What is industrial automation? Types of industrial automation
03-04-2022 567
Industrial automation refers to computerized systems in manufacturing that handle various processes and machines in place of human involvement.
Mục lục
The increasing competition in today's industry demands the highest quality and most suitable products at competitive prices. To address this challenge, many industries consider different new product designs and integrated manufacturing techniques in tandem with the use of automated equipment.
One of the notable and influential moves to achieve solutions to the above challenge is industrial automation. Industrial automation enables increased product quality, reliability and production speed while reducing design and manufacturing costs by adopting new, innovative and integrated technologies and services .
Automation takes it a step further as mechanization uses a specific mechanical mechanism to assist an operator in performing a task. Mechanization is the manual performance of a job using assisted machines that is dependent on human decision making.
On the other hand, automation replaces human involvement with the use of powerful machine and logical programming commands.
Industrial automation is the replacement of computers and machines for human thinking. The use of automated control devices and technologies that result in the automatic operation and control of industrial processes without significant human intervention and achieving a performance superior to control by hand. These automation devices include PLC, PC, PAC, etc. and technology including various industrial communication systems.
Automation systems are important in many different industries. Let's see their advantages when applied to industrial production.
Factory automation or processing improves production speed through better production control. It helps with mass production by significantly reducing assembly time per product with higher production quality. Thus, for a given labor input, it produces a large amount of output.
Integrate various industrial processes with automated machines, minimizing cycle times and efforts, thus reducing the need for human labor. As a result, investment in employees has been saved through automation.
Since automation reduces human involvement, the possibility of human error is also eliminated. Uniformity and product quality with greater conformity can be maintained by automation. By adaptive control and monitoring of industrial processes in all stages right from product birth to final product.
Full automation reduces the need for manual testing of various process parameters. By taking advantage of automation technologies, industrial processes automatically adjust process variables to set or desired values using closed-loop control techniques.
Industrial automation increases employee safety by replacing them with automated machines in hazardous working conditions. Traditionally, industrial robots and robotic devices were made in such risky and dangerous places.
Industrial automation systems can be very complex in nature, having a large number of devices working in sync with the automation technologies. The automation system consists of different levels of hierarchy.
This is the lowest level of the automation hierarchy that includes field devices such as sensors and actuators. The main task of these field devices is to take the data of processes and machines to the next level for monitoring and analysis. And it also includes process parameter control through actuators.
The sensor converts real-time parameters like temperature, pressure, flow, level, etc. into an electrical signal. This sensor data is further passed to the controller for real-time monitoring and analysis of parameters. Some of the sensors include thermocouples, proximity sensors, RTDs, flow meters, and more.
On the other hand, actuators convert electrical signals (from the controller) into mechanical means to control processes. Flow control valves, solenoid valves, pneumatic actuators, relays, DC motors, and servomotors are examples of actuators.
This level includes various automation devices such as CNC machines, PLCs, etc., which acquire process parameters from various sensors. The controller automatically controls the actuators based on processed sensor signals and a control program or technique.
The Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is the most widely used powerful industrial controller capable of providing automatic control functions based on input from sensors. It includes various modules such as CPU, analog I/O, digital I/O and communication modules. It allows the operator to program a function or control strategy to perform some automatic operation on the process.
At this level, automated devices and monitoring systems facilitate control and intervention functions such as Human Machine Interface (HMI), monitoring of various parameters, setting production targets, etc. export, store history, setup startup and shutdown, etc
Mostly, Distribution Control Systems (DCS) HMIs or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) are commonly used in this level.
This is the highest level of industrial automation, managing the entire automation system. The tasks of this level include production planning, customer and market analysis, orders and sales, and more. So it deals with more commercial operations and less with other aspects. technical edge.
And industrial communication networks are also the most prominent in industrial automation systems that transmit information from one level to another. Therefore, they are present in all levels of automation systems to provide a continuous flow of information. This communication network can be different from one level to another.
