This program will prepare you for a career as an instrumentation and control technician for high-tech industries such as power generation plants, water treatment facilities, chemical manufacturing plants, canneries, aerospace plants, bio-pharmaceutical plants, semi conductor manufacturing plants, and pulp and paper mills.
You will learn how to maintain, repair, and troubleshoot instrumentation and control systems in industries that increasingly rely on automation. Instrumentation & Control is a great program choice if you’re looking for a high-wage career with employment potential across the nation and beyond.
*Many Instrumentation & Control Technology students are employed outside of WA & OR. According to BTC faculty records, 83% of 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 graduates were employed in their field of study within 9 months of graduation.
The average annual wage in this field is $65,166, with an earning potential of about $75,920 per year.* The need for industry to reduce operating expenses requires continual investment in automation, which means more jobs for instrumentation technicians.
Most program graduates work as instrumentation and process control technicians in bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, oil refineries, food processing, pulp/paper mills, power plants, metal smelters, systems integrators, research and development or water/sewage treatment facilities. Opportunities also exist in medical instrumentation, chemical plants, canneries, aerospace, sales and communications.
A thorough introduction for the new student to the fundamental properties and applications of electricity. This course opens the doors to a wide array of career opportunities in computer servicing, biomedical equipment servicing, manufacturing technology, telecommunications, and home entertainment equipment servicing. In addition, safety procedures are emphasized. Students learn how to make good solder connections and recognize and repair bad solder connections. Students learn how to select and clean soldering tools. This course continues with the basics of current, voltage and resistance. The application of Ohm’s Law and the construction of circuits to verify electronic theory provide the knowledge necessary to build the foundation for a thorough understanding of electronics. This course teaches the student to use a logical course of correction to an electronic problem in a minimum amount of time. Student will learn generic troubleshooting technique procedures and tricks of the trade from analog to digital circuits.
BTC College Level Math score of 75 or MATH 099 with a C or better. ACCUPLACER Reading Comprehension score of 71 or RDG 085 with a C or better, and ACCUPLACER Sentence Skills score of 71 or ENGL 092 with a C or better. Completion of Intermediate Algebra (MATH 099) or placement into Pre-Calculus (MATH&141).
The development of a working knowledge of the basic principles of DC electronics. The purpose and operation of such devices as resistors, capacitors, inductors and meters are covered in labs and theory.
INST 100, INST 110 and INST 115 all with a C- or better or concurrent enrollment in INST 100, INST 110 and INST 115 or Instructor permission.
An introduction and examination of the principles and applications of alternating current, including frequency, reactance, impedance, and resonance.
INST 100, INST 106 and INST 115 all with a C- or better or concurrent enrollment in INST 100, INST 106 and INST 115 or Instructor permission.
Students continue their exploration of AC with transformers and filter circuits (low-pass, high-pass, band-stop and band-pass), with theory, lab work, and projects.
INST 100, INST 106 and INST 110 all with a C- or better or concurrent enrollment in INST 100, INST 106 and INST 110 or Instructor permission.
Students learn how discrete semiconductor devices are constructed, how to handle them, how diodes, bipolar transistors, FETS, and thrystors operate and how to use them in practical circuits. ACDC power supply circuits introduced as well.
This course introduces the student to various “building block” circuits including amplifiers, oscillators, and power supply circuits, through theory, lab work, and projects.
Explores the design and operation of basic operational amplifier circuits through theory and lab work to illustrate and confirm the design and operation of linear amplifiers, voltage and current converters, comparators and precision rectifiers.
Oscillators, active filters and single power-supply circuits and other applications of op-amps are covered in theory, practical labs and projects.
A comprehensive focus on the concepts, terminology, components and circuits that combine to form basic digital systems with lab work and projects.
In this course you will learn how to wire, configure, and use electromechanical relays to control electric motors and other discrete (on/off) control elements for real processes. You will also learn how to wire, configure, and use variable-frequency motor controls to use three-phase AC motors as final control elements.
INST 140 with a C- or better.
In this course you will learn how to wire, program, and configure programmable logic controllers (PLCs) to perform discrete control functions including combinational logic, counters, and timers.
INST 141 with a C- or better.
In this course you will learn how to program data-handling functions in programmable logic controllers (PLCs) including comparison, arithmetic, and data transfer instructions. You will also learn to connect and program human-machine interface (HMI) panels to PLCs.
INST 142 with a C- or better.
This course introduces you to the trade, terminology, and basic principles of instrumentation. It is a preparatory course for any one of three sections within the second year of Instrumentation: measurement, control, and systems, enabling you to begin your second year of Instrumentation at the start of Fall, Winter, or Spring quarter.
MATH& 141 with a "C" or better or instructor permission.
In this course you will learn how to precisely measure both fluid pressure and fluid/solids level in a variety of applications, as well as accurately calibrate and efficiently troubleshoot pressure and level measurement systems.
In this course you will learn how to precisely measure both temperature and fluid flow in a variety of applications, as well as accurately calibrate and efficiently troubleshoot temperature and flow measurement systems.
This course teaches the basic principles of process analysis including pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, and chemical constituency.
Preparation for employment including resume preparation, cover letter writing, job search engine use, and interviewing skills.
In this course you will learn how to precisely control energy in process systems using fluid valves and motors. You will also learn how fluid power systems work, and how to efficiently troubleshoot final control elements.
This course teaches you how the most basic and widely-used control algorithm works: proportional-integral-derivative (PID). In this course you will see how the PID algorithm is implemented in pneumatic, analog electronic, and digital control systems.
