Blog Archives | Spring Automation

February 28, 2024February 28, 2024Blog

Modex 2024

Get the most out of Modex 2024 by scheduling a time to meet with Spring Automation at Booth #B7515! Learn more about our offerings and how Spring Automation can help improve your warehouse efficiency. Modex will allow you to discover cutting-edge solutions and the latest trends with an opportunity to network with other professionals. Meet, connect, and learn from over 1,000 leading solutions providers in the supply chain, manufacturing, and distribution industry.

Our experienced team of engineers and programmers understands your challenges and works hard to produce software solutions to improve your bottom line. We tailor-fit the perfect solution to optimize your warehouse operations and maximize productivity. Our process evaluates information essential to your business and matches the right software solution for you. Schedule a time to meet with us at ProMat to discuss your issues and learn how we can help you through our various service offerings, including PLC Programming, HMI Development, Panel Fabrication, Electrical Installation, and Software (WCS).

Join us in Atlanta at Georgia World Congress Center, to explore next-generation solutions, and let us introduce the Spring Automation team to you. You can register at no cost for Modex. For more information about Spring Automation or to schedule a meeting, please connect with our sales team.

Connect with us at Modex 2024

We look forward to speaking with you at Modex 2024. Fill out the form to schedule a meeting with one of our automation experts to discuss how we can help you on your next project.

Let's have fun building legacies together.

May 26, 2023May 26, 2023Blog

Innovative Solutions Address ProMat Attendees’ Data Capture Challenges

It’s safe to say that in-person trade shows are back. If ProMat 2023 was any indication, demand to see new technologies in action is extremely high. More than 50,900 attendees visited 1,051 exhibitors spread across 1.2 million square feet in Chicago’s McCormick Place—including Spring Automation’s booth.

Our team chatted with ProMat attendees from parcel, logistics, food & beverage, and manufacturing operations. Repeatedly, they shared with us their need to find new solutions to help alleviate their warehousing and manufacturing challenges.

Spring Automation both displayed and saw several cutting-edge solutions on the show floor that enable faster, more efficient data collection and use. Among them were scanning solutions for data capture, sensor-based automatic data acquisition, and data-driven advances in preventive maintenance.

Scanning Solutions for Data Capture

Historically, operations used handheld scanners for data capture, with associates scanning barcodes with the devices. All that handling, however, adds time and cost. Handheld scanners diminish an associate’s ability to pick up a carton or item and precisely orient the barcode for scanning.

Handheld scanners are also susceptible to damage from drops and prone to disappear. Operations often spend thousands of dollars annually to repair or replace these devices. Finally, handheld scanners require operators. With fewer associates available, warehouses, distribution centers, and parcel handling facilities need a better way to automate data capture.

At ProMat, Spring Automation’s exhibit showcased a Cognex overhead scanner and our proprietary Voyager Warehouse Control Software (WCS) used with a pick-to-light system. Upon scanning a barcode, the light modules indicated the location of a specific promotional item for the booth visitor to retrieve.

Placement options for automated scanning systems are virtually limitless, but the two most common deployments implemented by Spring Automation are at workstations and over conveyors or sortation systems.

An automated scanning solution’s static position at a workstation allows an operator to use both hands to handle items and cartons. Further, the scanning system’s positioning and orientation can maximize ergonomics by eliminating the need to stretch or reach when manipulating the item.
When installed over a conveyor or sorter, most applications place several scanners in a multi-sided scan tunnel arrangement. This allows capture of the barcode data on the item or carton from any orientation and within a coverage zone. With the appropriate controls coding, such as what Spring Automation offers, the collected data prompts the system to route and offload the items in a specific sequence.

In these automated conveyor and sortation applications, there’s no need for manual data capture. This allows a facility to reallocate associates to perform other tasks, alleviating staffing challenges.

Sensor-Based Automatic Data Acquisition

Warehouse and manufacturing equipment itself is a source of copious amounts of data. When outfitted with an array of different sensors properly connected to a database, automated equipment and its components can be monitored across a host of different performance parameters.

