Ep. 44 - [Tim Wilborne] Building tools and control systems for maintainability / Educating the youth

Guest Bio
Tim Wilborne is involved in multiple industrial automation projects. He has experience in panel design, panel assembly, control systems development, programming, education, and more. He joins us to discuss the changes in control systems, their impact on the manufacturing operations, and the importance of keeping those who maintain these systems in mind.

Main Discussion Points
Tim’s Current Projects & Involvements in Manufacturing / Automation
- PLC, HMI, VFD & Control systems trainers.
- Control panel design, assembly, and commissioning.
- Technical tutorials focused on maintaining and troubleshooting plant control systems.
- Field tools [Loop Simulator & IP Explorer] that simplify the day-to-day tasks of troubleshooting, maintaining, and commissioning automation systems.
- In-person courses on control system programming, maintenance, and troubleshooting.

Transformation of Control Systems
- Systems are changing, but aren’t necessarily focused on providing longevity.
- There’s a lack of concern for the people that are required to operate and maintain machinery once it is deployed on the manufacturing floor.
- Training should be an upfront cost for most automation projects.
- Companies should disclose the training they have in place and that the buyer must go through them before deploying their machinery onto the production floor.
- The people are your most valuable asset.

Support provided by OEMs
- There’s always a cost to receiving support; it’s priced in one way or another into a platform.
- “Free support” should not equate to “bad support”.

Automation Education at the High School Level
- We underestimate what the youth can learn in a short amount of time.
- Exposure at the high-school level is a long-term investment that we need to make today.
- The curriculum Tim has created will be shared with others to be implemented in local high schools.

- Better written programs are key to long-term success in manufacturing. Their scope should incorporate thoughts around those who will maintain the systems and access the software over the lifetime of machinery.

- Stay a step behind the “cutting edge” of innovation. Figure out what’s going to work for your business and what makes sense to implement.

Recommended Books
- Duct Tape Marketing | https://amzn.to/33R9o3s
- Burnout to Engagement | https://amzn.to/3GMSdim
- Great Demo | https://amzn.to/3fDl8cE

Connect with Us
Vlad Romanov | https://www.linkedin.com/in/vladromanov/
Dave Griffith | https://www.linkedin.com/in/davegriffith23/
Manufacturing Hub | https://www.linkedin.com/company/manufacturing-hub-podcast/

Let Us Know What You Think
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#manufacturing #automation #industry40