Controls Engineer

Thyssenkrupp•Hamilton, OH

46d

About The Position

Provides support, leadership and direction to the Engineering Team in the development of standards and specifications as it pertains to new equipment and to Maintenance Technicians on the controls function for the Maintenance Department. Designs, develops, deploys and enhances process control systems and optimization of process equipment for improving quality and capacity. This includes developing and maintaining control and visualization systems using Ignition, PLCs, HMIs, robotics, and SQL-based data interfaces.

Responsibilities

Works with process/product engineering and maintenance to make necessary changes to equipment for improvements, reduce downtime, increase efficiencies, system upgrades, preventative procedures, product changes, and new product launches.
Provides technical support for controls systems during the introduction of new equipment.
Contributes to cross-functional project teams supporting activities related to controls issues including, but not limited to, programming PLCs, Human Machine Interface (HMI), robots, welders, and troubleshooting electrical controls.
Assists in troubleshooting, diagnosing, and repairing production equipment.
Conducts verification tests to confirm machine performance and adherence to control design specifications.
Provides guidance, support and planning regarding updates, modifications, and continuous improvement of existing controls systems including robotic programs, ladder logic programs, relay logic, electrical distribution, motor controls, operator interface, hydraulics, and pneumatics distribution and control.
Maintains the upkeep of process control computers, software licensing agreements, and backups of software files to minimize the downtime of manufacturing equipment.
Maintains proper controls-specific documentation from the Original Equipment Manufacturer(s) (e.g., electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic schematics, panel layouts, PLC, operator display, operator interface, robot programs, and machine power distribution) throughout equipment life cycle and documents any changes during that time.
Solves quality problems associated with process control systems and develops software to diagnose quality problems.
Manages projects including cost estimation, timing, and scheduling to improve equipment productivity and capability.
Designs new process control systems (including hardware) as needed for new product development for the plant as well as modifications to existing processes.
Provides leadership and direction to maintenance personnel during equipment downtime situations, and coordinates with the production management team.
Develops training material and the technical training of all Maintenance personnel in the area of controls systems.
Supports engineering in the implementation of standards and specifications as it is related to controls systems
Develops and maintains Ignition SCADA/MES projects, including scripting, tag structure, and SQL database connectivity for data acquisition and visualization.
Writes and debugs Python scripts within Ignition or standalone applications for automation, reporting, and data processing tasks.
Programs, configures, and integrates vision systems
Designs and implements control solutions across multiple platforms including Allen-Bradley (RSLogix/Studio 5000) and Siemens (Step7/TIA Portal)
Collaborates with robotics and automation engineers on system integration involving UR, Epson, and other industrial robots, ensuring coordinated operation between PLC, SCADA, and vision systems.