Profession instrumentation engineering technician

Instrumentation engineering technicians assist instrumentation engineers in the development of control equipment, such as valves, relays, and regulators, which can be used to monitor and control processes. Instrumentation engineering technicians are responsible for building, testing, monitoring, and maintaining of equipment. They use wrenches, beam cutters, grind saws, and overhead cranes to build and repair equipment.

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Personality Type

• Realistic / Investigative

Knowledge

• Control engineering

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

• Instrumentation equipment

  The equipment and instruments used for the monitoring and controlling of processes, such as valves, regulators, circuit breakers, and relays.

• Instrumentation engineering

  The science and engineering discipline that attempts to control process variables of production and manufacturing. It also focuses on the design of systems with desired behaviours. These systems use sensors to measure the output performance of the device that is being controlled.

• Electromechanics

  The engineering processes that combine electrical and mechanical engineering in the application of electromechanics in devices that need electricity to create mechanical movement or devices that create electricity by mechanical movement.

• Electronics

  The functioning of electronic circuit boards, processors, chips, and computer hardware and software, including programming and applications. Apply this knowledge to ensure electronic equipment runs smoothly.

• Metallurgy

  The branch of science concerned with the study of the chemical and physical properties of metallic elements, intermetallic elements, and alloys.

Skills

• Use hand tools

  Utilize tools that are powered by hand, such as screwdrivers, hammers, pliers, drills and knives to manipulate materials and help create and assemble various products.

• 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.

• Test instrumentation equipment

  Check the instrumentation equipment for accuracy and performance using pneumatic, electronic, and electrical test and measuring equipment and hand tools.

• Wear appropriate protective gear

  Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.

• Align components

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

• Fasten components

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

• Assemble instrumentation equipment

  Build systems and instruments which measure, control, and monitor processes. Fit the instrument parts such as power supplies, control units, lenses, springs, circuit boards, sensors, transmitters, and controllers.

• Use power tools

  Operate power driven pumps. Use hand tools or power tools. Use vehicle repair tools or safety equipment.

• 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.

• Measure electrical characteristics

  Measure voltage, current, resistance or other electrical characteristics by using electrical measuring equipment such as multimeters, voltmeters, and ammeters.

• Develop instrumentation systems

  Develop control equipment, such as valves, relays, and regulators, which can be used to monitor and control processes. Test the developed equipment.

• Prepare production prototypes

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

• Assist scientific research

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

• 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.

• Liaise with engineers

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

• Assemble measuring equipment

  Assemble and fit together the different components of the measuring equipment, such as circuit boards, control units, sensors, transmitters, and cameras, to create precision instruments that are able to measure, transmit, indicate, record, and control.

• Manage instrumentation systems

  Set up, adjust, operate and maintain instrumentation systems. Process and analyse data, and present research results.

• Read standard blueprints

  Read and comprehend standard blueprints, machine, and process drawings.

• Ensure conformity to specifications

  Ensure that the assembled products are conform to the specifications given.

• Use wrenches

  Use spanners to adjust machinery and equipment.

• Operate soldering equipment

  Use soldering equipment, such as a soldering gun, a soldering torch or a gas-powered iron, to melt and join together pieces of metal or steel.

• Adjust engineering designs

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

• Carry out measurements of parts

  Operate measurement instruments to measure parts of manufactured objects. Take into consideration specifications of manufacturers to perform the measuring.

• 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.

• Read assembly drawings

  Read and interpret drawings listing all the parts and subassemblies of a certain product. The drawing identifies the different components and materials and provides instructions on how to assemble a product.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB