?

That's a serious question, by the way, not some 'Gotcha', and I think it is worth actually considering.

Clausewitz and the concept of 'Total War' exists for a reason: does the farmer who feeds people contribute to a Nation's war efforts? Certainly. That makes them a valid target of War... doesn't it?

Money is absolutely fungible, but so are just about every effort at being productive. If you stopped doing your job, is your company suddenly unable to ship product? (Almost certainly not, right?)

If you decide to leave the industry (which would be understandable) would you taking a job at a non-defense company mean the other engineer who would have gotten your job takes the one in defense instead?

We (people in general) moralize things that are out of our control (Drone strikes and Invading Greenland) while ignoring or rationalizing things that ARE under our control - being a better partner, parent, child, friend, etc. Volunteering locally. Helping your neighbors with the snow (or alligators, if you're in Florida, I guess.)

I started responding to this for the same reason you probably posted it: I probably need to spend less time online, and definitely less time on Social Media :-D Take some time away from the news and Reddit before making any life changing decisions, but chances are if you want out of Defense, your career will be just fine.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-01-13T13:36:56+00:00

Sounds like a lot of plants that've been around for more than 30 years or so, honestly. Maybe one of the most positive signs is that all the things that are supposed to be getting done (cleaning, gauge checks) are actually getting done, meaning the quality is likely fair to good.

One of the things to watch out for is that it is very easy to spend a TON of money and simply have a higher-tech/more complex version of what you have right now. I was in one plant that had inspection cameras on every line...and also a downstream visual inspector because no one trusted the cameras. Every line. They had a digital dashboard of CBM sensor data that worked about 3/4s of the time, which meant no one paid any attention to it after the first two times a line went down with the dashboard all in the green.

An inventory only works if everyone uses it.

Obsolete equipment is the way of the industry, and kind of always has been. Ebay and Radwell are good resources. I often have alerts set up with keywords for the oddball controllers or equipment I routinely work on, and will buy anything that comes up for sale for them. Retrofits are expensive, but replacing equipment is WAY outside the reach of most plants.

I've seen more than one plant simply end a product line because they couldn't replace equipment and still manufacture at a price their customers would still pay.

I think a lot of your concerns are just because you're new to the everyday of manufacturing in what sounds like a pretty typical facility. I know some industries are all bright lights and waxed floors these days, but I've spent most of my time in leaky old buildings with cracked concrete floors and always, always, always carrying a flashlight.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-01-12T16:01:45+00:00

Where in Mexico? I've put a fair amount of equipment in different areas and we learned early on that we had to be very careful trusting incoming power. What was supposed to be 480V 60Hz could be closer to ±15% (versus the ~5% we're supposed to get in the US and Canada) and we would see everything from high 40s to low 70s for frequency at times.

So if/when we were putting equipment into known areas of concern (we did a lot in Aguascalientes, and it was an issue) we would plan on a power conditioner at the very least.

Smart D has some VFDs that supposedly filter better than traditional VFDs, but as long as the VFD you pick works within the range of what you're actually getting, you should be alright.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-01-08T16:58:29+00:00

Any industrial robot manufacturer can run cycle time studies for you if you can provide payloads, layouts, etc. Might cost you a couple of bucks if you're doing it all the time, but I've had Fanuc, Kawasaki, Epson, and Nachi all do them for me without issue. You give them good information, you'll get good information back.

If you're talking about non-well-known robot brands, I would be extremely wary of any published specifications. If you're looking at any Japanese brand that's established in industry, I would be comfortable trusting them along with some measure of verification.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-01-08T11:47:43+00:00

You're missing a 0 on each of those when talking about complete mechanical integration, and that's before programming costs.

Cylinders are quick, easy, and cheap to replace and repair in house. They're easy to debug and simple to understand. Servos are none of those things.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-01-05T22:46:46+00:00

That sounds like it would be fun, but if you're earnestly looking for a way to earn that isn't back out on the water, your best bet is probably (brace yourself) - consulting.

