Automation & AI for businesses and manufacturers · Lycoming County, PA
Find the work a robot or AI should be doing.
Short on people for the repetitive jobs? I help local manufacturers and small businesses find where automation and AI will actually pay off, then set up the smaller projects and train your team.
Free 20-minute assessment call · Written quote before any work
- teaching manufacturing, automation, and robotics at Penn College
- 29 yrs
- engineering technology programs led through ABET accreditation
- 4
- reviewing technology proposals for Ben Franklin Technology Partners
- Since 2013
- formerly, School of Industrial & Engineering Technology
- Dean
Services
Where I can help your shop.
Automation assessment
A walk-through of your operation to find the repetitive, error-prone, or unsafe jobs worth automating, with rough costs and payback.
Robotics & cobots
Choosing and setting up collaborative robots and simple automation for small runs, and working alongside an integrator on larger systems.
Sensors & shop-floor data
Simple sensors and dashboards so you can see machine uptime, counts, and problems without walking the floor.
Practical AI for the office
Microsoft Copilot or ChatGPT set up for quotes, documents, and email, with a clear policy so company data stays private.
Process & layout fixes
Cheaper fixes first. A better fixture, layout, or workflow often beats a robot, and I’ll tell you when it does.
Staff training
Hands-on training so your team can run, maintain, and get the most from new equipment and software.
How it works
Three steps, starting with a free assessment.
1. Free assessment call
Tell me about the job or process. We talk for 20 minutes by phone or video.
2. Site visit & plan
I walk your floor or office and give you a written plan with priorities, costs, and a fixed quote.
3. Build & train
Smaller projects are set up around your production schedule, and your team is trained. Larger systems go to a trusted integrator, with me on your side.
Ongoing support is available once your systems are running.
About
Hi, I’m Eric. I’ve built it, and I taught it for thirty years.
Eric Albert has built and installed automation systems and uses AI tools every day. He spent nearly thirty years at Pennsylvania College of Technology teaching manufacturing, automation, robotics, and electronics, including as head of Manufacturing Engineering Technology and dean of the School of Industrial & Engineering Technology, after studying computer science and earning a PhD at Penn State. He doesn’t sell equipment, so his advice is about what fits your shop.
Highlights
- Has built and installed automation systems
- Taught manufacturing, automation, robotics, and electronics at Penn College for nearly 30 years
- Former dean of the School of Industrial & Engineering Technology, and head of Manufacturing Engineering Technology
- Led ABET accreditation for four programs: welding and fabrication, plastics and polymer, manufacturing, and civil engineering technology
- Proposal reviewer for Ben Franklin Technology Partners since 2013
- PhD from Penn State, plus a degree in computer science
Full curriculum vitaeShow +Hide −
- Education
- PhD, Mineral Engineering, Pennsylvania State University1986
- MS, Mineral Engineering, Pennsylvania State University1978
- BS, Computer Science, Pennsylvania State University1973
- Appointments
- Professor Emeritus, Pennsylvania College of Technology2022
- Associate Professor, Manufacturing Engineering Technology, Penn College2001–2020
- Dean, School of Industrial & Engineering Technology, Penn College1996–2001
- Assistant Professor & Department Head, Manufacturing Engineering Technology, Penn College1991–1996
- Assistant Professor, Mineral Engineering, Penn State1986–1991
- NSF grants
- Principal Investigator, Planning Grant for Unconventional Shale Oil and Gas Technology Center of Excellence ($69,970)2014
- Principal Investigator, Marcellus Shale Technology and Curriculum Development Model; Natural Gas Technician Education Partnership ($882,000)2010–2013
- Project Manager, Pennsylvania Nanofabrication Manufacturing Technology Partnership, NSF Regional Center for Nanofabrication Manufacturing Education2001–2004
- Service
- Project proposal review board, Ben Franklin Technology Partners2013–
- Lead instructor, Penn College SMARTGirls STEM summer camp2012–2018
- Past Chair, Curriculum Committee; faculty representative, Facilities Committee and College Council, Penn College
- Led ABET accreditation efforts for four engineering technology programs as dean1996–2001
- Presentations
- “An Introduction to Gas Exploration and Production in the Marcellus Shale,” public service event, Scottish Rite Auditorium, Williamsport2008
FAQ
Common questions.
We’re a small shop. Is automation realistic for us?
Often, yes. Collaborative robots and simple sensors cost far less than they used to. The assessment tells you honestly whether automation makes sense now, later, or not at all.
Do you install the equipment yourself?
For smaller projects, yes. For larger automation cells I plan the project and work alongside an integrator, so you get independent advice without paying for a big firm’s design work.
Are you tied to an equipment vendor?
No. I don’t sell equipment or take commissions, so my recommendation is whatever fits your shop, including not automating at all.
Will this disrupt production? Who handles safety?
Work is scheduled around your production. Every robot or automation project starts with a safety review, and I’ll tell you plainly when a job needs guarding or a certified integrator.
Is AI safe to use with our company data?
It can be, with the right setup. I use business versions of these tools that keep your data out of their training, and I train staff on what not to share.
What does it cost?
The first call is free. Every project gets a written, fixed quote before any work starts.
Where do you work?
With manufacturers and businesses throughout Lycoming County, including Williamsport, Montoursville, Muncy, Hughesville, and Jersey Shore, and across North Central Pennsylvania.
Get in touch
Tell me about the job you’d like to automate. The first call is free.
Twenty minutes is usually enough to know whether automation or AI makes sense for you, and roughly what it would take.
Or email eric@alberttechnical.com