Industrial Automation Technician
March 29, 2024
Updated April 13, 2025
15 minute read
Exploring a Career as an Industrial Automation Technician
Industrial Automation Technicians are the skilled professionals who bridge the gap between machinery and intelligence in modern industrial settings. They install, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair the automated systems—like robots, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and sophisticated sensor networks—that keep factories, power plants, and other industrial facilities running efficiently and safely. Think of them as the essential troubleshooters and implementers ensuring the complex dance of automated production happens without a hitch.
Working in this field can be incredibly engaging. You'll constantly interact with cutting-edge technology, from intricate robotic arms to complex control systems governing entire production lines. The role often involves hands-on problem-solving, requiring both analytical thinking and practical skills to diagnose and fix issues under pressure. Furthermore, contributing to the efficiency and innovation within vital industries like manufacturing, energy, or logistics provides a tangible sense of impact.
What Does an Industrial Automation Technician Do?
This section delves into the typical responsibilities and environments associated with the role, giving you a clearer picture of the day-to-day work involved.
Installing, Maintaining, and Programming Automated Systems
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Find a path to becoming a Industrial Automation Technician. Learn more at:
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Reading list
We've selected some books
that we think will supplement your
learning. Use these to
develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a
deeper understanding of the topics covered in
Industrial Automation Technician.
An industry-leading textbook covering electrical, motor, and mechanical devices in automated systems and industrial control circuits. provides detailed information on the use of contactors within integrated systems, including their interaction with PLCs and other modern control components. It comprehensive resource for understanding contemporary applications.
This textbook covers electric motors and the systems used to control them, including a thorough explanation of contactors and their applications in various control circuits. It is designed for students and provides a clear explanation of fundamental concepts and practical applications. This good resource for gaining a broad understanding and is often used as a textbook.
Offers a practical, real-world approach to learning motor control devices, including contactors. It covers installation, troubleshooting, and testing, making it highly valuable for those seeking hands-on knowledge. It is suitable for building a strong foundation and useful reference for basic control circuits.
Focuses on practical know-how and troubleshooting techniques for electrical equipment and control circuits. Contactors are fundamental components in such circuits, making this book highly relevant for understanding common problems and their solutions in real-world applications. It is particularly valuable for those seeking to deepen their understanding through practical application and useful reference for professionals.
Is widely considered a standard introductory text for electrical machinery, including a strong foundation in DC motors. It's known for its clear explanations and accessibility, making it suitable for undergraduates. It provides essential background knowledge for anyone starting to learn about electric machines.
Likely focuses on the fundamental principles of controlling electric motors, which heavily involves the use of contactors and other switching devices. It would be suitable for beginners and those looking to build a strong understanding of the basics of motor control circuits. This good resource for gaining a broad understanding.
Offers a combined approach to electric machines and power electronics, which is crucial for understanding modern DC motor drives. It covers traditional DC machine principles and integrates how power electronic converters are used for control. This makes it valuable for both undergraduate and graduate students.
This international standard provides the general rules and common safety requirements for low-voltage switchgear and controlgear, which includes contactors. It crucial document for engineers and designers working with these components to ensure compliance with international standards. While not a textbook, it is an essential reference for contemporary practices and regulations.
Specifically addresses permanent magnet brushless DC motors (BLDC), which are increasingly common. It covers the fundamentals, power electronic converters, and control strategies for these motors. This is highly relevant for understanding modern DC motor technology and is suitable for graduate students and professionals.
Provides a practical overview of electric motors and drives, including DC motors. It focuses on the operational principles and applications, making it very relevant for those interested in how DC motors are used in real-world systems. It's suitable for a range of readers from advanced high school to working professionals needing a good overview.
This standard provides electrical safety requirements for industrial machinery, which commonly utilizes contactors for motor control and other functions. It is an essential reference for designers, builders, and maintainers of industrial machinery to ensure the safe application of electrical components like contactors.
Covering a broad range of industrial electrical topics, this book includes significant content on motor controls and the components used, such as contactors. It provides a good overview of the electrical principles and practical applications in an industrial environment. is suitable for gaining a broad understanding and serves as a helpful reference.
A comprehensive book focusing on the modeling, analysis, and control of electric motor drives, including DC motor drives. This is an advanced text suitable for graduate students and researchers, providing detailed mathematical models and control strategies. It's a key resource for in-depth study of DC motor control systems.
Covers the control circuits and devices, including electro-mechanical components like contactors, used in industrial automation systems. It offers a practical approach to circuit design and component selection, providing valuable context for how contactors fit into larger automated systems. It useful reference for those interested in the design aspects of systems using contactors.
A comprehensive textbook covering various types of electrical machines, with dedicated sections on DC machines. is often used in undergraduate electrical engineering programs and provides a solid theoretical basis for understanding DC motor operation and characteristics. It useful reference tool with a broad scope.
Contactors are a type of relay, specifically designed for switching higher power loads. provides a deep dive into the principles and applications of electrical relays, which will greatly enhance the understanding of how contactors function and are applied. It is more specialized but offers valuable foundational knowledge for those wanting to truly deepen their understanding.
Delves into the modeling and control of electric machines and drives. While it covers advanced topics, it provides crucial context on how contactors and other switching devices are utilized within motor drive systems for control and protection. It is suitable for graduate-level students and professionals seeking a deep understanding of motor control dynamics.
This is another widely used textbook on power electronics that includes significant coverage of DC motor drives and the power electronic converters used with them. It provides a good balance of theory and applications, suitable for undergraduate and graduate students.
For those looking to deepen their understanding beyond the basics, this book delves into the design principles of electrical machines, including DC motors. It covers the theoretical and practical aspects of machine design, making it suitable for graduate students and working professionals in motor design or development. It's a valuable reference for detailed analysis.
This is an advanced text focusing on the analysis and modeling of electric machinery and drive systems. It provides in-depth coverage of the mathematical models used to describe DC motors and their control systems, making it highly relevant for graduate students and researchers. It key reference for advanced topics in motor control and simulation.
Focuses specifically on DC machines and transformers, offering a detailed analysis of DC motor principles, construction, and operation. It can serve as a good supplementary text for a dedicated study of DC motors beyond the general machines texts.
Another comprehensive textbook covering various electrical machines, with a focus on both machines and drives. It includes content on DC machines and their control, suitable for undergraduate students seeking a broad understanding of electric machinery systems.
While a broader topic, power electronics is increasingly relevant to modern motor control and the application of solid-state contactors. provides a strong theoretical foundation in power electronic circuits and devices. It would be valuable for those seeking to understand the electronic principles behind modern control methods that are sometimes used in conjunction with or as alternatives to traditional contactors.
This widely used textbook in India and other countries for its comprehensive coverage of electrical technology, including detailed sections on DC machines. It provides a solid foundation in the principles and operation of DC motors and generators, suitable for undergraduate students.
While a broader book on control systems, it provides foundational knowledge on feedback control and system analysis, which can be applied to understanding more complex motor control systems that might integrate with contactor-based circuits or utilize solid-state switching. It's more for a graduate-level or professional seeking a deeper theoretical understanding of control.
Provides a specialized look at permanent magnet DC linear motors. While a specific type, it offers in-depth knowledge on their theory, design, and application, suitable for those focusing on more niche areas of DC motor technology or advanced applications.
While covering a range of special machines, this book often includes discussions on variations or specific types of DC motors or related machines not covered in introductory texts. It could be valuable for those looking for information on less common DC motor types or specific historical context.
For more information about how these books relate to this course, visit:
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