Mark — PLC Controls Freelancer

Design, write, commision, startup, troubleshoot and debug customer programs for machine control, line control and process control. Majority of experience has been directed at motion control but very fluent in VFD's and DC controllers and controls systems as well. I have worked extensively with AB Servo Drives and components as well as other manufacturers.

Develope, modify, commission, debug and troubleshoot using the Giddings and Lewis servo controllers and Picpro software. The systems interface with Allen Bradley PLC's with AB or Pacific Scientific drives and amps. The systems are used to control high speed continous motion Tray Packers and Wrappers as well as high speed palletizers and depalletizers.

Troubleshoot and repair components as needed. Eurodrive is a priciple component in the numerous production lines I have installed and serviced throughout the industry.

Square D was the first PLC school and products I dealt with out of the military. I am rusty but well versed.

I have done machine control projects with GE as needed. Including software developement startup and debug. But not on a regular basis.

I have done machine and line control projects with Siemens as needed. Including software developement startup and debug. But not on a regular basis.

Troubleshooting and production support.

TRUCK UNLOADING SYSTEMS My entire career has dealt with conveyance of product. I have developed and commissioned multiple full pallet truck unloading systems that remove the product on pallets from multiple containers / trailers and locations. The systems then direct / transport and deposit the pallets / product to their pre-assigned locations via roller and chain conveyors, turntables and chain transfers popup and fixed and pallet transport cars. As expected all systems are capable of both manual and automatic functions and able to recover from such unexpected circumstance as product being removed from the system mid cycle etc. All via HMI selections and inputs or good old fashion selector switches and pushbuttons. END OF LINE / WAREHOUSE FULL PALLET SYSTEMS As well as standard operating full pallet feed systems I have developed and commissioned highly complex palletizer full pallet end of the line systems containing multiple palletizers, strapping equipment, de-banders, stretch wrappers, scanners, bar code labelers, pallet stackers, turntables, chain transfers popup and fixed, and so on. With the ability to stage multiple pallets on a single section of conveyor while being intermingled with single pallet conveyors as well all the equipement described above. As expected all systems are capable of both manual and automatic functions and able to recover from such unexpected circumstance as product being removed from the system mid cycle etc. All via HMI selections and inputs or good old fashion selector switches and pushbuttons. PRODUCT CONVEYOR SYSTEMS FOR BULK, CASE, AIR AND VACUUM, TABLE TOP AND RING JET, ROLLER AND BELTED I have programmed and commisioned endless numbers of all different types of conveyor systems. From frozen foods, bulk empty bottle systems ( glass, PET, non-round, cans metal plastic and paper), 50 pound bags of product, roofing tiles, toilet paper and even air conditioners. There are quite a few more variations but I am sure you get the jest. As expected with all the variations of equipment intermingled. Including labelers, diverters, elevators and lowerators ( air, vacuum and gripper style), counters, missing product detection systems, reject systems, single filers, combiners, down product detectors, slow down modules, vision inspection systems, laser etchiners / printers and so on.

Navy trained hydraulic, pneumatic mechanic and fire suppression technician. My missile system was a hydraulic servo design. The system was capable of selecting any 20' long 2000+ pound missile from the rotating lower deck 40 missile turret magazine. The system could load, fire, re-load and be ready to fire in 7 seconds. Complete with fire suppression system, just in case a rocket engine ignited in the magazine. My training was complete system maintenance and repair. Additionally I have dealt with hydraulics and pneumatics continuously in all applications throughout the equipment I deal with on a daily basis.

I have been extensively involved in as well as site manager for numerous line commissioning and startups worldwide. My former employer Simplimatic Engineering was an industry standard in the packaging industry. In todays numbers I have pulled over 30 million dollars worth of equipment from containers, installed, troubleshot, revised programming as needed and commissioned all 3 associated production lines from start to finish.

In one form or another my entire career has been in manufacturing. In the beginning it was manufacturing industrial equipment from raw steel and spools of wire. That progressed into being responsible for the proper operation and output of complete high and low speed production lines.

In my 20 years of contracting I have designed machine upgrades and modifications, machine tooling and system improvements on a regular basis. Working for previous employers I was consistently involved with product modification, redesign and improvement as dictated by the job.

One of my first jobs out of the military was building PLC controlled and relay logic control panels for packaging equipment. This included layout, wiring, installation and troubleshooting. I am very familiar and experienced with today's control panels. Whether it is troubleshooting, modification or renovation it is a integral part of my job and experience. I have likewise successfully re-commissioned machinery that the control box had been severed at the main wiring conduit. Where the installers just sawed the main wire feed into during removal. Making complete sets of accurate schematics for the control panels via tracing wires and components, terminal by terminal and plug by plug pin. The machinery was multifunctional complete with conveyor, heat seal, film feed, product detection and timers.

At ITW Mima one of my job titles was quality control inspector. My duties included complete inspection of all components, mechanical and electrical as well as, proper operation and function, of the entire product line of industrial wrappers and conveyor systems.

Throughout my career I have always been heavily involved in research and development with all the companies I have worked for.

From isolated machinery to complete line control it is what I have been involved in and done for over 33 years. My primary function on all jobs and job sites has always been machine and system controls. Almost every job needs something modified in order to run properly. Whether working for one of my old employers or working for myself I am responsible for system operation and controls. Regardless if it is installing and OEM piece of equipment, designing the entire program from scratch or just integrating new functions and components.

I am a very analytical person and troubleshooting is one of my specialties. To sum it up many people cannot see what they are looking at and are overwhelmed by the totality of the process. Troubleshooting is a process of elimination and restoration. I see what I am looking at and have the patience and ability to complete the task at hand.

