Expert skills with PLCs, SCADA, Siemens, GAMP
A warm welcome to Gary Keeble who joined InControl Systems this June as Senior Engineer. He has extensive experience in the field of electrical engineering and software development. Gary graduated with Honours in Electrical Engineering from Liverpool Polytechnic, and embarked on a career that has spanned the evolution of the Programmable Logic Controller. Even in his first steps as an engineer, he worked with a control system house, where he played a role in programming pioneering PLC systems for water treatment in the nuclear industry.
Gary’s passion for this work led him to return to the same company after completing his degree, where he gained four years of valuable experience before moving on to another system integrator. It was during this time that he met two close friends and colleagues, and together they founded Nova Controls Ltd, a company specializing in niche control systems for industries such as petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and food. With a focus on technical competence and regulatory compliance, Gary developed a deep understanding of these industries and their specific requirements over the course of 30 years.
Having witnessed the rise of PLCs and SCADA systems from their early stages to the advanced solutions available today, Gary’s expertise in this field is unparalleled. He possesses a unique ability to listen to customer requirements and develop customized, efficient, reliable, and easily maintainable software solutions. He emphasizes the importance of creating software that is adaptable to future developments as customers’ needs and systems evolve over time.
Over the past 30 years, Gary has demonstrated expertise in developing bespoke highly purified water solutions for a major pharmaceutical water supplier. His contributions have been instrumental in the creation of standardised solutions as well as establishing documentation standards for issue to the pharmaceutical sectors. Gary’s involvement encompasses the development of software design specifications, module design specifications, and test procedures, all within the framework of the full GAMP Compliant documentation pyramid. Notably, his successful solutions have undergone audits conducted by external software compliance companies, further showcasing his commitment to quality and compliance.
Throughout his career, Gary has successfully completed numerous notable projects. One of these projects involved developing a gas receiving station for a turbine hall in Hong Kong, which required complex safety systems, dual redundancy, and high-level SCADA systems. He has been involved with this project since its inception and continues to contribute to its installation and upgrades. Additionally, Gary developed a software solution for a renowned biscuit manufacturer, enabling them to apply multicolored icing sugar to their popular brand of biscuits, involving recipe handling and multiple VSD drives.
Additional achievements include the development of a vision recognition system for a bean canning process, which ensured that incorrectly labeled products were rejected at a speed requiring a dedicated PLC based with nanosecond response times. Gary’s work in diverse areas includes software for welding nuclear fuel rods, bending pipes for a wheelbarrow-making machines, and creating skid-mounted water treatment products for the pharmaceutical industry.
As a control systems integrator, Gary recognized the need for comprehensive testing facilities, leading him to develop a current loop simulator using the latest generation of microcontrollers. This innovative device, with circuit boards manufactured in China, enabled accurate simulation of analog signals for PLC control systems, including process levels, temperatures, conductivity and flows.
Gary’s connection with InControl Systems Ltd began through a mutual contact who had previously worked for InControl. Over time, he developed a deep respect for both the company and its engineers through collaborative projects. With over 30 years of experience in industrial control systems, PLCs, and SCADA, Gary acknowledges the rapid changes in these technologies and believes that machine learning and AI will become increasingly integrated into highly regulated industries. He sees potential in applying these technologies to monitoring control systems and predictive failure analysis.
Outside of work, Gary is a dedicated family man and shares numerous hobbies with his two adult sons. He has a keen interest in developing quadcopter flight software, observing and photographing the night sky with his telescopes, and engaging in paintball battles. His passion for electronics development and microcontroller programming led him to create a custom sight for his paintball marker, as well as custom antennas for aircraft tracking and radio communications. Furthermore, Gary has automated his home with a comprehensive home automation system that monitors energy consumption, tracks aircraft, and provides real-time information on various household systems.
With his wealth of experience, technical expertise, and passion for innovation, Gary Keeble is poised to make significant contributions in the field of control systems development and the integration of emerging technologies.
If you find Gary’s move to InControl Systems inspiring, why not see if your skills would help us if you were to join our team
