Control System Design: George Jetson's Vs. Homer Simpson's And Your Preference

I have always been someone who is interested in manufacturing, but a few years ago I started working harder on learning about the industry. I started visiting as many factories as I could, and before I knew it, I realized that there were a lot of things that I didn't know how to do yet. I started going to workshops and talking with real industry professionals, and it was really eye opening. This blog is all about learning about the people and processes that make all of our greatest inventions, and what you can do to create a better life for yourself.

Control System Design: George Jetson's Vs. Homer Simpson's And Your Preference

Control System Design: George Jetson's Vs. Homer Simpson's And Your Preference

8 December 2017
 Categories:
Industrial & Manufacturing, Blog


Industrial control panels come in all shapes and sizes and have all kinds of buttons, gauges, switches, and handles. Take two examples from the cartoon world: George Jetson and Homer Simpson. George's control panel only has a simple button he has to push all day. Homer's has so many gauges, pull handles, and buttons that it is a wonder that the plant has not had a meltdown yet. This is something to consider when your plant needs a few control systems of its own. Which control system design do you prefer? The simplicity of George's, or the complexity of Homer's? Take a look at both.

Life, Simplified

Everyone would like to think that this world is moving toward less complex operations. After all, the technology you see in the Jetsons' cartoon is already here. It is life simplified, and all you have to do is speak or push buttons. You can ask industrial control panel designers to simplify control panels such that they are much easier to operate, but many of the industrial machines in operation right now are still too complex to have just one button on the control panel. Consider asking the designers for a control system with as few buttons, switches, and handles as possible but that will still do what you need them to do.

Complex Panels for Complex Machines

You still live in an industrial world where complex machines have to operate multiple applications simultaneously. While computers have certainly made things easier, it still is not possible to operate complex machines without complex control panels. In Homer's case, he keeps a nuclear cooling tower in a nuclear cooling plant from creating a nuclear holocaust event. That requires a lot of buttons and switches! Jobs where thousands of lives are at stake need dozens of controls to prevent disaster. 

You might have a preference for a more complex control panel, and that is fine. However, that does not mean the panel has to look like it was designed by a preschooler. The designer you hire for your new control system can create a panel such that it follows a clear and logical flow, and everything is properly labeled. While remaining complex, you can still glance over the panel to see the exact buttons, switches, and handles needed to maintain order and control. The best part is you get a control panel that is easy to use, complex in nature, and completely logical in flow and use.

For more information about control system design and what will be best for your industrial plant needs, whether it is simple or complex, talk with a professional design company, such as Solutions Engineering.

About Me
Choosing Better Manufacturing Practices

I have always been someone who is interested in manufacturing, but a few years ago I started working harder on learning about the industry. I started visiting as many factories as I could, and before I knew it, I realized that there were a lot of things that I didn't know how to do yet. I started going to workshops and talking with real industry professionals, and it was really eye opening. This blog is all about learning about the people and processes that make all of our greatest inventions, and what you can do to create a better life for yourself.

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