At ProMat, many exhibitors featured the temperature, vibration, and voltage sensors increasingly deployed throughout equipment and technologies used in manufacturing and warehousing operations. Likewise, Spring Automation’s exhibit also showcased data acquisition through the use of a programmable logic controller (PLC) and human-machine interface (HMI).

Collected information can be used initially to establish performance baselines and thresholds. Based on that, events that exceed those parameters can trigger an alert. The data gathered from these sensors can also be leveraged to identify equipment that may be running above its initial capacity, helping to inform process changes or mechanical upgrades as needed.

Data-Driven Advances in Preventive Maintenance

Numerous ProMat exhibits from major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) highlighted the latest ways data captured from machine-based sensors is informing better preventive and predictive maintenance approaches.

Performance data acquired from sensors is gathered for analysis, allowing for earlier detection of potential problems. By identifying these issues before they become significant, a facility can plan for service or repair before a failure and unexpected downtime occurs.

In operations leveraging IIoT connectivity, the equipment’s original manufacturer or supplier can capture data from multiple deployment sites. Analysis can inform design updates and modifications, as well as best practices in maintenance, repairs, and operation.

As part of Spring Automation’s comprehensive 24/7 customer service offerings, our team can install a variety of different solutions on existing equipment. With our help, an operation can more easily acquire and high-quality data for more accurate operational planning—including scheduling of preventive maintenance to minimize downtime.

How Can Spring Automation Help You?

As an experienced provider of turnkey controls and control software for automated material handling equipment used in distribution and order fulfillment centers, Spring Automation works with customers to understand what types of data they’re looking to obtain and how. Whether it’s using an automated scanning system for data capture, sensor-based automatic data acquisition, or a desire to leverage data-driven advances in preventive maintenance, we can help.

Spring Automation can design a turnkey controls system backed by communications protocols that enable real-time data capture and transmission. Post-installation, our 24/7 customer service team can help with troubleshooting to minimize downtime and keep your automated systems running at their peak.

Want to learn more about our solutions, services, and software? I’d be happy to discuss your needs and how Spring Automation can help. Please connect with me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

About the Author

Austin Percifull joined Spring Automation as an Account Manager in February 2022. He graduated from Indiana State University with a degree in Electronics Engineering Technology. Before joining Spring Automation, he worked for four years as a Controls Engineer in the Automation and Robotics industry in Southwest Michigan. In 2017, he moved to Birmingham, AL to work as an Applications Engineer designing cost and concept proposals for potential projects. He later became an Account Manager, providing automation solutions in a new territory in Alabama. Austin earned his MBA from UAB in 2020 to complement his engineering background with business knowledge. Austin enjoys the company culture at Spring Automation and likes to spend his free time cycling, hiking, and enjoying outdoor activities. In addition, he has a dog named June, that loves coming to work with him.

April 18, 2023Blog

Chris Tucker Joins the Solutions Team at Spring Automation

Press Release

April 18, 2023

CHRIS TUCKER JOINS THE SOLUTIONS DEPARTMENT AT SPRING AUTOMATION

Spring Automation is pleased to announce the addition of Chris Tuckers as Director of Solutions.

Nashville, TN — Tuesday, April 18th, 2023 — Spring Automation is pleased to announce the addition of Chris Tucker as Director of Solutions. Chris now oversees and directs the concepting, writing, and delivery of our solutions and proposals. The Director of Solutions is a driving force behind Spring Automation’s consulting and estimating department. In his role, he will focus on driving down engineering and lead times while building positive relationships with key partners. Chris will significantly impact our direction for successful project execution and account growth. In addition, he will be a crucial component of our client interactions.

For most of Chris's career, he has been in an Applications Engineering role. He has worked in various industries, from rubber products to seals & bearing to automated device assembly lines. Chris would advise someone starting their career: "Be quick to learn and slow to speak, but when you do speak, trust yourself and speak confidently. It is ok to make mistakes but make sure you learn from them. Surround yourself with people invested in both your professional and personal growth and well-being." Chris has always loved problem-solving and understanding how things work. Chris's dad is also an engineer and believes engineering has always been in his blood. However, due to his extroverted personality, Chris has been more on the customer-facing side of engineering.