This course teaches the art and science of tuning PID controllers for robust loop control, including Ziegler-Nichols closed-loop and open-loop methods in addition to heuristic methods.
MATH&141 with a "C" or better and completion of or concurrent enrollment in INST 251.
This course teaches you how to get the jobs that are not listed in classified ads or job search engines. You will learn how to professionally network, research employers for job potential, conduct informational interviews, and otherwise take an active approach in securing employment within your professional field.
This course reviews digital theory learned in the first year (Core Electronics) courses, building upon that foundation to explore industrial data busses (including Ethernet) and indicating, data logging, and SCADA systems.
MATH&141 with a “C” or better and completion of or concurrent enrollment in INST 200.
This course teaches the basic principles of distributed instrumentation, including distributed control systems (DCS), FOUNDATION Fieldbus instruments, and wireless field instruments.
This course teaches the theory and practical application of process control strategies including cascade, feed forward, selector, and override controls. Safety instrumented systems (SIS) concepts are also covered in this course.
MATH&141 with a“C” or better and completion of or concurrent enrollment in INST 262.
In this course you will learn how to commission, test, and analyze basic protective relays and instrument transformers used to protect equipment in electrical power systems. This course also reviews phasor mathematics for three-phase electrical circuits.
MATH&141 with a C or better and INST 141 with a C- or better.
An internship exists to give students opportunity to learn instrumentation in a real-world setting. In this course, you will work under the direction of a supervisor at a real job site, performing work directly related to instrumentation and control. Specific objectives will vary with the job and with the supervision.
This program admits students approximately two times a year. The next start quarter is Fall 2019.
Students are encouraged to have their high school diploma or GED by graduation, because many employers require this credential as a condition of employment.
Completion of Intermediate Algebra (MATH 099) or placement into Pre-Calculus (MATH&141) is a required prerequisite for enrollment in this Program.
Communication - Communicates and expresses thoughts across a variety of mediums (verbal, written, visually) to effectively persuade, inform, and clarify ideas with colleagues.
Time Management - Arrives on time and prepared to work; budgets time an meets deadlines when performing technical tasks and projects.
Safety - Complies with national, state, and local safety regulations when repairing, calibrating, and installing instruments.
Diagnose and Repair Existing Instruments - Assesses, diagnoses, and repairs faulty instruments in measurement and control systems using logical procedures and appropriate test equipment.
Install and Configure New Instruments - Builds, configures, and installs new instrument systems according to plans, applying industry construction standards, and ensuring correct system operation when complete.
Process Control Optimization - Improve system functions by evaluating control system performance; implements strategies to tune and stabilize control systems.
Instrument Calibration - Assesses instrument accuracy and correct inaccuracies using appropriate calibration procedures and test equipment.
Documents Instrument Systems - Interprets and creates technical documents (electronic schematics, loop diagrams, and P&IDs) according to industry (EIA, ISA) standards.
Self-Directing Learning - Selects and researches relevant information sources to learn new principles, technologies, and techniques.
Career Development - Researches and seeks opportunities for promotion and job advancements in work and career settings.
Tony Kuphaldt has 11 years of experience working as an instrument and controls technician, first in the CNC machine tool field, then in oil refining and lastly aluminum smelting and casting. Tony is the principal author of the "Lessons In Electric Circuits" textbook series, as well as the author of the "Lessons In Industrial Instrumentation" textbook, both of which are successful open-source references designed to enhance technical education. His technical interests include mathematics, physics, sustainable energy and related technologies, electronic circuit design, automotive technology, computer programming, welding, and photography.
Instrumentation and process control technicians install, maintain, repair, and adjust the measuring and controlling instruments that make plants run safely. Bellingham Technical College’s Instrumentation & Control program will give you training for a career as an instrumentation technician for high-tech industries such as power generation plants, water treatment facilities, chemical manufacturing plants, canneries, aerospace plants, bio-pharmaceutical plants, semiconductor manufacturing plants, and pulp and paper mills.
BTC’s classes in the Instrumentation & Control program will train you to maintain, repair, and troubleshoot instruments and control systems in industries that increasingly rely on automation. Instrumentation & Control is a great program choice if you’re looking for a high-wage career with employment potential across the nation and beyond.
AAS- Associate Degree: Take seven quarters of instrumentation classes and training, and graduate from Bellingham Technical College with your associate degree in Instrumentation & Control, ready to get top jobs in a variety of industries.
AAS-T Transfer Degree: Take seven quarters of general education and instrumentation classes. After completing the courses and training, you’ll be ready to get jobs in the instrumentation field, or you can transfer your class credits to a four-year university or college to earn your bachelor’s degree.
The average annual wage for instrumentation and control technicians is $65,166, with an earning potential of about $75,920 per year.* The need for industry to reduce operating expenses requires continual investment in automation and specialized instruments, which means more jobs for trained instrumentation technicians.
Most Bellingham Technical College Instrumentation & Control program graduates use their training to find jobs as instrument technicians and process control technicians in bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, oil refineries, food processing plants, pulp and paper mills, power plants, metal smelters, systems integrators, research and development labs, or water and sewage treatment facilities. Opportunities also exist in medical instrumentation, chemical plants, canneries, aerospace, sales and communications.
This applied English course focuses on the workplace communication skills needed to send, receive, and process oral and written information. Along with a review of writing fundamentals, learners will use principles of clear communication, professionalism, and cultural awareness in occupational contexts. Learners will sharpen their reading, writing, and presentation skills.