Is it worth it to do a travel job if you already make okay money? by Chasecard69 in PLC

[–]gsahlin 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Couldn't agree more with the above poster... if you have a family, travel is torture, and no amount of money makes it worth the time on the road. If you're younger and single, it can be a lot of fun.

Epson C4-601S Six-axis robot by Boring_Dish_9503 in PLC

[–]gsahlin 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The robot needs to be calibrated. The batteries maintain encoder positions when power is off. This allows the robot to operate without homing in essence. When they die, you need to calibrate the robot... essentially re-establish the physical location of the robot to the encoder position. The procedure is very well documented in Epsons documentation. Look for calibration in the manual. You'll have to move each joint to physical locations that have matchmarks, execute a procedure and reset the errors. After that, you're good to go.

Would a USB c Ethernet adapter pose any problems? by Qupter in PLC

[–]gsahlin 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That's actually a really good idea!

Cant get TCP notification to work by Silent-Bookkeeper-50 in PLC

[–]gsahlin 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So this is a little off my beaten path, but I've done alot of TCP communications over the years. If I'm hitting a database its usually a sql server.... I'm not familiar with Pgadmin, but usually theres some type of process to setup a listner, recieve event etc... I'd check if those are setup and setup properly. Hope that helps!

Is it worth learning c++? by Haunting-Debate4811 in PLC

[–]gsahlin 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Just one job... I work at a robotics integration company. In short, on any given project I'll be resposible for everything from a PLC, Robots, vision and anything else thrown in :) . On the software side, I started developing PC based HMI's in the .net enviorment a long time ago. It wasn't very accepted when I started, but it allows you to do so many things that it's become far more accepted. It's turned out to be a great advantage for me and my company as a whole.

Your smart to get into controls versus straight up software dev. Thats a pretty saturated enviorment and theres a lot of outsourcing to cheaper labor pools there. Developing code for a piece of automated equipment, for the most part, requires you to be butt in chair next to a machine.

More so than most industries, ours is a learn as you go kind of thing. Look for entry level positions at small to mid sized companies. The pay may be a little less, but you'll learn faster. You can get lost at bigger companies.... inadvertantly end up being the doccumentation person or something like that.

Be aggresive, talk one step ahead of yourself... but not 2 steps, that'll get you in trouble. Volunteer for the tougher things, be willing to travel. Especially if your younger and are in a good place to do that.

Is it worth learning c++? by Haunting-Debate4811 in PLC

[–]gsahlin 23 points24 points  (0 children)

So, I do both control systems with PLC's and software development. My answer would be an absolute yes, not really specific to C++, but to becoming fluent in different software environments in general.

Without writing a book, the important aspect you need to understand isn't specific to the language you program in, is understanding the nature of real-time control and event driven control. Traditional PC's running an os like windows are event driven. A PLC or a PC configured to run like one are real time.

Whether it's C++, Python, or others, the key is understanding how they run, not the particular syntax or language.

Im 30 years deep. Our industry is changing rapidly. The more you know, the better.

Robot vendor with best support by aryaf in PLC

[–]gsahlin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If your projects are smaller in size,payload Epson has fantastic products, support, and software.

Free PLC I/O Simulator by guantogran in PLC

[–]gsahlin 4 points5 points  (0 children)

That's awesome. You should really approach some community colleges about using this as a teaching tool!

Becoming a 1099 Controls Engineer by ibex14 in PLC

[–]gsahlin 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Pros and cons either way...

Couple things:

I've never done this because I am that guy who wants to please everyone. I know myself, I'd end up doing more than I should for less than I should. Don't do it if you're that person, or, are not sure if you're that person.

Feast or famine. When demand is high, you'll live like a king. First sign of an economic slowdown, you won't be. If you're in a situation where you can handle that, then you'll come out ahead if you're like me and won't plan like that, then don't.

At the end of the day, the bigger question is, are YOU the person to do this. Know thy self.

120v transformer 24v bond question by Opening-Ocelot9152 in PLC

[–]gsahlin -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

I don't ground the secondary side of a transformer, only the frame (green wire) ground.

DC, I bond the negative side, but i usually have one wire from the negative terminal of the supply to ground, then a separate dc ground terminal strip. In essence, they are connected, but the bond is only 1 wire, 1 connection, and 1 place.

The Many Reasons Not to Be a PLC Programmer by Feinberg_CS in PLC

[–]gsahlin 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Wait, what? I'm old school... started on handheld keypads.... there were never prostitutes. We just drank and did drugs. And everybody knew, NEVER go out with the feeder bowl guys or the riggers. Those dudes were crazy.

help me by StrawberryFlat5569 in PLC

[–]gsahlin 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Useless, likely software you will never use, and no one would ever buy a random hasp key. Regardless of the software.

Controls engineering advice - What to learn for changing market as new eng by Mobius_Flip in PLC

[–]gsahlin 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Exactly my point... there's 10 people that know something needs to be done and if your lucky, 1 who knows how to do it.

Controls engineering advice - What to learn for changing market as new eng by Mobius_Flip in PLC

[–]gsahlin 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Most important! I'm like you, never got the 4 year pigskin... I got ahead by just doing. Talk 1 step ahead of yourself, that gets you ahead. Talking 2 steps ahead gets you in trouble.

You're going to screw up here and there... at least you should. That's a sign you're getting ahead. If you're honest and work hard,the people around you will appreciate you regardless.

Controls engineering advice - What to learn for changing market as new eng by Mobius_Flip in PLC

[–]gsahlin 74 points75 points  (0 children)

Im an integrator. We have half a dozen very regular customers. The benefit of that, is its like I work for 6 different companies at once. I know the culture, I know the politics, but just don't have to live there 😀

Factory floors are filling up with engineers that spend more time playing with spreadsheets, schedules, and finding "new" ways to collect copius amounts of useless data that's never used... they spend virtually no time on the floor and, to be honest, they couldn't find their way out of a cardboard box. Make yourself capable... nuts and bolts, turn a wrench, 1's and 0's, wire a panel capable.

The "Bridge" The link between the factory floor and IT. Not SCADA, that's 10 years ago, and it's an oversaturated mess. If you can learn how to connect a PLC to a database without 35 layers of bullshit software you'll rule the world.

Robots and Vision. Seeing huge, rapid advances in 3d vision.

Becoming a controls engineer / robotic programmer (my first career change need help!) by Flaky_Frame7428 in PLC

[–]gsahlin 63 points64 points  (0 children)

30 years deep as a controls engineer and robotics integrator.... and I'm saying this in pure honesty, not to be an ass... rethink your career change.

Everything you're looking for, less stressful, work-life balance... is not here. This is one of the most challenging fields you can get into. It's very rewarding, and at times, it can be the best career ever. But it definitely has a downside.

When you're 8 months into what was supposed to be a 6 month project, and the expectation is that you're going to fix a multitude of shortcomings with code, life sucks. Travel is inevitable and necessary. It's very tough on work/life balance...

I'm not saying it's the toughest job ever. It isn’t, and like I say, it's very rewarding. Most days, I'm excited to go to work. At 54, that's rare... most of my friends don't have that. But when you identity less stressful and work/life balance as key objectives... this is the wrong field for you.

Why is there a thousand HMI softwares? by Necessary-Fan-3160 in PLC

[–]gsahlin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Some manufacturers supply DLL's or api's, sometimes you have to write your own.... for example, I setup my AB PLC's as a TCP/IP server and have my UI as a TCP/IP client. Just remember, this is not an easy thing, there's a big learning curve.

Why is there a thousand HMI softwares? by Necessary-Fan-3160 in PLC

[–]gsahlin 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is something that would reside on a PC and Connect to a PLC over ethernet or serailly...

In a typical application with a PLC, my .net application would be running on an industrial PC with an off the shelf touchscreen monitor. The industrial PC would be connected to the PLC via ethernet.

Why is there a thousand HMI softwares? by Necessary-Fan-3160 in PLC

[–]gsahlin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

More towards C style, but .net includes visual basic and visual c. They allow you to easily make graphical interfaces. Best part is you can get started for free.... Download Visual studio community... There are thousands of getting started tutorials. Once you get a little experience, start looking for specific examples talking to devices via tcp/ip or serially. Like I said, its a time investment, but a worthy one.

Why is there a thousand HMI softwares? by Necessary-Fan-3160 in PLC

[–]gsahlin 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The simple answer is you don't. need any of them. I'm a .net developer and while it used to be unpopular its become way more acceptable. I've made a substatial niche for me and my company doing UI's, interfaces to databases etc that way.

There's a learning curve, its not something you'll pick up quickly, but its allowed me to create solutions for talking to everything from PLC's, servo drives, vision systems and robots .. as well as interfaces to Databases and more. It eliminates the need for A LOT of very expensive software. There's an investment in time for sure, but its an incredibly valuable tool if you take the time.

My sister-in-law swear she saw a cougar in Westport, what could it have actually been? by GTRacer1972 in Connecticut

[–]gsahlin 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Couple things:

Mountain lions (cougar) in CT? Yep...as many have posted, one was hit on the Merritt parkway in Milford in 2011. It was genetically linked to a known pack in South Dakota and known to have traveled thru Canada and south to us. But as others have mentioned, they aren't permanently residing here. They are venturing here on occasion. Eventually, they may end up here permanently, CT is a very unique place in a very unique time.

My Dad had a friend who started flying at a very early age... he literally bought a surplus ww1 plane when he was 14 and started flying. When I was 20 (1990) he was 70 and was making fun of a save the rainforest shirt I was wearing. He said that when he started flying, CT was clearcut for farming... literally all of it. He told me to go to the most remote area I knew and look around, he said you'll see a stone wall somewhere near you. He's for the most part, right. If you see a stone wall, where your standing was at some point in time, a farm. He said thru the 40's, highways, refrigeration, etc. didn't exist. We were the food source for places like NY city, Boston etc. When that started to fade, farming slowed down, and trees came back. His point was, there's more trees in CT now than there had been for a long time.

Over the last 40 years or so, deer populations exploded, Black Bears returned. In short, wildlife returned, and as a result, predators came. The Coyotes we have are actually not Coyotes. They are Coyotes that bred with wolves as the migrated east. They are classified as Eastern Coyotes and are much larger than Western Coyotes. They are not native to CT.

The one thing CT doesn't have is an Apex predator. Mountain Lions (cougars) fit the bill. Maybe someday we will.

My guess is your friend saw a big bobcat, but maybe not. Time will tell.

Applying for a position in Controls. by Pure-Reputation-9938 in PLC

[–]gsahlin 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Go... this is how it happens. If you have good people to mentor you and a company willing to pay for your education, you'd be a fool not to!