Mechanical vs Electrical Engineering

[balerjoe]

When is come to process controls. How makes the best programmers Mechanical Engineers or Electrical Engineers? Just want to see what the Pros think.

[Zandroc]

I would say Electrical.
Mechanical engineers have a different 'logical' aproach to a problem than an electrical engineer's aproach to a problem. And PLC's requires an Electrical logic aproach.
But an electrical engineer in process control also need to see the bigger picture to aproach a problem (stand back from electrical, and see and understand what the whole project entails)
For that, you would need an understanding of mechanical and be able to work with a mechanical engineer's input.

There are some cross overs between the two fields, an example being working with complex pneumatic systems, where both the electrical and mechanical engineer needs to understand the workings and find the best solution.

[evanh]

In other words, you will learn the ins and outs of ladder logic because you want to.

Electricians are the ones that are expected to know PLCs and electrical departments are the ones that get asked to do that work because of the wiring and specifications components.  But programming PLCs are just as foreign and just as easy to learn from either field.

That said, you should get an electrical trade ticket and some work experence with wiring machinery, paying attention to how the parts interact on those machines, then move on to programming.  This way you talk the same language as those on the floor.

A varsity degree will prolly take you off in other directions but if you are good with the theory then do 'em all.  The more the merrier.  


Evan