ABOUT
Why BAC Exists
Small automation system integrators regularly win projects that exceed their available controls capacity. Hiring a full-time senior controls resource isn't always practical, especially when project workload fluctuates from quarter to quarter.
BAC was built to fill that gap. We provide experienced controls and automation support that integrates directly into an integrator's existing project team, helping deliver customer commitments without adding permanent overhead.
Most first calls happen within days of a trigger: a project award, a key person departure, or a delivery milestone that's coming up faster than the team can handle it. BAC is structured to respond to those moments, not to require lengthy onboarding before contributing.
Patrick Bunn
Owner / Consultant
Patrick Bunn has over twenty years of experience in industrial and heavy automation, with a career spanning plant maintenance, system integration, and multi-industry project environments. He has supported automation initiatives across metals, food and beverage, textile, wood, pulp and paper, oil and gas, chemical, pharmaceutical, and nuclear sectors.
Throughout his career, Patrick observed a recurring challenge: strong engineering teams and capable vendors operating without a unifying systems layer to align architectural decisions early. That gap—often invisible at the outset—frequently led to integration friction, scope ambiguity, and avoidable risk during execution.
After nine years in plant maintenance and twelve years in system integration, Patrick founded Bunn Automation Consulting to address that gap. BAC operates as a vendor-neutral, embedded systems engineering partner—supporting front-end loading, system architecture definition, and cross-vendor alignment before procurement commitments are made.
His background includes extensive hands-on experience in PLC and servo programming, HMI and SCADA development, VFD and soft starter configuration, and IT/OT control system network design. That execution-level depth now informs his systems-level perspective—enabling disciplined requirements clarification, interface ownership definition, and integration risk identification across complex, multi-vendor environments.
In addition to project work, Patrick has taught AC Theory at a local technical college and delivered instruction in motor controls, PLCs, and industrial networking to co-ops and interns. He has also presented a multi-part technical series on control networking, reflecting a long-standing commitment to engineering rigor and knowledge transfer.
After over twenty years in industrial controls, spanning plant maintenance, system integration, and multi-industry project environments, Patrick founded Bunn Automation Consulting to provide the kind of experienced controls capacity that small integrators need most: someone who can pick up real project work immediately, produce documentation that holds up under customer scrutiny, and exit cleanly when the engagement is done.
Originally from San Diego, California, Patrick now lives in Birmingham, Alabama with his wife Emily and their two sons, Theo and Levi.
Awards:
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Cisco CCNA 200-302 – The Complete Guide to Getting Certified
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Rockwell Automation – RAU SI PlantPAx Capability certificate
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Rockwell Automation – RAU Low Voltage Drives Assessment certificate
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Rockwell Automation – RAU Visualization Final Exam certificate
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Rockwell Automation – RAU Control Capability Assessment
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AVEVA – Citect SCADA 2018 R2 Configuration
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CISCO – IMINS2 – Managing Industrial Networks for Manufacturing
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PANDUIT – Industrial Network Design for Physical Infrastructure
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ALLEN-BRADELY – CCN144 - Kinetix 6500 CIP Programming, Studio 5000 Level 4
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WONDERWARE – InTouch Classic Stand Alone
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SIEMENS ENERGY & AUTOMATION, INC. – S7 TIA PLC Programming 1
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ABB UNIVERSITY – ACS800 Customer Multidrive
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SHERMCO INDUSTRIES – NFPA 70E Electrical Safety Training Course
How BAC Engages
Most engagements follow a straightforward pattern:
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An integrator reaches out, typically within days of a triggering event
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BAC and the integrator align on scope, timeline, and what "done" looks like
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Work begins remotely; BAC fits into existing tools and communication rhythm
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Defined deliverables are handed off; code, documentation, or both
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Engagement closes cleanly; no standing obligation required
Many clients return engagement by engagement as project demand fluctuates.
Platform-Neutral by Design
BAC's recommendations are driven by sound controls practice, not vendor preference. Work spans the platforms your projects require:
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Rockwell Automation (ControlLogix, CompactLogix, MicroLogix, PlantPAx)
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Siemens (S7-300, S7-1200, S7-1500, TIA Portal)
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AVEVA / Wonderware
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CODESYS-based platforms
When BAC Is Not the Right Fit
Being direct about fit protects both parties. BAC is generally not the right resource for:
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Daily on-site or embedded resident presence requirements
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Full-time, dedicated resource allocation across all working hours
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Electrical installation or panel fabrication labor
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24/7 emergency field dispatch
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Staff augmentation through a staffing agency or employer-of-record arrangement
If the engagement requires someone physically on-site every day, BAC is not the right fit, and we'll say so early.