Meet Dennis Arnold, a talented Senior Controls Engineer based out of our Memphis office. For over a decade, he has been an essential part of LSI’s team, contributing his expertise, commitment, and innovation to our success. We’re proud to have him on our team and grateful for his impact. Three words that best describe him are thorough, results-driven, and leader. It’s an honor to spotlight Dennis and share his story in this month’s interview.
How long have you been with LSI?
11 Years
Describe your current role and experience at LSI.
I am a Senior Controls Engineer, and most of my day-to-day work has been HMI and PLC programming using Rockwell’s FactoryTalk and Logix platforms. I also have significant experience in Batch, PI, SQL, server configuration, and leading development projects.
Where did you go to college?
University of Missouri, Columbia, with BS degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering
What industries have you been involved in?
Mostly food and chemical, some beverage and pharmaceutical, and a touch of paper, mining, and wastewater to round things out.
Tell us about a project success story that you are proud of.
Most of the successes I am proud of are probably not that interesting to read about, so I’ll tell the one that seems most anecdotal. Hani (a fellow engineer) and I worked on a project to convert about a dozen panel-based HMI projects and their interfacing PLC code into a server-based solution for display on thin clients. The HMIs panels were of varied generations and functionality, so the task was like a dozen conversion projects in one. This was a subcontracted project, and the partner engineering firm that hired us had planned for an entire week of 24/7 on-site, post-commissioning support to deal with issues. Well, the time came, and Hani and I were naturally put on the second and third shift. We then proceeded to spend a full week doing absolutely nothing. That’s right: nothing. Thanks to our attention to detail during the development, the system just plain worked. The few times we were asked to look into something that week, it was usually for an adjacent system that wasn’t even in our project scope. Had this been for a direct customer rather than a subcontract, I’m sure we would have been allowed to go home after a day or two of twiddling our thumbs. You might even think the end customer would be annoyed seeing us sitting around, doing nothing all night for a week. But the engineering firm later admitted to us that the customer was impressed and had praised us for diligently supporting the mixers from the production floor, rather than hiding away in the engineering offices on the other side of the plant.
What do you think is unique about LSI?
Its people. Through dedicated attention to hiring the right people, management has created an environment with shared values and goals. I have really enjoyed working with everyone I’ve done projects with.
How have you grown professionally since joining LSI?
I learned everything I know about control systems since joining. Before LSI, I was in the aviation industry. When I interviewed with Dan Miller (LSI’s Chief Technology Officer), I didn’t even know how to spell PLC. But he took a chance on me, and I like to think it paid off for LSI — joining has definitely been a good move for me.
What advice do you have for aspiring engineers?
Stay curious. Seeking a better understanding of:
- your customer’s requests will ensure they are satisfied with the deliverable.
- our tools of the trade will make you more skilled and useful.
- the people around you will build friendships.
What is your favorite vacation spot?
I don’t think I have a favorite vacation spot. I have been to many memorable places, and usually, the enjoyment stems from what I’m doing more than where I am. So, maybe my favorite spot is “anywhere new.”
Do you have any hobbies or random facts about yourself that you could share with us?
My hobbies span from super nerdy to country classics. I enjoy tinkering with electronics, playing with Arduino and ESP32 microcontrollers, writing computer programs, toying with Linux computers, designing printed circuit boards, and most recently, 3D printing. But I also enjoy motorcycle off-roading, welding (MIG, stick, and TIG), guns, boating, fixing cars and motorcycles, and hopefully soon, machining. I recently bought a 12×36 metal lathe that I can’t wait to get set up and start making chips.