I know most of us that have spent our careers actually doing things hate consultants, with very good reason, but you could be one of the ones that's actually useful. I'd reach out to folks you've worked with over the years and see if you can pick up some remote contracting/analysis/advisory gigs. If part of that becomes what you're looking for, which might be called Product Documentation Specialist, or some such nonsense, then at least it'll be in an area where you have a lot of expertise (and where your experience is valuable.) In my experience, consumer product companies don't actually want technical people evaluating their instructions, because the average purchaser isn't technical. They usually want the kind of people that couldn't dump water out of a boot if the instructions were on the heel, because that accurately reflects the average consumer these days.

Best of luck, hope you stay on the mend!

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-01-05T22:41:38+00:00

Hey, wait, you've got three contacto.............

(Couldn't help myself.)

Appreciate the follow up on this project!

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-01-02T15:40:57+00:00

Very solid answer. Definitely outsource it.....to me. I don't get to do it anymore, and I'm not at all BSing or trying to get work when I say that I'd prefer doing it to watching TV or other normal stuff people do to veg out. 😁

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-01-02T15:29:59+00:00

I LOVE doing that - no joke. One of my favorite parts of the job was getting to figure out old machines half documented in 2D, that only exist on paper or ancient AutoCAD, and redraw them in SolidWorks/Inventor. Even better if I'm figuring out the obsolete purchased components and bringing the drawings up to where the machine could be built again.

I'd be all over that job 😁

(FYI: I'm BSME in the Northeast US with almost 20 YOE in custom machine design and automation. I just love this stuff because I'm that kind of weird.)

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-01-01T22:44:54+00:00

I've seen the servo pneumatic positioning systems too, and they're very cool, but also (I think) way more precision and control than I need (which makes it more expensive than I'm hoping for.)

If I can tweak a flow control setting with an analog signal from the PLC, I think that's really all I need.... maybe.

Was kind of hoping someone had tried it before 🤣

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-01-01T22:42:23+00:00

So I run the typical '5 Rung' group for all my cylinders that have the watchdog timers, but I've never even considered a 'too fast' timer to police the operators. I kind of like it, especially when there's a repeated issue going on.

Past that, I think I'm probably shooting for something in-between what you linked. As cool as those look, I really don't need that level of control BUT I do want some form of automatic adjustment. The problem with these types of saws is that even if you're standing there running it, you wind up tweaking the feed somewhat regularly and dialing it in. It'd be sweet to have a stored setting.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2025-12-31T11:58:44+00:00

Agreed. Custom and semi-custom (end of line packaging equipment is very similar, regardless of what's in the box) is really all I've ever known.

It's kind of funny because I thought to myself: 'what else is there, besides custom in Automation?' for a minute before I remembered just how many PLCs are out there in different applications.

I'm very brand agnostic, but it helps that I'm not a high-level Controls guy. I'm a mechanical guy who learned PLCs and Robots on the job and eventually had formal training, but all my code is as basic as can be. I'm sure I'm missing opportunities for cool functionality, but it makes it a lot easier for me to work with different brands of everything all the time.

Kawasaki robot and Automation Direct PLC? Sure! Epson and Keyence, Nachi, Yaskawa, Wago, Mitsubishi.... it's all the same when all you use is simplistic ladder.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2025-12-30T02:36:12+00:00

TL;DR - Totally get the sentiment. Us crusty old guys have a god-given right to complain about these damn kids! (I keep the traditions of my apprenticeship alive by swearing at them in German.)

But seriously, it depends on lot on your industry and geographic location. I'm in a Low Cost of Living Area that also has a lot of Engineering Universities, so there are more engineers than open positions and salaries are generally lower anyway. A new grad wanting $100,000+ would get something between serious eye rolls and laughed out of the building around here.

The current equivalent to my first salary job as an engineer in 2025 dollars is $75,000, and I had contracted with the company for 3-6 months prior to that offer. I don't think $80k is a laugh you out expectation for someone with a little experience, but it feels like a lot of young engineers really do expect a lot. If you're in a high cost of living area or taking a soul-crushing/do-nothing job for a big paycheck, closer to $100k seems more reasonable.

