JONATHAN JEROME / ENGINEERING PORTFOLIO
Automation &
Controls Engineer
I design, build, program, and implement industrial automation systems that solve manufacturing problems, improve reliability, reduce operating cost, and integrate directly into live production environments.
Interactive lessons and troubleshooting labs. Open in your browser.
Selected Engineering Impact
Engineering results tied to business priorities: equipment reliability, operating cost, production readiness, and full-project ownership.
Patent-Pending Reliability Improvement
Named inventor on a production improvement designed to eliminate a recurring failure, reduce downtime, and create lasting operational value.
Custom Automation vs. Commercial Inspection Hardware
Built and deployed a complete pallet detection and reject system for approximately $5,000, compared with roughly $75,000 per line for camera hardware alone.
End-to-End Automation Development
Owned a custom automation project from concept through production tuning, including mechanical design, fabrication, sensors, PLC programming, installation, and commissioning.
Startup
New Manufacturing Facility Commissioning
Supported production readiness at a new high-speed manufacturing facility through startup support, controls optimization, and equipment stabilization.
Featured Projects
Selected work demonstrating problem identification, automation design, controls integration, fabrication, implementation, and operational impact.
Automated Pallet Detection and Reject System
Production Result
Designed, built, programmed, installed, and commissioned a custom pallet detection and reject system now operating on a live production line. It checks pallets while the line is running and automatically removes defective pallets, allowing production to continue with minimal operator intervention.
Project Ownership
Took the project from mechanical design and fabrication through sensor integration, PLC programming, installation, and commissioning. The work included machining, reject and alarm logic, testing, and production tuning. The complete system, including detection hardware and discharge equipment, was built for approximately $5,000.
Equipment Cost Comparison
Comparable camera-based inspection equipment used at other facilities can cost approximately $75,000 per line for camera hardware alone. Against this system’s approximately $5,000 complete build, that represents roughly $70,000 per line in equipment cost avoidance.
This comparison excludes the commercial approach’s additional wiring, programming, commissioning, installation labor, and reject equipment. Avoided production losses from defective pallets are also excluded.
The system detecting and automatically ejecting a defective pallet while the production line remains in operation.
Example of a defective pallet identified by the system and automatically removed from the production flow.
Wear Ring Reliability Improvement
Named inventor on a custom production component designed to eliminate a recurring equipment failure and reduce unplanned downtime. I 3D modeled, prototyped, validated, and implemented the wear ring in production.
The design delivers estimated annual savings of approximately $155,500 through improved equipment reliability and reduced maintenance intervention. Niagara Bottling is pursuing patent protection for the invention.
Industrial Electrical Training
I built a browser-based training application that turns practical maintenance experience into interactive electrical lessons and troubleshooting labs, from foundational concepts through senior maintenance-level scenarios.
Work through schematics, take virtual meter readings, and collect evidence to diagnose electrical faults. Explore lessons on electrical fundamentals, motor controls, sensors, and PLC I/O, then put those concepts into practice.
Runs in your browser · Opens in a new tab
Greenfield Manufacturing Facility Commissioning
Helped bring a new high-speed manufacturing facility into production using Siemens and Rockwell automation systems. Resolved startup issues, optimized controls performance, and supported equipment validation to improve production readiness.
Coordinated with maintenance, operations, vendors, technicians, and engineering resources to resolve system issues and improve long-term equipment reliability after startup.
Keyence Vision Inspection System Integration
Integrated Keyence high-speed inspection cameras to verify date code presence on production lines. The system reduced manual inspection and improved quality control while maintaining reliable detection at high production speeds.
Label Runaway Detection System
Designed and implemented a label runaway detection system with ownership from design through installation and tuning. The work covered mechanical design, sourcing, PLC hardware and I/O selection, HMI development, fabrication, and programming. I worked directly with operations to tune performance and usability.
Case Coder Protection Logic
Developed line-stop and alarm logic to prevent cases from progressing through production without proper date-code verification, reducing scrap risk and strengthening production quality controls.
What I Do
Automation Engineering
I engineer automation around plant performance KPIs (key performance indicators), including downtime and operating cost. From concept to implementation, I build systems that improve uptime and address recurring failures.
Controls Programming
I develop PLC logic, operator interfaces, and custom HMI and SCADA-style systems. My focus is clearer visibility and control for operations, backed by troubleshooting at the code level.
System Integration
I bring sensors, vision systems, drives, HMIs, PLC hardware, and machine controls together as complete working production systems. My work spans electrical and controls design, mechanical integration, field installation, and startup.
Equipment Design & Continuous Improvement
I turn production weaknesses into engineered improvements that reduce downtime and waste. This work supports Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) principles through recurring-loss elimination, equipment reliability, and maintainability. Programming, fabrication, redesign, and troubleshooting turn those priorities into practical improvements.
Technical Capabilities
Automation, controls, system integration, electrical, mechanical design, reliability, and hands-on manufacturing capabilities.
Automation & Controls
Electrical, Instrumentation & Industrial Networks
Mechanical Design, Fabrication & Prototyping
Reliability & Continuous Improvement
Engineering Project Leadership
Manufacturing Systems & Software
Technologies & Platforms
Industrial automation, controls, inspection, robotics, and manufacturing technologies used in project development and plant support.
Certifications & Technical Training
Instrumentation, Automation, and Controls Technician (IACT)
Rockwell Automation
Academy of Advanced Manufacturing
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
May 2023 – July 2023
Krones Academy North America
TIA 2 Training
Franklin, Wisconsin
TIA Level 2
Niagara Bottling
March 13, 2025
TIA Level 1
Niagara Bottling
February 20, 2025
Education
Bachelor of Science – Computer Science
University of Phoenix
Expected March 2027
President's List Recognition
University of Phoenix
First Half of 2026
Earned for completing the qualifying credit requirement with a 4.0 GPA during the six-month recognition period.
Dean's List Recognition
University of Phoenix
College of Business & Information Technology
2024 and 2025
Continuing Technical Development
Expanding software, networking, and systems knowledge through formal computer science education while continuing hands-on work in controls, automation, commissioning, troubleshooting, and equipment design.
Awards & Recognition
Niagara LIFE InnovACT Everyday Award
Awarded in 2025 for contributions to Niagara's winning culture, innovation, and operational improvement.
Outstanding Performance Award
Recognized in 2025 for technical contribution, performance, problem solving, and impact within manufacturing operations.
About
My background combines PLC programming and controls troubleshooting with mechanical design, fabrication, system integration, and commissioning. I bring those disciplines together to turn plant-floor problems into working production solutions.
I’m at my best when I can take ownership from diagnosis through implementation. I work with maintenance and operations throughout development, testing, and production tuning, keeping the people who run and maintain the equipment part of the solution.
Contact
For questions about the projects and technical work shown here, email or LinkedIn are the best ways to reach me.