Manufacturing thousands upon thousands of perfect frozen dinners, television sets, aspirin tablets, garden hoses or door knobs is not a simple process, no matter how simple some of these objects may seem. In order to spew out thousands, even millions of these products, manufacturing plants are equipped with complex manufacturing equipment. In turn, these complicated manufacturing systems and devices need controls to measure and regulate such variables during manufacturing as temperature, pressure, flow, humidity, liquid level, velocity and density. If these and other factors are not closely controlled--for instance, if a TV dinner is allowed to cook too long, or isn't frozen to the proper level--a product can be completely ruined.  

       In order to avoid this disastrous turn of events, manufacturing plants and research institutions hire instrumentation and process control technicians to repair, maintain, install and upgrade process control equipment. Because computerization and automation are an integral part of manufacturing, automation and control technicians are essential to just about every type of factory and every type of manufacturing process. They can be found in the aerospace industry, chemical manufacturing, computers, food and pharmaceuticals, mining and metals, communications, construction, the pulp and paper industry, robotics and the water and wastewater industry, as well as many others industries.

       Instrumentation Engineer work on pneumatics, electronic instruments, digital logic devices and computer-based process controls. Because so much of their work involves computerized devices, they need an extensive knowledge of electronics, and most have degrees in electronics technology.    

       Inspecting, installing, calibrating, repairing, maintaining and trouble-shooting electrical, mechanical and other instruments and control equipment