From the above hierarchy, we can conclude that there is a continuous flow of information from high level to low level and vice versa. If we assume this graphically, it is like a pyramid where as we go up the information is aggregated and while going down we get detailed information about the process. .
This type of automation is used to perform fixed and repetitive operations in order to achieve high production speeds. It uses special purpose or specialized equipment to automate fixed sequence processing or assembly operations. Once it has been used, it is relatively difficult to change or alter the product design. Therefore, there is no flexibility in offering a wide range of products, but increased efficiency with higher production rates and reduced unit costs.
During this automation, a particular product type changes and also assembly or processing operations can be altered with modification of the control program in the automated equipment.
This automation is best suited for mass production processes where product volumes are medium to high. But in this, it is difficult to change and reconfigure the system for a new product or series of operations. Therefore, a new product or reconfiguration of operations requires a lengthy setup process.
This automation system provides automatic control equipment providing great flexibility for making changes in product design. These changes can be made on the fly through commands given in the form of code by the operator.
This automation allows manufacturers to produce multiple products with different ranges as a combined rather than separate process.
Integrated automation involves the automation of entire manufacturing plants as it is completely handled by computers and control processes with minimal human involvement. The computer can design the necessary parts, check the design, and fabricate those parts. Integrated automation, like flexible automation, is compatible with both batch process production and continuous process production.
- Computer Aided Process Planning
- Computer-aided design and manufacturing
- Computer numerical control machine tools
- Computerized production and scheduling control
- Automatic storage and retrieval system
- Flexible machine system
- Automated material handling systems, e.g. robots
- Automatic conveyors and cranes
Industrial automation refers to computerized systems in manufacturing that handle various processes and machines in place of human involvement. Most of the processes handled by such systems would be considered iterative, mechanical, or in other cases both.
By considering the types of systems mentioned above, you will be better suited to choose the right automation system for your business.
Related Posts:
One of the notable and influential moves to achieve solutions to the above challenge is industrial automation. Industrial automation enables increased product quality, reliability and production speed while reducing design and manufacturing costs by adopting new, innovative and integrated technologies and services .
What is industrial automation?
Automation takes it a step further as mechanization uses a specific mechanical mechanism to assist an operator in performing a task. Mechanization is the manual performance of a job using assisted machines that is dependent on human decision making.
On the other hand, automation replaces human involvement with the use of powerful machine and logical programming commands.
Industrial automation is the replacement of computers and machines for human thinking. The use of automated control devices and technologies that result in the automatic operation and control of industrial processes without significant human intervention and achieving a performance superior to control by hand. These automation devices include PLC, PC, PAC, etc. and technology including various industrial communication systems.
.png)
Advantages of industrial automation systems
Automation systems are important in many different industries. Let's see their advantages when applied to industrial production.
1 - To increase productivity
Factory automation or processing improves production speed through better production control. It helps with mass production by significantly reducing assembly time per product with higher production quality. Thus, for a given labor input, it produces a large amount of output.
2 - To provide optimal operating costs
Integrate various industrial processes with automated machines, minimizing cycle times and efforts, thus reducing the need for human labor. As a result, investment in employees has been saved through automation.
3 - To improve product quality
Since automation reduces human involvement, the possibility of human error is also eliminated. Uniformity and product quality with greater conformity can be maintained by automation. By adaptive control and monitoring of industrial processes in all stages right from product birth to final product.
4 - To reduce routine checks
Full automation reduces the need for manual testing of various process parameters. By taking advantage of automation technologies, industrial processes automatically adjust process variables to set or desired values using closed-loop control techniques.
5 - To improve the level of safety
Industrial automation increases employee safety by replacing them with automated machines in hazardous working conditions. Traditionally, industrial robots and robotic devices were made in such risky and dangerous places.
The hierarchy of an industrial automation system
Industrial automation systems can be very complex in nature, having a large number of devices working in sync with the automation technologies. The automation system consists of different levels of hierarchy.
