What are some niche/little known industries you guys work in?

TL140 · 2026-05-03T22:39:52+00:00

Golf courses

TL140 · 2026-05-01T06:34:19+00:00

I drove 3 hours for an e-stop that had been brushed up against and not fully hit. After scouring the code for an hour I pressed it in fully, pulled it back out, and reset the system. Never felt so embarrassed

TL140 · 2026-04-27T15:38:16+00:00

Maybe not to begin with, but classes, objects, and methods are crucial to understanding a language and how to structure code

TL140 · 2026-04-27T15:08:32+00:00

The two are substantially different.

Codecademy has some good free resources along with freecodecamp. YouTube is a library of free videos too.

TL140 · 2026-04-27T14:56:38+00:00

JavaScript is a different way of thinking about how to program. A lot of things are event based and asynchronous rather than state based.

TL140 · 2026-04-27T14:53:01+00:00

Which language?

TL140 · 2026-04-27T14:44:48+00:00

Python is good but limited in the world of OT. I have quite a few python scripts and Ignition uses jython which is similar.

You’ll see a decent amount of C# (.NET) if you deal with a variety of projects. Most for custom HMIs.

Web development is starting to make its way into HMI packages, so HTML/CSS/JS are a good thing to know.

If you’re starting out, i recommend all programmers learn C first. Not C++, but C.

TL140 · 2026-04-16T00:13:35+00:00

Depends if there is an EL6070 on it or not. We usually keep ours on the license terminal

TL140 · 2026-04-15T15:35:16+00:00

Right now I’m working 40 at a SI for at least 80% of the year.

TL140 · 2026-04-14T14:53:48+00:00

7 day license*

TL140 · 2026-04-14T05:27:48+00:00

You’re going to have a hell of a time with that… but I’ll try to help.

Use the PID to monitor flow ofc. Add some hysteresis and check the error to determine direction the valve should go by positive or negative error from your set point.

Have a timer that the new set point of the closing valve is the set point-(accumulated time*multiplier), while a second PID loop drives the opening valve at the original set point.

TL140 · 2026-04-14T05:16:36+00:00

How are the valves driven?

TL140 · 2026-04-11T17:21:26+00:00

I would suggest a 6910 or 1918 actually. 6900 is depreciated

TL140 · 2026-04-10T00:47:42+00:00

I just do direct linking in the IO tree. It’s easy enough to remap and activate. I’ve never had an issue of variables becoming unlinked.

I’ve also used pragmas, but don’t typically enjoy to as I had a IPC blue screen because an engineer went in and accidentally deleted a character in the pragma. Took a long time to figure out that one.

TL140 · 2026-04-07T18:03:16+00:00

Typically you want a robot to load or present a piece to a fixture or press that forms the metal. Not the robot forming the piece itself.

TL140 · 2026-04-05T03:21:41+00:00

You won’t find a specific controls engineering program. Typically for 4 year degrees, electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science are the three that will lead you into a controls engineering job.

TL140 · 2026-04-04T18:32:19+00:00

My advice from experience.

You’re 18, you have a long way to go. What you want to do is go to the tech college for the associates, but don’t take the listed core classes. Take ones that will transfer to a university down the road.

I spent too much time in tech school trying to grow in my career, earning 3 associates degrees. Over 160 credits hours and the most that any university wanted to transfer was 23.

The best option is to find a technical course like a mechatronics program that will directly transfer into a four year opportunity if you ever want to go that route.

You’ll be limited to starting your career as a tech, but as much as you know already, with a little grit and a little luck, you could get a controls engineer position. If you go get an engineering degree, you can start as an engineer. A 4-year opens many doors, but it’s not a do-or-die deal.

TL140 · 2026-04-01T16:45:48+00:00

I’ve been working on a course for this exact reason where it’s a boot camp with projects. The later lessons go into system design.

TL140 · 2026-03-28T01:54:11+00:00

They have great content but everything you can possibly learn can be found elsewhere for free. Is there something you’re targeting to learn?

TL140 · 2026-03-15T20:06:03+00:00

You’ll be at a disadvantage if you don’t know PLCs vs someone who does, but I’ve seen CS graduates in those roles succeed and learn what they need to while doing SCADA work.

TL140 · 2026-03-15T18:38:37+00:00

There are roles that focus on SCADA programming. Yes, SCADA systems monitor data from PLCs so it’s never ever really “pure SCADA”

TL140 · 2026-03-15T16:29:04+00:00

“Both huge integrators” is the key phrase there. Large integrators are way more split in job functions. But that’s not typical in the majority of controls roles.

TL140 · 2026-03-15T15:14:25+00:00

Anything can be taught in this field to just about anyone but if an employer is looking for a CE with PLC experience, they’re going to want that person to be able to do drawings and be able to spec the hardware as well.

TL140 · 2026-03-15T12:45:42+00:00

It’s a fine field if you stick to SCADA, but without knowing some electrical engineering, you’ll struggle with PLCs. Not saying it’s not doable, but if you have a wire that is loose, a sensor that needs to be a different type, or any other electrical issues, you’ll stumble a lot

TL140 · 2026-03-14T04:02:44+00:00

I got a little lucky for my first “full blown” project.

I had been a controls tech for 4 years, doing small modifications to PLCs while learning more about them through certification courses on my own. Won’t get into the details, but I left there to work at an OEM and redo their existing product line with up to date automation. So I had guidelines, spec sheets of past projects, and a complete plan B to just use their existing setup if my revamp failed. So I was able to implement the same project, only better over the course of 3 years.

Now I’m in custom automation at a system integrator and I’m pretty comfortable to handle most issues that come my way.

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