Chris describes himself as outgoing, a coach, and positive. You can find him coaching his son's sports teams, playing disc golf or board games, or at Disney for a vacation. A fun fact about Chris is that his family was the grand marshal of a Disney Magic Kingdom parade. Chris was drawn to the teamwork environment and driven people at Spring Automation, and he is excited to start his journey.

About Spring Automation:

Spring Automation provides material handling controls, software, and installation services to end-users, integrators, and OEMs across North America. We specialize in bringing our customers high-quality and dependable programming, design, and build solutions for their projects.

At Spring Automation, we are a family by our shared purpose: To Have Fun Building Legacies Together. We are a team that loves each other and what we do. We design and implement high-quality controls solutions. We strive for growth through diversification while maintaining a culture of teamwork and innovation. Whether we are serving our customers, community, or family, we take pride in everything we do. When we win, we win together.

Join Chris and learn more about opportunities and company news at Spring Automation by visiting our Career Page or our LinkedIn Page.

February 7, 2023February 7, 2023Blog

ProMat 2023

Get the most out of ProMat 2023 by scheduling a time to meet with Spring Automation at Booth #S4826! Learn more about our offerings and how Spring Automation can help improve your warehouse efficiency. ProMat will allow you to discover cutting-edge solutions and the latest trends with an opportunity to network with other professionals. Meet, connect, and learn from over 1,000 leading solutions providers in the supply chain, manufacturing, and distribution industry.

Join us in Chicago at the McCormick Place, to explore next-generation solutions, and let us introduce the Spring Automation team to you. You can register at no cost for ProMat. For more information about Spring Automation or to schedule a meeting, please connect with our sales team.

January 31, 2023January 31, 2023Blog

From Intern to Full-Timer: A Journey of Determination

Naba with her Senior Design Project — The image above shows Naba with her senior design project, a bipedal dinosaur robot, helping her gain knowledge in mechanical, electrical, programming abilities.

Naba Al-Akashi has accepted a full-time position at Spring Automation as the Training Coordinator in the Learning and Development Department. Naba graduated from MTSU in December 2022 with a degree in Mechatronics Engineering with a minor in Mathematics for Managerial, Life, and Social Sciences. During her schooling, Naba started a role at Spring Automation as a Controls Engineering Intern in May 2021.

At the beginning of her journey at Spring, Naba focused on PLC Programming and HMI Development. Her Team Lead provided her with a Lab in a Box to learn how to program a PLC. As part of her internship, she assisted with the bench testing of a program after the PLC programming was complete. Throughout the internship, Naba grew in confidence and enjoyed working and getting to know her team. She was drawn to the culture and kindness of the staff at Spring Automation, who was patient and understanding with her and other interns who had little knowledge of the industry. The program offered her the resources she needed, and she continued to succeed in her role with her willingness and love of learning.

As a Training Coordinator, her role includes researching new ways to provide training to individuals and performing the current training certifications. This role enables her to find creative solutions and solve challenges. Through this role, she has assisted individuals in developing their own skills, looking at processes, and determining ways to achieve already set goals. Naba enjoys helping people grow in their careers and working alongside her team every day.

Learn more about career paths and internships at Spring Automation. We offer internships in PLC Programming, HMI Development, Electrical Design, and Commissioning. Apply today!

October 13, 2022October 13, 2022Blog

Spring Automation 101: Answering Frequently Asked Questions, Part 2

In a previous post, I answered a few of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Spring Automation. Namely, the solutions we provide, the types of projects we work on, and where we fit into the design process. In this post, I’ll explain what sets us apart as a provider of turnkey controls and control software for automated material handling equipment used in distribution and order fulfillment centers.

You’ll also learn how we’ve been proactively addressing the supply chain disruptions and lead time challenges our industry has been facing. Additionally, tremendous digital and technical advances have been occurring in the industry, allowing distribution and fulfillment operations to maximize their investment in automated solutions. Controls and control software are at the heart of these developments; I’ll explain why and how Spring Automation enables companies to leverage these innovations.

