INSTRUMENTATION ENGINEERING

Electronic Instrumentation engineering is a specialized branch of electrical and electronic engineering, which focusses on the principle, and operation of measuring instruments, process control which are used in design and configuration of automated systems. These engineers work for industries with automated processes, such as chemical or manufacturing plants, with the goal of improving system productivity, reliability, safety, optimization and stability. Instrumentation Engineers help in the designing, construction and maintenance of instruments and entire instrumentation systems of an industrial undertaking. An instrumentation engineer decides the type of instruments needed for ensuring better quality and efficiency of the end product.

Instrumentation is the specialized branch of electrical and electronics engineering. The professionals who are involved in these activities are known as instrumentation engineers. Instrument engineers usually have degrees in instrumentation engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, or mechanical engineering and sometimes in the new fields of Control engineering or control systems engineering. Instrumentation Engineering focuses on the principle, and operation of measuring instruments, which are used in design and configuration of automated systems. Instrumentation Engineers help in the designing, construction and maintenance of instruments and entire instrumentation systems of an industrial undertaking. An instrumentation engineer decides the type of instruments needed for ensuring better quality and efficiency of the end product.




One can also go for Diploma program after completion of his/her class 10th. In this case he/she will be recognized with the status of a junior engineer. One, who still wants to study further after completing BE/BTech, can pursue M.Tech program offered by Indian Institutes of Technology and few other engineering colleges in the country. Individuals with interests in research areas can pursue Ph.D after his/her post graduation studies for carrying out research works.



Solid foundation in mathematics, physics and chemistry, logical reasoning, perseverance and hard work, ability to work in teams, ability to express oneself using figures and words, problem solving skills, ability to grasp things faster, creativity, ability to keep calm under work pressures, good in technical drawings and computer skills and excellent communication abilities are the major requisites.



With increased use of automated system in industries, the need for qualified instrumentation engineers has also gone up. Instrumentation engineers can get jobs in R&D units of public and private sector companies. They are also required by the Heavy industries such as Thermal Power Stations, Steel Plants, Refineries, and Cement and Fertilizer Plants. They have a multidisciplinary role to play. One may choose to move sideways into other career areas either within or outside their industry. This might include areas such as purchasing, sales, marketing, finance, HR, IT or general management. They also find jobs in companies manufacturing specialized instruments. Instrumentation engineers can get jobs in R&D units of public and private sector companies.

They are also required by the Heavy industries such as Thermal Power Stations, Steel Plants, Refineries, and Cement and Fertilizer Plants both in Govt. and private sectors like N.F.L., BHEL, Honeywell, Samsung, IOCL, and SAIL. They have a multidisciplinary role to play. One may choose to move sideways into other career areas either within or outside their industry. This might include areas such as purchasing, sales, marketing, finance, HR, IT or general management. As per the National Forecast up to year 2015, with so many industries coming up the need of Instrumentation Engineers is eventually going to increase, as thousands of them are required. These engineers can pursue consultancy-based work.

Those who have an aptitude use the expertise they have gained in industry and engage in academic research in universities or acquire a tutoring/coaching role as a lecturer or trainer of instrumentation engineers. Senior level positions are occupied with a Masters Degree and they carry the highest level of responsibility and may include planning and managing activities, as well as leading on new developments. Senior engineers in production and operation functions can often be representatives at board level. Many IT sector companies like TCS, Infosys, Accenture hire students for campus placement. Robotics is another vast field where there is huge need of Instrumentation engineers.



A control and instrumentation engineer is essentially responsible for designing, developing, installing, managing and/or maintaining equipment which is used to monitor and control engineering systems, machinery and processes. Tasks and responsibilities, which are common to instrumentation engineers, may include:

Instrumentation Engineering Designing and developing new control systems; Maintaining and modifying existing systems; Managing operations; Working collaboratively with design engineers, operation engineers, purchasers and other internal staff; Contacting clients, suppliers, contractors and relevant authorities; Project management within cost and time constrained environments; Troubleshooting and problem-solving; Understanding and ensuring compliance with the health and safety regulations and quality standards; Providing advice and consultancy support; Purchasing equipment; Writing computer software; Developing new business proposals Domain expert in IT industries.

The scope of instrumentation engineering is vast, and appears to be growing, in part due to the increased use of automatic control in manufacturing and process plants. Growth is also tied to the development of more accurate and more robust sensors, which allow us to detect phenomena of interest (such as the presence of minute levels of toxins in food) with much higher precision than what we could do a generation ago

The demand for Electronics Instrumentation is growing rapidly and job opportunities for graduates are multi-faceted. The graduates can work as Manufacturing Engineers in multi-national corporations like Sony, LG, Samsung, and Philips, as quality controllers, research, design and development consultants, entrepreneurs, and teachers. The field of Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering is growing at a very fast pace.

Over the past three decades the field of instrumentation has seen an extremely widespread application in almost all discipline of engineering e.g., mining and metallurgy, robotics, textile, rolling mills, cranes and hoists, arc furnaces, chemical engineering, process control, and static relays.
Some professional societies for instrumentation that provide educational and career information about this growing field are the Instrument Society of America; the Instrumentation and Measurements Society of IEEE; the Institute of Diagnostic Engineers (US), and the Institute of Measurement and Control (UK).