Tim Beech – An Automation Engineer’s Wish List – the top ten
As an Automation Engineer what are the simple things that could be implemented to make your life easier, but really cause problems when they’re missing?
Thank you to Tim Beech, Managing Director of TGN Project Services, for starting this list.


Easing the life of an Automation Engineer – the top ten
Power sockets in small panels – so simple yet not always done (and have power sockets that are high up in the panel so charging cables don’t have to hang and pull laptops)
Fold out table on the panel door for your laptop – honestly the best thing in the world (and all panel doors open fully)
No piggy back plugs on Profibus – you save a bit on the plug but have no diagnostic access
Annotated PLC code – unannotated code is not fun to diagnose (and no locked/ secret blocks that no one can troubleshoot with)
Things lined up properly on HMI/SCADA – and no bright colours
Free ports on network switches
Drawings are up-to-date
Good lighting so that a head torch is not always needed
Ethernet cables colour coded (and other things labelled too)
No unmanaged switches on a ProfiNET network


What else needs to go on this list?
Responses