What sets Spring Automation apart from other controls Providers?

At the risk of sounding like a cliché, it’s our people. But it’s more than just their skillsets, talents, and experience. Spring Automation puts a tremendous emphasis on training and developing our team members as a key component of our culture. We want our team to grow with us as they develop their own interests and specializations within their careers.

We do this through our controls engineering department’s Pioneer Program. A rotational program, its curriculum guides engineers as they work through a three-tiered learning process to get them quickly up to speed and acclimated to our methods and approach. They interact extensively with our senior controls engineers to ensure they’ve tapped into fundamental and universal knowledge of how Spring Automation does everything, from design and programming to installations and commissioning of OEM equipment and specialized components.

Additionally, we actively recruit interns from regional colleges and universities — so many that the professors and administrators of those engineering programs have asked us to contribute input and guidance for their own course development. Throughout the calendar year, we typically hire eight interns. Subsequently, many of our interns will stay onboard for multiple semesters if their school schedule allows it or accept full-time positions with us, where they then move through the Pioneer Program to continue working alongside our controls engineers on active projects.

Further, we encourage our employees to look for opportunities to grow their skills by working cross-functionally within our organization. For example, if someone on the engineering team has an interest in project management, we enable them to try a different side of the business. As a result, several of our project managers have engineering backgrounds, giving them insight into the design and execution phase of controls applications and implementations that enhance Spring Automation’s value to its customers.

What we’ve discovered as a result of the cultural emphasis we place on our team is a team who commits to the success of projects. They also recommend us to their own connections who are either in college or have experience working within the field, allowing us to continue growing.

How has Spring Automation been handling supply chain disruptions and their impact on lead times?

We encourage our customers to connect with us as soon as possible with their system design. This allows us to look for opportunities to order key components as quickly as possible or to make recommendations for alternatives that work equally well and can be received in a shorter amount of lead time. We may also recommend adjusting a control installation schedule outside of the originally planned sequence as a means to continue making progress as components become available.

Proactive and constant communication — as well as flexibility — are key when it comes to adapting to current lead time variability. Spring Automation has also been proactive in our purchasing to expedite the delivery schedule of critical components. We understand the importance of our customers’ schedules and believe transparency and communication are paramount to ensuring a project’s success.

What are some of the latest developments Spring Automation is seeing in controls?

Operations managers are looking to pull more usable data from their systems and sensors, as opposed to solely pushing operating commands to it. Information about vibration, faults, temperature, wear, run times, errors, and more can give a facility greater insight into the performance of its overall material handling solution. It can also help with more accurate predictive maintenance and extend the useful life of their equipment avoiding downtime and lost revenue.

From a controls perspective, enabling these capabilities is something Spring Automation can easily accomplish. We work with customers to understand what types of data they’re looking to obtain, then create communications and relay protocols that enable it to be easily captured in real-time.

What else would you like to know about Spring Automation?

If there are questions I did not answer in this post or in part 1, or you’d like to learn more about our solutions, services, and software, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected] or by calling 615-472-9454. I look forward to connecting with you soon.

About the Author

Alex Smith joined Spring Automation in December of 2021 as Director of Sales and Marketing. Alex graduated from Western Kentucky University with a degree in Corporate and Organizational Communication. He has held a CMSE (Certified Machinery Safety Expert) certification since 2018 while working for a safe automation company providing engineering services and products to OEMs, integrators, and end-users. Before joining Spring Automation, Alex spent 8+ years in the automation industry, serving in various sales roles. Most recently, he worked for an automation company specifying equipment for barcode scanning, dimensioning, and presence sensing, among many other applications in Logistics Automation. In his spare time, Alex enjoys playing golf, spending time with family and friends, being outdoors, and watching sports, especially the Kentucky Wildcats and Atlanta Braves. Connect with Alex on LinkedIn.

September 21, 2022October 13, 2022Blog

Spring Automation 101: Answering Frequently Asked Questions, Part 1

Answering FAQs as a provider of Control Software

As a provider of turnkey controls and control software for automated material handling equipment used in distribution and order fulfillment centers, Spring Automation partners with customers to ensure project success. That’s why we wanted to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves and share the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) we get to see if we are the right partner for you.