1 - Field level
This is the lowest level of the automation hierarchy that includes field devices such as sensors and actuators. The main task of these field devices is to take the data of processes and machines to the next level for monitoring and analysis. And it also includes process parameter control through actuators.
The sensor converts real-time parameters like temperature, pressure, flow, level, etc. into an electrical signal. This sensor data is further passed to the controller for real-time monitoring and analysis of parameters. Some of the sensors include thermocouples, proximity sensors, RTDs, flow meters, and more.
On the other hand, actuators convert electrical signals (from the controller) into mechanical means to control processes. Flow control valves, solenoid valves, pneumatic actuators, relays, DC motors, and servomotors are examples of actuators.
2 - Degree of control
This level includes various automation devices such as CNC machines, PLCs, etc., which acquire process parameters from various sensors. The controller automatically controls the actuators based on processed sensor signals and a control program or technique.
The Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is the most widely used powerful industrial controller capable of providing automatic control functions based on input from sensors. It includes various modules such as CPU, analog I/O, digital I/O and communication modules. It allows the operator to program a function or control strategy to perform some automatic operation on the process.
3 - Level of production supervision and control
At this level, automated devices and monitoring systems facilitate control and intervention functions such as Human Machine Interface (HMI), monitoring of various parameters, setting production targets, etc. export, store history, setup startup and shutdown, etc
Mostly, Distribution Control Systems (DCS) HMIs or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) are commonly used in this level.
4 - Information or Enterprise level
This is the highest level of industrial automation, managing the entire automation system. The tasks of this level include production planning, customer and market analysis, orders and sales, and more. So it deals with more commercial operations and less with other aspects. technical edge.
And industrial communication networks are also the most prominent in industrial automation systems that transmit information from one level to another. Therefore, they are present in all levels of automation systems to provide a continuous flow of information. This communication network can be different from one level to another.
From the above hierarchy, we can conclude that there is a continuous flow of information from high level to low level and vice versa. If we assume this graphically, it is like a pyramid where as we go up the information is aggregated and while going down we get detailed information about the process. .
Types of industrial automation systems
1 - Fixed or Automated
This type of automation is used to perform fixed and repetitive operations in order to achieve high production speeds. It uses special purpose or specialized equipment to automate fixed sequence processing or assembly operations. Once it has been used, it is relatively difficult to change or alter the product design. Therefore, there is no flexibility in offering a wide range of products, but increased efficiency with higher production rates and reduced unit costs.
2 - Programmable automation
During this automation, a particular product type changes and also assembly or processing operations can be altered with modification of the control program in the automated equipment.
This automation is best suited for mass production processes where product volumes are medium to high. But in this, it is difficult to change and reconfigure the system for a new product or series of operations. Therefore, a new product or reconfiguration of operations requires a lengthy setup process.
3 - Flexible or soft automation
This automation system provides automatic control equipment providing great flexibility for making changes in product design. These changes can be made on the fly through commands given in the form of code by the operator.
This automation allows manufacturers to produce multiple products with different ranges as a combined rather than separate process.
4 - Integrated automation
Integrated automation involves the automation of entire manufacturing plants as it is completely handled by computers and control processes with minimal human involvement. The computer can design the necessary parts, check the design, and fabricate those parts. Integrated automation, like flexible automation, is compatible with both batch process production and continuous process production.
Technologies that use this type of automation include:
- Computer Aided Process Planning
- Computer-aided design and manufacturing
- Computer numerical control machine tools
- Computerized production and scheduling control
- Automatic storage and retrieval system
- Flexible machine system
- Automated material handling systems, e.g. robots
- Automatic conveyors and cranes
Ending
Industrial automation refers to computerized systems in manufacturing that handle various processes and machines in place of human involvement. Most of the processes handled by such systems would be considered iterative, mechanical, or in other cases both.
By considering the types of systems mentioned above, you will be better suited to choose the right automation system for your business.
Related Posts:
- Robots for picking, packing and unloading
- Technologies that will dominate manufacturing in 2022
- ROI - Motivation for Investments IIOT