Controls Engineer III - Allen Bradley PLC and Fanuc Robots

Job DescriptionJob DescriptionControls Engineer III - Fanuc Robots & Allen Bradley PLC Expert Technical Solutions is seeking a skilled Controls Engineer III for one of our premier, industry leading clients in Montgomery, AL 36109. This person is responsible for the Technical Support functions for power and distribution systems planning and management, electrical control systems, process planning, and process improvements. Involves the different phases of manufacturing engineering projects from concept through ongoing production. The incumbent participates in such specific activities as the design and evaluation of processes, logic development for programmable logic controllers, design and implementation of electrical controls or distribution systems, coordination of the plant’s electrical distribution system, and preparation of specifications for bids and proposals. The individual must assist in maintaining technological control over all processes. This position supports and manages the electrical power and control systems for the entire plant operations and facilities. Electrical technical guidance is provided to others as required in the liaison role between production and all other functional areas of the company. This position also performs engineering and technical assistance in providing economical manufacturing methods to accomplish optimum utilization of machines, processes, facilities, quality, and timely production. This is a permanent, ONSITE opportunity offering excellent pay, benefits, and growth potential. Relocation Assistance will be provided! Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Upload and maintain a current back-up of all programs or parameters including documentation for electrical control systems such as Allen Bradley PLC’s, drives, and operator interface terminals. Maintain electrical schematics for all equipment control systems in a central location as well as at the respective equipment.
• Assist plant maintenance in troubleshooting and repair of electrical systems.
• Develop hardware requirements for electrical control systems for process equipment based on required process input and outputs. Develop control programs for programmable logic controllers and operator interface terminals to reflect the process. Maintain and troubleshoot all Allen Bradley PLC equipment hardware and software for the plant’s processes.
• Calculate and design power requirements for new power feed installations to new process equipment or facilities. Incumbent must determine size and appropriate ratings of transformers, wire, conduit, circuit protection and grounding systems, which complies with electrical codes.
• Investigate and determine the adaptability of new electrical technologies to Rheem facilities and equipment. Prepares specifications and appropriations, initiates purchase of capital equipment, and oversees their installation and implementation.
• Manages the existing and new installations of the plant’s power distribution systems. Maintain and update any changes to current single-line electrical diagrams, panel drawings, panel or distribution centers labeling, and systems loads. Makes recommendations to management for changes or adjustments to the power systems.
• Monitors and implements corrective actions to maintain the plant’s power factor close to unity to prevent penalties from the local power utilities.
• Must provide a proactive communication link of any power demand fluctuations or modifications to plant power facilities to the local power utilities representatives.
• Monitor power systems for any unusual demands or improper operation and report any such activities to management and local utilities for corrective actions.
• Manages the existing and new installations as well as testing to the plant’s fire protection system. Maintain and update any changes to current system diagrams, drawings, and documentation. Makes recommendations to management for changes or adjustments to the fire protection systems.
• Plan, design, and assist in construction and implementation of new control systems to replace antiquated or inefficient control systems on current equipment or processes.
• Develop and assist in the implementation of an electrical preventative maintenance program. Identify critical equipment and its electrical components and initiate predictive programs to replace worn equipment prior to failure to reduce downtime to the operations.
• Participate in cost and productivity improvement projects to reduce utility costs, high maintenance costs or excessive downtime with electrical power or control systems.
• Determine the most efficient workstation layout, machines, tools, and operations required to develop optimum line balance for sequential operations. Devises and develops the use of substitute equipment, tools, and operations to overcome production schedules or technical problems.
• Plan and design new processes and equipment, such as electrical control systems, jigs, fixtures, gauges, and tools. Develop improvements of special hydraulic, pneumatic and electromechanical equipment. After design, monitors and controls fabrication progress, establishes estimates of time, material and labor costs on projects submitted. Project management methods and reports are used to monitor the projects.
• Participate in productivity and quality improvements by investigating, analyzing, and estimating cost reduction in proposed major changes involving department layouts, methods and operation sequence, machine utilization, tools, jigs, fixtures, and the introduction of automation.
• Investigate the availability of special machines, restrictions of workplace layout, and available facilities prior to estimation of material, labor, and machine costs. Obtains necessary data from various sources such as research and development engineering, quality control, and material costs required to support specific items of equipment or production schedules. Reviews and directs the integration of this information as facets of cost into bid proposals.
• Investigate new process technologies. Determines adaptability to Rheem facilities and product designs. Prepares specifications and appropriations initiates purchases of capital equipment and oversees their installation and implementation.
• Develop capability requirements and acceptance criteria for new and existing manufacturing processes.
• Recommend and develop flow layouts.
• Analyze all manufacturing and procedural proposals to determine the most feasible methods, the probable capital or expense expenditure requirements, and the estimated total cost. Prepare and present both oral and written reports to management along with detailed justification of recommendations.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering with five (5) years’ experience or 8 years of equivalent work experience.
• Able to interact and communicate effectively at the engineering technical level with people in and outside the company.
• Must possess effective verbal and written skills to communicate technical analysis of problems and reports.
• AutoCAD or similar computer-aided drafting.
• Significant training and experience in developing logic for programmable logic controllers and operator interface terminals and schematics for industrial electrical control systems.
• Experienced in troubleshooting industrial electrical control systems, programmable logic, and drive systems.
• Experience in Power systems planning, power distribution systems, single-phase and three-phase substation transformers, power feed sizing, motor control centers, etc.
• Experienced in various types of motors: AC, DC, single-phase motors, three-phase motors, synchronous motors, etc.
• Knowledge of PC software applications such as spreadsheets, word processors, presentations, and project management a must.
• Knowledgeable in Electrical Codes and industrial wiring practices.

Qualifications:

• Fanuc robotics and Allen Bradley Motion.
• Previous experience with equipment upgrades to include Allen Bradley Logix 500 to 5000.
• AutoCAD Electrical experience.
• Knowledgeable of pneumatic, hydraulic, and mechanical systems.
• Experienced in control systems integration.