“There’s no key on the keyboard you can push to get to be a leader in process control and instrumentation,” said Scott Pendegrass, control systems engineer, Lyondell Chemical Co . Leadership was the theme of the 2005 Emerson Global Users Exchange group meeting in Orlando, FL. Pendegrass, chairman of the meeting’s board of directors, offered leadership tips for attendees.
Know:
Equipment, tools, and processes. Apply practical knowledge to real-world control problems.
How to learn and pick up things quickly.
People around you, the experts are in various areas, and if they can provide needed information. “You cannot do it all yourself anymore.”
What people mean by what they say, because communication may differ depending on background and training.
A good idea when you hear one, and look out for the bleeding edge. A project that may not have been right seven or eight years ago may be right now.
Your business. Companies are in business to make money. Over-engineered products aren’t worth the time and energy, unless there’s value derived from the investment. The business group needs to understand your needs.
Your competition and what they’re doing in process control to know if you’re ahead or behind. Key to winning may not be what technologies you use, but the timing of getting maximum value for minimum investment, Pendegrass said.
For other Control Engineering coverage from the meeting, see “ Smart Remote Automation extends Emerson’s PlantWeb .”
—Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering , [email protected]
https://www.lyondell.com https://www.emersonexchange.org https://www.emersonprocess.com
