TAC Americas (now Schneider Electric)

TAC (now Schneider Electric)

2002-2005

At the start, I learned the proprietary PLC-like controllers, control system, programming software and environment, and network configuration software and produced a very large and detailed users’ manual. The manual was used for training new employees and also distributed to the customers at the end of every project.

Skills: technical writing, documentation, customer training

My second assignment of high significance was as an application developer. I wrote software in a proprietary graphical program (similar to Simulink, Logicworks, and most GAL or PAL programming software) to control building automation systems. The systems controlled such things as lighting and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) from a network of up to over 100 PLC-like controllers and at least one desktop computer. Given a set of project drawings that specified the controllers, the network, and the sequence of operations for each piece of equipment for a project (boiler, chiller, cooling tower, etc.), I was responsible for writing the applications, programming the controllers, and verifying the controller behavior.

Skills: programming logic, reading and interpreting specifications, problem solving skills, software validation

My final assignment was as a design engineer in the field. Given a list of buildings (in a school district, for example) and equipment (boiler, chiller, cooling tower, etc.), I designed control system retrofits to save energy. The work entailed documenting the existing system and how it was controlled, including all electric and pneumatic signals, safeties, airflow diagrams, piping diagrams, and floor plans. I then selected controllers with appropriate size, inputs, and outputs to control the equipment, selected all support hardware (relays, sensors, user controls, VFDs – variable frequency drives, etc.) and created project prints that described the existing system and the new retrofit, complete with controller and parts selections and wiring diagrams.

Skills: leading teams on remote projects, parts selection, controller selection, Microsoft Visio, HVAC equipment and design, a lot of teamwork, customer relations and interfacing, understanding business and customer requirements, reading and creating schematics and wiring diagrams, analyzing existing relay logic, working with difficult customer requirements (building access, schedules, security, etc.), problem solving skills

While performing the functions of my other assignments described above, I wrote software programs to make my job and the jobs of those around me more efficient. The tools were primarily written in Visual Basic 6, which I taught myself as I created the first such tool. Most of the tools had some level of Microsoft Office automation, and many of them used Access databases as their means of storage. While creating such tools was not the core competency of the company, I was recognized by management for working above and beyond expectation to make many of our processes more efficient and error free. My direct manager estimated and reported in writing to other managers that one of my tools saved enough time for enough engineers to pay more than my annual salary.

Skills: Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office automation, VB6, VBA, gaining clear understanding of processes enough to automate them, relational database design and usage, problem solving skills