Any control engineers out there?

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In summary, the speaker is interested in pursuing a career in control engineering and is taking various control systems courses. They are seeking advice on what areas of control to specialize in for industrial interests, and have received feedback from other control engineers about the fun and diverse nature of the field. The speaker is particularly interested in the intersection of control engineering with other disciplines, such as chemistry, and is considering taking a minor in chemistry to enhance their skills in this area.
  • #1
leright
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This is a field that is immensely interesting to me. Right now I am a dual major in EE and physics and I am taking a control systems course right now, with lab. I like it so much that I might want to go into this field as a profession, and I am contemplating taking a few more control classes, including process control, digital control, modern control, state space control analysis, a computational control modeling class, and possibly a analytical and adaptive control class. There are some extra classes there that don't fit into my curriculum as electives and they might increase my course load a bit, but that doesn't bother me much.

So, anyone out there a control engineer? What industry do you work in? What areas of control should I specialize that are interesting and applicable to industrial interests? I am in the heart of the automotive industry (metro detroit area) and control engineering is a sought after skill, it seems.
 
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  • #2
I'm not a control engineer, but I will say that modern control theory was the best class I have ever taken so far at university. The material was incredibly elegant. Classical controls was nice, but modern control and digital control was so much cooler. I have not taken classes in process or adaptive controls yet, unfortunately, but I would definitely like to.
 
  • #3
Go for it!

I'm a control engineer, although a fresh one (recently graduated). Well, I don't know what specific area would I recommend for you. However, I can just state that the rest of control engineering is fun as well as that first class you took. You'd be working on a meeting point of electrical engineering and mathematics for sure. Most probably there would be mechanical engineering to spice everything up, e.g. flight control, robotics, maybe chemistry if you go into process control, etc.

Since control engineering is needed in almost every aspect of human life and since control engineers are usually those that interact with other professions involved in a project, you may find yourself learning a lot about other fields on the way as well as about control engineering itself.

And there is always the coolness factor for getting to play with robots :wink:
 
  • #4
Atrus said:
I'm a control engineer, although a fresh one (recently graduated). Well, I don't know what specific area would I recommend for you. However, I can just state that the rest of control engineering is fun as well as that first class you took. You'd be working on a meeting point of electrical engineering and mathematics for sure. Most probably there would be mechanical engineering to spice everything up, e.g. flight control, robotics, maybe chemistry if you go into process control, etc.

Since control engineering is needed in almost every aspect of human life and since control engineers are usually those that interact with other professions involved in a project, you may find yourself learning a lot about other fields on the way as well as about control engineering itself.

And there is always the coolness factor for getting to play with robots :wink:

hmmm...process control sounds interesting. I will have a minor in chemistry. That would be great to interface EE, math, physics, and chemistry concepts to solve engineering problems.
 

1. What is the role of a control engineer?

A control engineer designs, develops, and maintains control systems for various industrial processes and machines. They are responsible for ensuring that these systems operate efficiently, safely, and reliably.

2. What skills are required to become a control engineer?

To become a control engineer, one must have a strong background in mathematics, physics, and computer science. Additionally, knowledge of control theory, programming languages, and experience with various control systems is essential.

3. What industries do control engineers typically work in?

Control engineers can work in a variety of industries such as manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, energy, and robotics. They are also employed in research and development, consulting, and government agencies.

4. What are some common challenges faced by control engineers?

Some common challenges faced by control engineers include system complexity, dynamic behavior of processes, system stability, and the need to constantly adapt to changing technologies and industry demands.

5. How can I become a successful control engineer?

To become a successful control engineer, one must have a strong understanding of control theory and its application, continuously update their skills and knowledge, and possess problem-solving and critical thinking abilities. Strong communication and teamwork skills are also crucial in this field.

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