We get a lot of questions, so I’ll be answering them in this post and in a part two. Here, you’ll learn more about the solutions Spring Automation provides and types of projects we work on, and where we fit into the design process and project lifecycle.

What solutions and services does Spring Automation provide?

Spring Automation provides complete, end-to-end controls for automated material handling equipment. Our projects typically include programmable logic controllers (PLCs), control software, communications hardware and protocols, SCADA, human-machine interface (HMI) control systems, and more.

Additionally, we offer our proprietary Voyager warehouse control system (WCS) software, built with a modular design that enables easy configuration, or reconfiguration, as an operation’s needs change. Voyager can incorporate a variety of functions, including proactive monitoring in real-time to enable more informed decisions, highlighting key events in daily operations, an alarm tracking function to identify and track faults and errors, and more. Voyager can be configured to control destination routing, sorting, order consolidation, print-and-apply solutions, dimensioners, in-line scales for weight capture, and many other processes, systems, and tasks.

Spring Automation also offers service and maintenance contracts tailored to match our customers’ needs. We make recommendations to help operations managers strategically plan updates and modifications with our guidance to prevent any issues or code errors, avoiding unexpected downtime. Spring Automation further assists in troubleshooting and provides support to customers who are making changes to their current system. Our highly experienced controls engineers can travel on site for upgrades, modifications, expansions, and software updates.

What types of projects and industries does Spring Automation work on?

Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and system integrators engage us to provide the controls hardware and software that make automated material handling, distribution, or order fulfillment operations function and perform as expected. We provide controls, electrical, and software packages for Greenfield facilities, retrofits and expansions of existing operations, updates, and modernizations of current control systems and software, and software updates for controls systems.

While we work in a broad range of industries, with the tremendous expansion of e-commerce and online shopping over the past few years, we’ve experienced an uptick in the number of parcel handling, logistics, and retail projects. The size and scope of our project work ranges from small engagements lasting a few days to large, multi-phase projects spanning multiple years.

Where does Spring Automation fit into the design process?

Spring Automation becomes involved early in the design process upon being invited by a system integrator or OEM to provide a controls and software design proposal for an automated system.

We start each proposal with a mechanical drawings package for the overall system design, a complete equipment list, the proposed project timeframe, and target go-live date. After evaluating this information, our solutions team then puts together a recommended design plan for the controls and electrical packages, as well as for any necessary software — such as our Voyager warehouse control system (WCS).

We work to provide solutions that enhance system usability, minimize the potential for unnecessary complexity in the controls, and prevent system errors or faults. For example, we propose the placement of key automatic identification and data capture technologies to maximize read rates and minimize errors.

Additionally, we try to gather as much information about the project’s current objectives, as well as any anticipated growth or phased expansion plans. Knowing ahead of time that an operation will likely be expanded in the future helps our engineers provide a design for installing equipment and controls that allow for the addition of more automated equipment. By investing in a larger or more expandable controls solution, an operation generally saves a significant amount of time and expense during the later phases of a system’s design.

Want to learn more about Spring Automation?

In my second FAQ post, I’ll explain what sets us apart as a turnkey controls and control software provider, how we’re proactively addressing the supply chain disruptions and lead time challenges, and how Spring Automation’s solutions are a key part of the digital innovations enabling distribution and fulfillment operations to maximize their automated system investments.

If you have any questions that I did not answer — or you want to learn more about our solutions, services, and software — connect with me at [email protected] or by calling 615-472-9454. I look forward to hearing from you.

About the Author

July 27, 2022January 30, 2023Blog

Happy National Intern Day

Happy National Intern Day to all our interns at Spring Automation, past and present.

We would like to recognize and celebrate the hard work, passion, and creativity they bring daily.

Thank you, Interns!

Check out what current interns have to say about Spring Automation, their experience, and advice for students seeking an engineering internship.

Dylan Geiger is a Vanderbilt University student majoring in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Engineering Management. His favorite part of the internship has been the clear and consistent pride that the people at Spring show in their work and how great that makes it feel to come in each day. He has heard people speak about how Spring is the best company they've worked for, and it has become evident to him why from the close-knit, congenial atmosphere in the office and online meetings. His advice to a new intern would be to ask questions about the company, its work, the industry as a whole, and even life in general. He says the people at Spring are happy to share what they've learned on their journey to where they are now.

Clay Howard is a Tennessee Tech Mechanical Engineering Student. He says working alongside experienced engineers in this field has helped him become a better engineer for the future. He has learned how to use resources given to him and find resources to overcome obstacles in the design aspect more efficiently. His time at Spring Automation has shown him how important and entertaining it is for an engineer to always be curious and want to take the initiative to learn new software and skills. Clay has had the opportunity to assist Software and Controls Engineers in troubleshooting AutoCAD Electrical. Through the internship, he has learned how vast and powerful the software is and developed an interest in pursuing it further in the future.

Trenton Singleton is a Vanderbilt University Electrical Engineering Student. His advice for a new intern is to keep asking for opportunities to showcase your skills. He believes this is a way to show Engineering Team Leads what you are capable of and how hard you are willing to work, which can increase the number of projects you are assigned. The most surprising thing about the internship to Trenton was seeing how many skills learned during the summer could be used outside the controls engineering atmosphere. For example, to be a good controls engineer, IP addressing and networks are necessary to understand as well. His favorite part about being part of Spring Automation is the environment, and he jokes that the snacks are a big bonus too.

Patrick Schulte is a Tennessee Tech Mechanical Engineering Student. He knew he wanted to go into the automation field and had previous experience with PLC Programming, but he wanted to learn more about the engineering field. Patrick suggests that students seeking an internship should consider Spring Automation if they want to learn as much as possible about the industry. He mentions that internships aren't enough time to see the finished projects, but it allows students exposure and shows what it is like working for a company the size of Spring.

Magdy Girgis is an Electro-Mechanical Engineering student at Middle Tennessee State University. His favorite part about the Spring internship is discovering new technologies he had no idea existed. He found himself learning more about practical applications than in class, seeing first-hand all the different devices deployed in the field, and even taking part in addressing a few Remote IO modules. He appreciates Spring's mountain of educational resources, including the training portal, Lunch & Learns on the Spring server, and the Lab. In the Lab, interns can practice building circuits, become more familiar with the Powerflex 525 VFD, and study the code written to interact with different components, such as beacons, motors, cameras, photo eyes, etc. Learning how the company organizes the vast lines of code and breaks down tasks to distribute workload is a skill he will not forget. In addition, Magdy had the chance to attend a few meetings and the opportunity to understand the inner workings of quoting, accepting, commissioning, and handing off a project. He feels everybody who works at Spring is incredibly insightful, genuinely helpful, and extremely welcoming. He is truly grateful for his experience here and knows the next intern will be too.

Naba Al-Akashi is a Mechatronics Engineering student at Middle Tennessee State University. Her advice to a new intern is, "Don't be anxious. Know that here at Spring, every voice is heard, every idea is given a chance, and every person is valuable." She believes that at Spring Automation, there are endless opportunities to learn from more experienced interns, commissioning engineers, controls engineers, management, and other individuals from different departments. Naba has been an intern since May of 2021, making it hard to pinpoint a favorite part of her internship. However, each internship term has provided a unique learning opportunity. In the beginning, she developed her soft skills and learned how to define her weaknesses and work towards developing them into strengths. Overall, she has enjoyed seeing how the tasks asked of her, the ideas she has worked on bringing to fruition, and the skills she has acquired, have enabled me to become a member of the team and culture here at Spring Automation.

Listen to Naba share more about her experience and future goals as she grows at Spring Automation.

Learn more about the Spring Automation Controls Engineering Internship below and apply today!

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At Spring Automation, we value team success and challenge every individual to strive for professional development. As a Spring Automation intern, you will have access to an online training portal designed to pave the road for growth by providing straightforward and easy-to-access training documents for all team members. We are committed to providing interns with the tools needed to succeed. The goal for the training portal design included ease of access, low pressure for trainees, and crafting a roadmap of content that matters. Training can help anyone feel more confident in his or her role producing better performance and efficiency.

