Profession automation engineering technician

Automation engineering technicians collaborate with automation engineers in the development of applications and systems for the automation of the production process. Automation engineering technicians build, test, monitor, and maintain the computer-controlled systems used in automated production systems.

Personality Type

• Realistic / Investigative
• Investigative / Realistic
• Realistic / Conventional
• Enterprising / Realistic

Knowledge

• Quality standards

  The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.

• Control engineering

  Subdiscipline of engineering that focuses on controlling the behaviour of systems through the use of sensors and actuators.

• Automation technology

  Set of technologies that make a process, system, or apparatus operate automatically through the use of control systems.

• Computer engineering

  Engineering discipline that combines computer science with electrical engineering to develop computer hardware and software. Computer engineering occupies itself with electronics, software design, and the integration of hardware and software.

• Circuit diagrams

  Read and comprehend circuit diagrams showing the connections between the devices, such as power and signal connections.

• Microprocessors

  Computer processors on a microscale that integrate the computer central processing unit (CPU) on a single chip.

• Electrical engineering

  Understand electrical engineering, a field of engineering that deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism.

• Design drawings

  Understand design drawings detailing the design of products, tools, and engineering systems.

• Mechanical engineering

  Discipline that applies principles of physics, engineering and materials science to design, analyse, manufacture and maintain mechanical systems.

• Mechatronics

  Multidisciplinary field of engineering that combines principles of electrical engineering, telecommunications engineering, control engineering, computer engineering, and mechanical engineering in the design of products and manufacturing processes. The combination of these areas of engineering allows for the design and development of "smart" devices and the achievement of an optimal balance between mechanical structure and control.

Skills

• Perform test run

  Perform tests putting a system, machine, tool or other equipment through a series of actions under actual operating conditions in order to assess its reliability and suitability to realise its tasks, and adjust settings accordingly.

• Install automation components

  Install the automation components according to the specifications of the circuit diagram.

• Inspect quality of products

  Use various techniques to ensure the product quality is respecting the quality standards and specifications. Oversee defects, packaging and sendbacks of products to different production departments.

• Record test data

  Record data which has been identified specifically during preceding tests in order to verify that outputs of the test produce specific results or to review the reaction of the subject under exceptional or unusual input.

• Assist scientific research

  Assist engineers or scientists with conducting experiments, performing analysis, developing new products or processes, constructing theory, and quality control.

• Liaise with engineers

  Collaborate with engineers to ensure common understanding and discuss product design, development and improvement.

• Assemble machines

  Assemble machines according to instructions and specifications.

• Read engineering drawings

  Read the technical drawings of a product made by the engineer in order to suggest improvements, make models of the product or operate it.

• Monitor automated machines

  Continuously check up on the automated machine's set-up and execution or make regular control rounds. If necessary, record and interpret data on the operating conditions of installations and equipment in order to identify abnormalities.

• Align components

  Align and lay out components in order to put them together correctly according to blueprints and technical plans.

• Set up machine controls

  Set up or adjust machine controls to regulate conditions such as material flow, temperature, or pressure.

• Fasten components

  Fasten components together according to blueprints and technical plans in order to create subassemblies or finished products.

• Prepare production prototypes

  Prepare early models or prototypes in order to test concepts and replicability possibilities. Create prototypes to assess for pre-production tests.

• Adjust engineering designs

  Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB