About Us

Australian manufacturing is a complex system, facing pressures from global competition and rising costs. While the challenges are significant, there’s a clear opportunity to improve efficiency and competitiveness through automation of machines and processes. Our clients value our unique approach to identify specific areas where automation can have the greatest impact, helping our clients achieve cost savings and maintain a competitive edge.

ControlX Engineering is a growing Newcastle-based company that specialises in automation of machines, processes and entire plants. In just under three years of operation, the company has already gained a reputation for providing reliable, high-quality services to its expanding client base, as reflected in its track record of on-time project completion and positive reviews from clients.

130+

Completed Projects

20+

Clients on Books

12y+

Industry Experience

OUR MISSION

"Our mission is to develop easy-to-use automation tools which accelerate manufacturers to become production facilities of the future. The future of manufacturing is a fully integrated business made up of digital factories, where production machines, lines, software and ERP are seamlessly integrated into one digital ecosystem between all business units."

Alex Sharikov - Director & Lead Engineer at ControlX.

Our Journey

From Machine Automation to Production Empowerment

At ControlX Engineering, we began by designing automated systems for industrial machines, offering electrical design and PLC/SCADA solutions to companies of all sizes, including those in the mining industry. However, while working with the manufacturers and sometimes next to the business owners commissioning a production equipment we learnt the importance of achieving both an uninterrupted production and the quality of produced goods.

Recognizing Industry-Wide Challenges

We observed the challenges manufacturing businesses face, including staffing shortages and a constant demand for routine tasks. Unexpected issues further strain resources and make it difficult to maintain smooth operations. While simple solutions like downtime dashboards can help proactively address some issues, time constraints often prevent production personnel from exploring the full potential of automation. Additionally, navigating complex online automation solutions can be overwhelming, especially for smaller manufacturers.

Simplifying Automation for Every Manufacturer

ControlX is committed to making automation accessible and simplifies these complexities through a collaborative approach. We work directly with our clients to understand their operational needs and goals, in plain language, free from technical jargon.

Using our extensive automation expertise, we then propose customizable solutions tailored to each client's specific challenges and objectives. These solutions may involve:

Developing user-friendly software that displays machine and production line OEE metrics, or,
Integrating seamlessly with existing production software to provide enhanced functionalities and insightful data.

Our goal is to empower every manufacturer, regardless of size or complexity, to unlock the full potential of automation through our accessible and effective solutions.

Our TOOLS

To develop a complete automation solution, a diverse range of tools are required. We have experience and knowledge in programming languages to develop custom MES systems, most common PLCs, SCADA software packages to achieve automation goals and provide outstanding automation solutions.

For design and implementation of custom Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) we use the following tools:

For design and implementation we use Ignition SCADA from Inductive Automation
Software development and building MES connectors using Python, NodeJS / Typescript and .NET / C#
Data flow management achieved by OPC UA, Industrial IoT (IIoT) protocol MQTT with some use of HTTP REST and SOAP

These tools help to develop reliable solutions of integration ERP system with machines at factory floor.

In PLC programming we generally work with Siemens S7-1200 PLCs, however we also have strong experience with the following PLCs:

Allen Bradley ControlLogix and CompactLogix programming with Studio 5000 / RSLogix5000
Schneider Electric Modicon M340 and M580 programming with Unity Pro
Siemens S7 series programming with TIA

also worked with IDEC, Omron and Mitsubishi PLCs.

SCADA is a computer system for gathering and analysing real-time data. We have a broad knowledge base of the following SCADA and HMI systems:

Citect SCADA, Allen Bradley PanelView HMIs
Ignition SCADA from Inductive Automation
Node-RED, an open source framework developed by IBM allows creating quick and reliable HMI solutions for simple applications

Note

We are a Certified Integrator at Inductive Automation, see our details at partners website https://inductiveautomation.com/integrators/

Pricing on Ignition SCADA is flexible (https://inductiveautomation.com/pricing/ignition). We can help to choose right solution package for you application or provide a discount.