Instrumentation and control engineers are specialized professionals who ensure the management, measurement, and maintenance of equipment, process systems, and other machinery during the manufacturing process. They work in a wide variety of sectors, from nuclear power plants to the financial sector. You can expect to work in companies that design and manufacture equipment or organizations that use different types of machinery in their day-to-day operations such as pharmaceutical firms, power generation industries, etc. The purpose of this article is to summarize the main features of the field. Instrumentation and Control Engineering includes the offered courses, courses, and career prospects that you can explore in this diverse domain.
What is Instrumentation and Control Engineering?
As a branch of electrical and electronic engineering, control engineering controls the design, monitoring, and management of a wide range of industrial processes to ensure maximum productivity and theoretically infinite repeatability while maintaining industry health and safety standards. applies the principle.
Why instrumentation and process control are important?
All industrial and manufacturing operations revolve around equipment and process control. Every process in a manufacturing plant must be closely observed and managed in a way that is both safe and optimal. For example, petrochemical plants use temperature monitoring and control systems to prevent temperatures from reaching dangerous levels and to prevent explosions. Without an electric process heater control panel, property damage and human casualties can occur.
Industries that need Instrumentation and Control Engineering
Industrial process equipment and process control gear is needed in almost every sector that focuses on repeatable production. There are several industries:
- Oil Gas
- Petro
- Wastewater treatment
- Food & Beverage
- Production
Types of Instrumentation and Control Engineering Courses:
Since instrumentation and control engineering is closely related to electronics and instrumentation engineering, prospective students usually prefer to go for a postgraduate degree after completing their bachelor’s degree in the field of engineering. However, with the increasing number of students choosing this specialization at their undergraduate level, more and more universities are coming up with specialized undergraduate degree courses in Instrumentation and Control Engineering. For a better and holistic understanding, have a look at the following two points which specifically tell about both the types of courses in this field.
Bachelor degree program
Offered as a 3- to the 4-year course in India as well as abroad, the undergraduate program in Instrumentation and Control Engineering aims to provide students with a basic understanding of the field and then introduce students to advanced topics. Students have the option to diversify their curriculum with optional modules related to Automation, Computer Science, Electronics, Design, etc.
Master’s degree program
A large number of students, whether experienced professionals or recent graduates are choosing to specialize in Instrumentation and Control Engineering to broaden their career prospects. A master’s degree will take you deeper into the field while providing you with the opportunity to tailor the curriculum to your inclination. It makes use of tools like research projects, seminars, a thesis, etc. And which will broaden your understanding of Instrumentation and Control Engineering.
Courses and Subjects in Instrumentation and Control Engineering
During the course, students are expected to be well versed in the fundamental subjects which form the basis of the curriculum of Instrumentation and Control Engineering. In addition, the proposed optional modules and electives are used to gain a cross-disciplinary understanding of a subject. Here is a list of the major subjects that are offered as part of bachelor’s degree and master’s degree courses in this field:
- Control System
- Probability and Stochastic Processes
- Robust and adaptive controls
- linear dynamic system
- Intelligent system
- Embedded systems
- Production system
- Customization in systems and controls
- Signal analysis and processing
- Process Measurement and Control
- Manufacturing Systems and Automation
- Virtual instrumentation
- Electromechanical system
- Industrial Engineering
- Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Project Management
- Automation and Robotics
Career Prospects
Instrumentation and Control Engineering offers a variety of avenues to explore. Often, jobs involve massive amounts of designing and testing, analyzing data, ensuring compliance, and working with specialized design and operations engineers. Individuals can complement their degree by choosing courses such as the Project Management MBA, Finance Certification, Engineering Management, or a traditional MBA that helps fast-track the path to executive roles. Here is a list of the major career prospects you can explore in this branch of engineering:
- Instrumentation specialist
- Design Engineer
- Mechatronics engineer
- Advisor
- Installation engineer
- Site engineer
Apart from this, you can also do a course in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering. It provides information on the development, testing, design, manufacture, maintenance, and operation of aircraft, military aircraft, space aircraft, missiles, satellites, etc.