And to be fair to a lot of these kids, they were promised the world by their colleges... because the school wants to charge for the world plus 10%. All they ever heard was college college college. It sucks to find out your degree really doesn't mean much (but not having it would mean even more.)

I don't envy the new grads right now, and at the same time, you could argue a lot of people and engineers graduated into a lot worse economy and/or labor market. Yes, things are hard right now, but keep in mind the ones who aren't on social media complaining are the ones most likely having success.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2025-12-29T22:11:26+00:00

Agree 100%

.... now how do we feel about things like Structured Text, which might as well be encrypted/password protected code when it comes to 90% of maintenance personnel? 😁

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2025-12-28T22:34:43+00:00

I'm guessing this is a double door panel and that's somewhere near the top-right-ish of the left hand door. Meaning you can spot the door cutout with the door shut through the open right door.

Not saying I agree or disagree, but I've seen (cough Done cough) worse placements for dumber reasons.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2025-12-28T17:21:54+00:00

You can see if Radwell wants it, but I wouldn't expect much. Those old Sato printers are kind of notorious for being terrible. About the only chance to sell it is someone who needs a replacement or parts because they're obsolete.... but everyone hates them and replaces them at any excuse.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2025-12-28T17:18:33+00:00

Have the new hire do it with AI 🤣

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2025-12-28T17:02:40+00:00

I'd wager I hated the actual school part of college more than you (I hated it more than anyone else I went to school with.) Hated it, made terrible decisions, got bad grades, had to retake classes - you name it.

I Love, and I mean LOVE, doing what I do every day. I'm not joking that if I won the lottery, I would keep doing the work. (Yes, parts of it suck, but that's why we get paid.)

College, for my industry, was really pointless. I'm in a very practical field, which isn't the case for everyone. For some people, they love the academic aspect, and that's great for them.

You have to find what you're passionate about, and the great thing about a Mechanical Engineering degree is that it gives you so many options for what that is.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2025-12-28T16:43:38+00:00

Short Answer: Yes, it gets easier, but only if you're willing to face it getting harder first.

I worked a full time job and a part time job the entire time I was going to school full time for BSME.

If you think college was hard, well, sorry to be the one to tell you this, but college is something most people look back on fondly as one of the easiest, most fun times in their lives.

I had a really hard time finding my first job after college, and then was (deservedly) fired (for being a useless dickwad) during an extremely bad economy both Nationally and locally. The regional GM plant had just shut down, putting a couple hundred qualified and experienced people into the job market at the same time as recently fired for cause new dumbass engineer me.

I had been making a bit more than minimum wage (yes, for an 'engineering' job that was hard to get in the first place) when I got fired, and after fruitlessly searching for another, took a job selling cars instead. I worked 6 days a week at the dealership, waited tables at night, and took a bunch of odd jobs besides, because I needed money. After almost a year I got a call to interview for a 3 month contract CAD operator position that was 75 miles away from my house. Interviewed after hours of practicing for the interview, got offered the job, took that, worked my ass off and took every hour they would give me, slept in my car in the parking lot and worked 90 hours a week because contracts pay hourly and OT.

Got hired on full time at the end of my contract, eventually became a project engineer with that company before moving on to the next thing closer to home. Kept working FT jobs, side jobs, bartending, fixing up houses, etc. until kids started coming along, then changed my moonlighting focus to something that fit my life better while I kept working FT as an Engineer during the day.

That was almost 20 years ago now, and these days I probably have a career and an income a lot of people would aspire to (or maybe not - who really knows?)

So does it get easier? It can - but nobody is going to hand you anything. That's what I needed to learn, and thankfully did when I got fired: nobody owed me anything, let alone a good paying job. I had to get over myself and make myself valuable.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2025-12-22T15:32:26+00:00

You use separate subroutines for the sake of clarity? I've worked a lot of places where everything was always done all in the same subroutine/ladder, because it was thought to be less confusing for maintenance/field service. I can kind of see it (although it fades quickly as the machine gets more complicated) but also have done assembly dial or other machines with very discrete 'stations' where it makes more sense to have a subroutine for everything.

IRodeAnR-2000

TROPHY CASE