Industrial Control System Designer

Technical Pre-Screen

This is a practical look at how you organize an early control-panel design problem. We are interested in your reasoning, the questions you ask, and how clearly you communicate—not a polished final design.

Expected completion time: 20–30 minutes

The Exercise

Review the machine description, then respond to all five prompts in the form.

Machine Description

  • 480 VAC, 3-phase incoming power
  • One 1 HP, 460 VAC motor controlled by a VFD
  • A 24 VDC PLC and I/O system
  • One HMI
  • Four 24 VDC solenoid valves
  • Six photoelectric sensors
  • An E-stop circuit

What You Will Submit

  1. Major components: Provide a preliminary list of the major control-panel components you would expect to use. Exact manufacturer part numbers are not required.
  2. Power distribution: Upload a simple hand sketch, block diagram, or schematic showing how you would organize power distribution through the panel.
  3. Questions before quoting: List three questions you would want answered before you considered the design ready to quote.
  4. Component selection: Choose one component from your list and explain what information you would need to select and size it properly.
  5. Critical assumption: Identify one assumption you would not be comfortable making without confirming it with the customer or engineer.

Guidelines

  • Normal reference materials are allowed.
  • A clear hand sketch is completely acceptable; polished CAD work is not expected.
  • State reasonable assumptions, but flag anything that should be confirmed.
  • Complete the work yourself and be prepared to explain your answers later.
  • Submit one complete response when you are finished.

Submit Your Response

Complete the fields below and attach your sketch where requested.

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