Need Advice as a New Instrument Technician

If your co-workers and boss don't have the technical expertise, perhaps that's why they hired you. All I can recommend is that you study as much as possible on your own. As far as specific questions, the folks here at CR4 are generally very helpful.

My biggest advice is to acknowledge, on an as needed basis, your immediate technical limitations. When asked to perform a technical task that you are not readily familiar with say something like this:

"It's been awhile since I've done a <insert task>. This has to be done right or we are all wasting our time and money. Let me first research this and I'll be back in an hour to do this right."

This is particularly true with calibration procedures of instruments. One instrument manufacturers methodology may not work for another manufacturers instrument.

If you are looking to increase your skill level you need some sort of mentoring....If you can't find it in person, then virtual relationships are the next best thing....join a group...or take classes...

https://www.tpctraining.com/pages/electrical-instrumentation-systems-technician-training

https://www.industry.usa.siemens.com/automation/us/en/process-instrumentation-and-analytics/process-instrumentation/service-and-support/pages/pi-support.aspx

http://www.controleng.com/

Read up on the types and brands of instruments you have in the field at your plant.

Follow OEM manuals carefully, and to the letter. Ask OEM tech support frequent questions when the need arises. You will develop a better working relationship with them in that manner.

At least study and know the basic operating principle of the instrumentation you are responsible for. Learn to work on things one thing at a time, and don't let them pull you off when you are on the verge of completing a critical task. That will spread you so thin, you will lose place of what your were doing.

Redfred's (GA) and Mr. Stewart's (GA) combined advice hits the bullseye - tell people you need to do some research to do it right and then go read the manual(s) for the specific device.

It's amazing how much information is the manufacturer's manual. Not everything, but most of what you need to know is already documented.

Sometimes there's more then one manual, there might be an installation manual for mechanical and wiring and separate manual for configuration. The manuals frequently do not have the decoding ring for decoding the 19 digit/character model number to figure out exactly what features are included. Sometimes it's the catalog/spec/data sheet that has that information.

Save the PDFs. Maintain your own library. Don't just download it, read it.

Spend an hour a day reading the documentation and shortly you'll be the on-site guru wizard because somehow, you know what's going on because you read the manual.

I would recommend, if possible, you forge relationships with the manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors of the equipment and instruments you are working on. You would be surprised at how much technical advice you can get from some of them. They know if they help you, later down the road when you need to buy or replace something, you'll be thinking of them.

This strategy has worked for me. I replaced our previous maintenance manager because my managers felt he wasn't doing his job. It went from me working for him, to me being his direct supervisor, to him being removed from maintenance altogether. Needless to say, I didn't get a lot of info from him.

I had to learn somehow and started making phone calls and sending emails. Hinting that although I didn't know too much about a piece of equipment, I might be looking to upgrade it in the future. The info started pouring in. I'm talking some big companies like Fanuc America, ABB, both of which I have been to their Rochester Hills, MI facilities more times then I can count. I was looking to replace our aged P-100 paint robot, which so far has not happened, but both companies got something in return, Fanuc gets my business for replacement parts on the P-100, and when I need a new VFD or parts for one, I go with ABB.

I have done this with the specialty companies of some of the coating equipment we use like STC Dip Spin, P Ronci Machine Company, and Jessup Engineering. Most people have never heard of these companies but they are huge in my industry. Besides their sales guys visiting, I have had each of their owners/ presidents visit my small facility on more than one occasion. They are where I have received 90% of my knowledge about their equipment. Not only do they get my business, but I send many of my peers to them from our sister plants that are all over the country.

Same goes for distributors of the smaller equipment / consumables we use. Like filters, pot liners, paint pots, pumps, hoses, and paint guns and parts for all of it. I have 2 main distributors, they both know about each other. I take quotes from both and go with the better of the two, close to a 50/50 split. Most of the time the pricing is close, so the info/knowledge I get about said piece of equipment and how to maintain it may make the difference in a sale.

This may not work for you if you have no say in the purchasing of new equipment or replacement parts, but it wouldn't hurt to try. Nobody is more willing to teach you about the equipment you are using than the equipment manufacturer or distributor, especially if they think the can make a buck later.

Just my 2 cents worth, it worked for me, it may work for you.

Good luck.