I believe fully automatic does not involve an operator negotiating with the machine in order to get through the shift. I always design my systems to function with minimal movements, with logical event based sequence of operation, with minimal need for operator intervention in the event of malfunctions such as safety stop, out of position products and lets face it, plain stupidity. I work to insure the cycle is robust, stabile and as foolproof as possible with great recovery.

I work well under pressure and will not stop until the job is complete and working to the customers satisfaction. After decades of experience in all arenas of industry it is one of the things I do best.

I have over 26 years of experience in the food and beverage industry. Dealing with all aspects of manufacturing and production.

Case, bulk, round, non-round, plastic, metal, glass, powder, liquid, pellets. I have been involved with almost everything but nuclear waste

Almost every program I have every written was interfaced to an HMI / touch panel. However HMI includes pushbuttons and other analog devices as well. I am well versed and user friendly regardless of format chosen by the customer. I design my displays and operator controls to be intuitive to the operators. Normally in a chronological order as the machine sequences. Simple things like this aids in fault recovery and and manual manipulation as needed.

Navy trained hydraulic mechanic

System control and integration has been one of the principle duties throughout my career. Routinely contracted to integrate all makes and models of packaging equipment seamlessly into production line of all types.

Material handling is always an integral part of the machinery I work with. Plastic film, paper, plastic forms, metals, cardboard and so on. I am well versed and experienced in material handling whether it comes on a roll, a pile or a stack I have probably dealt with it before

My specialty is high speed packaging, wrappers, packers, conveyors, palletizers, depalletizers, banders, strappers, stackers, and on and on

High and low speed packaging lines is where I have spent most of my career

I preformed as a quality control inspector for ITW MIMA. All of the equipment manufactured by ITW Mima was thoroughly tested and inspected prior to final shipment to the customer. This included inspection and testing of all mechanical assemblies, manufactured in house or purchased. All electrical systems and components were inspected and tested for proper assembly and operation. The machine functions, both automatic and manual, were thoroughly tested and debugged as needed prior to shipping.

I began working with servos in the Navy as part of my Missile system and have actively worked on and with servos all the way to the present.

I am naturally analytical and a troubleshooter. Navy trained and highly experienced.

As an independent contractor I am a self starter and independent on the job site. Whether domestic or international I have dealt with the complete unknown when it comes to installing, servicing and modifying equipment of all types and manufacturers. I have the ability to step up to a piece of equipment with little or no knowledge and little or no documentation, wires hanging and labels missing, and still get the job done. I have been in the industry since 1984, with 33 years of practical experience in the packaging industry I have been exposed to, and worked with all types of automation and designs. From basic to unbelievable I have dealt with them all. The challenge is only part of the equation. The knowledge that you have covered all the bases and the equipment does what it was designed to do is the real payoff. I do prefer an actual plan with all the associated docs but we all know those jobs are few and far between! On a personal note, I am a digital kind of person, it is either right or wrong and I work toward that goal. I can deal with it but, "good enough" is not part of my vocabulary!

Simplimatic Engineering was an industry leader in canning and bottling. Simplimatic provided a complete line of packaging and container handling systems for Coke and Pepsi as well as breweries and more. At Simplimatic my duties were to install, troubleshoot, program and repair almost every piece of equipment on the line. From install, startup to completion I have done them all. Whether as a one man show or part of a team, Simplimatic Reps were a complete package when they showed up at the job site. From site management, programmer or mechanic we did it all, and we did it well.

ITW Mima was one of the founders of the pallet stretch wrapper industry. The product line included semi and fully automatic, overhead and floor model stretch wrappers. The line also included full pallet conveyor systems with all the possible accessories, turntable and pop up chain transfers, scale units for weighing the pallets, top sheet dispensers and more. Mima was one of my first jobs out of the Navy where I first began building control boxes and panels. In those days, the early 80's, relay logic machines were still the bread and butter of the industry. I went from building complete control system for both relay logic and PLC equipment to lead man of general line assembly. As lead man my duties were to supervise production and produce all products at Mima, both semi and fully automatic. We manufactured the complete machine at Mima, from raw steel to finished product. I have an excellent background in building machinery. I was likewise heavily involved with research and development and a quality control inspector. During my final tour at Mima, I attended my first programming schools. Mima let the customer choose the PLC for their equipment. In turn I was exposed to a wide variety of PLC's and programs, while still maintaining the relay logic line. At Mima I developed a complete service school course for vendors and customers alike, for both in house or at the customers site. The courses included PLC programming and relay logic, basic electricity, troubleshooting and repair. They contained complete presentations of all stages of product assembly, from the first sprocket on the first shaft, to the finished product, tested and out the door. Just to make the story complete I worked at Mima 3 separate times, each tour I climbed another rung on the ladder.

At Spraymation I assembled, wired, commissioned, programmed, tested and troubleshot all of the Spraymation product line. I was involved with reseach and developement for not only the high speed packaging equipment but the automotive paint systems as well. Spraymation designs and manufactures both standard and customized fluid dispensing systems. This includes both heated and non-heated fluids, along with related ancillary equipment for the precision application (extrusion of beads or dots; air dispersed patterns, slot nozzle patterns, air atomized and airless spray patterns) of: Hot melt adhesives Cold adhesives Paint Heated wax Coatings Lubricants Marking fluids Silicone Perfume Surfactants Food products Sealants Spraymation's systems are used for a multitude of applications, including: High speed packaging operations Paper converting applications Non-woven manufacture Medical products Product assembly Carton manufacturing Corrugated Auto and semi-automatic painting

BiLink was a tool and die shop. I did setup of multi-ton presses of all types, spot welding system and precision parts inspection. I know my way around a machine shop.

In the Navy I was trained as a Guided Missile Launcher Technician. I was trained to preform as a: Electrician Digital Electronics Tech Hydraulics Mechanic Pneumatics Mechanic Fire Supression Mechanic