At Spring, we also have a certification program that interns can participate in designed to accomplish the following goals:

Accurately evaluate team member skill set
Provide streamlined hands-on training catered to our clients & industry
Ensure quality standards at onboarding phase
Invest in continuous growth for existing team members and interns

The certification program at Spring recognizes team members and their achievements with the ability to earn a LinkedIn virtual badge, an enamel pin, and a certificate.

January 14, 2022July 19, 2022Blog

Visit us at MODEX 2022 at Booth #B4833

Get the most out of Modex 2022 by scheduling a time to meet with Spring Automation at Booth #B4833! Learn more about our offerings and how Spring Automation can help improve your warehouse efficiency. Modex will allow you to discover cutting-edge solutions and the latest trends with an opportunity to network with other professionals. Meet, connect, and learn from over 1,000 leading solutions providers in the supply chain, manufacturing, and distribution industry.

Our experienced team of engineers and programmers understands your challenges and works hard to produce software solutions to improve your bottom line. We tailor-fit the perfect solution to optimize your warehouse operations and maximize productivity. Our process evaluates information essential to your business and matches the right software solution for you. Schedule a time to meet with us at Modex to discuss your issues and learn how we can help you through our various service offerings, including PLC Programming, HMI Development, Panel Fabrication, Electrical Installation, and Software (WCS).

Join us in Atlanta, GA, to explore next-generation solutions, and let us introduce the Spring Automation team to you. You can register at no cost for Modex. For more information about Spring Automation or to schedule a meeting, please connect with our sales team.

October 19, 2021December 30, 2021Blog

Three Ways to Succeed as a Commissioning Engineer

Working as a Commissioning Engineer, every day is different.

As a controls integrator, commissioning engineers play a pivotal role in on-site checkout and testing. Bench testing and panel shop checkouts are important to ensure a smooth commissioning process. Both will help identify issues in the system programming and the panel builds prior to arriving on site.

Here, we explore three strategies for someone starting their career as a commissioning engineer.

Focus on Communication. Communication is an essential skill in every industry. In automation, it is vital since the stakes on a worksite can be higher than they are in the office or designing behind a desk. If communication on an automation site fails, not only can it potentially cause problems and delays for the project, but it can also result in damage to equipment or property or, in the worst case, injury or death to members of your crew. The job site is a moving, thriving ecosystem with people of all personality types and technical disciplines, and you never know what mix of people you will be working with. Remaining professional is important in a Commissioning Engineer role. Being professional means knowing you represent Spring in every situation and using professional language. Staying positive regardless of the situation is more impactful than most would think. A Spring Automation commissioning engineer strives to remain customer-focused.Be sure to know your responsibilities and ask questions to project managers or other Spring engineers when issues arise.
Be Prepared and Organized. Preparation can be critical for any scenario. Preparing for commissioning ensures an efficient commissioning process. This also ensures all team members have what they need on-site. It is important to develop clear commissioning plans and trackers to understand what task needs to be completed and allow others to see what has been completed. This includes gathering all relevant documentation, schematics, manuals, programs in one place. A commissioning tracker is a spreadsheet used to keep track of projects during the on-site commissioning process. Forming a standardized testing procedure is a great way to streamline the commissioning process. It allows engineers to document all the IO that has been checked and the functionality test that have been performed. This helps coordinate the progress of the project between engineers on-site and project managers.
Stay Detail-Oriented. Attention to detail is important in this industry due to the coordination of multiple teams and individuals. We work closely with our field installation supervision team to ensure the installation meets safety requirements, project requirements, and customer specifications. Coordination includes internal people at Spring Automation, subcontractors, site personal, customers, electricians, and other vendors. Demonstrating attention to detail is important when dealing with safety procedures. From the moment you enter a job site, it is important to be aware of surroundings and wear personal protective equipment.

Looking for more guidance on ways to launch your career path in the material handling industry? Connect with us at [email protected].