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Instrumentation Engineering

  

Who is an Instrumentation Engineer?

Instrumentation engineering forms the base for process automation. An instrumentation engineer takes charge of installing, monitoring, planning, and maintaining machinery, systems, control units, measuring instruments, etc. that are used in domains like design, manufacturing, electrical, etc.

What does an Instrumentation Engineer do?

  • An instrument engineer is someone who will design and operate a machine that is generally built to be used in extremely high-level technical environments.

  • Industries in the field of manufacturing, chemical engineering, automobiles, etc., often hire instrument engineers to ensure the management, safety, and smooth operation of their control systems and mechanized tools.

  • Instrument engineers are responsible for duties like regular maintenance of the machine, wiring, installation, integrating sensors, etc.

What are the skills required?

As an instrumentation engineer, you must have a strong foothold on technical knowhow. You also need to have a sound understanding of subjects like physics and mathematics. Apart from this, you must possess the following:

  • An ability to solve complex matters.

  • Be able to come up with unique solutions to technical problems.

  • Strong communication skills to work efficiently across technical teams and design good products.

Who can be an Instrumentation Engineer?

  • Students can either opt for a bachelor’s course in instrumentation engineering or pursue a master’s course in the field. The eligibility for both the courses differs. For a bachelor’s degree, students need to have successfully passed their 10+2 examination with physics, chemistry, biology as well as mathematics. You need to apply for JEE (Joint Entrance Exam)

  • Post-graduation students need a bachelor's degree in instrumentation engineering, electronics engineering, or a combination of both. 

Where can you study Instrumentation Engineering?

For higher education, you can apply to the following colleges/universities:

  • Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur

  • Banaras Hindu University

  • Anna University

  • Chennai College of Engineering and Technology

  • Madras Institute of Technology

  • Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, New Delhi

  • National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli

  • Jalandhar Institute of Technology

  • Birla Institute of Technology and Science

Apart from higher education in India, you can also study abroad in the following colleges/universities

  • Stanford University

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • California Institute of Technology

  • Cornell University

  • Princeton University

What is the Career scope for Instrumentation Engineers?

Instrumentation engineers have a lot of scope across sectors. Here are some examples:

  • Automobile sector: Their primary role in the field is to assemble parts of different vehicles.

  • Medical sector: They have a wide role in the medical sector and are responsible for the installation and management of blood glucose monitors, electrocardiographs, as well as, scanners.

  • Steel and cement sector: Instrumentation engineers design and operate various types of equipment specific to the steel and cement sector.

These engineers also design instruments such as sensors, aeronautical equipment, defence equipment, smoke detectors, biomedical equipment, manufacturing equipment, etc.

How much does an Instrumentation Engineer make?

  • The average yearly salary for an instrumentation engineer can be estimated at around Rs 413,963. However, several factors like experience, the reputation of the college, individual personality, etc., can determine the final salary for a person.

  • Instrumentation engineers who pass out from leading educational institutions are likely to earn better and also earn bonuses based on their industry and sector of work.

What are the books and study material available?

Most colleges have an entrance exam before you can get yourself enrolled in a bachelor’s or master’s course. To become an instrumentation engineer, you will need the correct career guidance along with the following books and material:

  • Mock tests available online

  • NCERT syllabus of class 11th and 12th

  • Study material available by prestigious institutes

  • Consult your seniors (who have already given such exams) for guidance

  • Previous year question papers (JEE)

Some popular books are O.P. Tandon for Physical Chemistry, P.Bahadur (G.R.Bathla & Sons) for Numerical chemistry. Concept of Physics by HC Verma (Vol 1, Vol 2); Problems In General Physics by IE Irodov. IIT Mathematics, M.L. Khanna; Trigonometry, S L Loney; Calculus & Analytic Geometry, Thomas & Finney

If you are preparing for GATE, you can also refer to - GATE Instrumentation Engineering Vol-1, Vol 2, and Vol-3

Major recruiters for Instrumentation Engineers in India

Given the fact that instrumentation engineers can work across sectors, many multinational companies are always on the lookout for good engineers. Here are some popular names:

  • Aircel

  • ABB corporation

  • Larsen & Toubro

  • Essar Oil Limited

  • Vodafone

  • National Instruments

These companies offer good opportunities along with career counseling for professional growth.

Some Interesting facts

Instrumentation engineers enjoy a multi-faceted career as they have the option to jump across sectors and industries. Not only this, but they can also work in private, government, and defense establishments.