What is automation?

Automation is the process in which performing

operations by using different kinds of machines.
Automation is done by using control systems and also
by using information technologies and this will reduce
the human work. Basically the automation can be
described as the act of controlling the equipment by
using electronic hardware, automation has played a
major role in industrialization and the automation can
be described as a step above mechanization.
What is the role of automation in industries or what is
industrial automation?

The industrial automation is the process in which

creating the products with the help of computers and
programmable controllers. Automation uses control
systems such as numerical control, PLC, and other
industrial control systems. It also uses information
technology to control industrial process, by using
computer aided technologies such as CAD, CAM, and
CAX. In a factory we can automate the production
machines and tooling, material handling equipment,
inspection equipment, and also can automate the
computer systems that control the manufacturing
operations. Basically industrial automation is the use
of robotic devices to do the manufacturing tasks.

What are the features of industrial automation?

• There could be automatic machine tools to

process parts
• Assembly machines are automatic
• Industrial robots to do accurate operations
• Material handling and storage systems are now
automatic
• Quality control is done by using automatic
inspection system
• Due to the automation there is computer process
control and feedback control
• There are computer systems to do the data
collection, decision making and to do the
manufacturing activities
What are the advantages of industrial automation?

Because of industrial automation the manufacturing

tasks can be done quickly and effectively. In industrial
automation we can see the use of computerized
robots and these robots can handle difficult task very
easily and in hazardous location we can use these
automated machinery in place of humans. Because of
industrial automation the employees are reduced and
because of this the companies can save money, but
the robotic machinery is very expensive initially but
the less employees in the company will compensate
for this loss in the future. There is less chance for the
breakdown of the machinery in that case it would cost
a lot

What is the need for automation?

By the help of automation we can replace or can

reduce up-to 90% and humans can cause errors and
in certain conditions the error can increase and that’s
why we need automation. The automated device can
operate without any error and they are reliable and it
would do the work very quickly and accurately. The
automated device can replace humans where hard
physical work is needed and the automated device
can operate in hazardous locations. The automated
device can perform tasks which are beyond human
capabilities.
What are the types of automation?

There are three type of automation they are

• Programmable automation
• Flexible automation
• Fixed automation
Programmable automation

By using the programmable automation the production

automation is capable to handle different product
configurations. In the programmable automation the
operation sequence is controlled by the program and
this program will be a set of instructions and the
system will be able to read these instructions and are
capable to do the necessary operations according to
these instructions. This type of automation makes the
system to handle the changes and variations in
product configuration and they are very useful for
batch production.

Flexible automation

By this type of automation the system can change

from one job to the next very quickly and it won’t take
any time. By using the flexible automation different
kinds of products can be manufactured. The system
reprogramming and altering the physical setup is very
quick in this and because of this the system is capable
to produce different products with less time. This type
of automation is really flexible to deal with Varity of
soft product, the production rates will be minimum,
Manufacturing of different mixes of products can be
done.

Fixed automation

In this type of operation the sequence of processing

the operation is done by the equipment configuration.
The sequence operation will not be difficult and it
could be really simple. Basically a fixed automation
can be considered as the combination or integration of
different operations into one equipment and this would
make the system very complex. The initial cost for this
automation will be very high and the production rates
will be very high in this

What are the difference between fixed automation and

programmable automation?

• In fixed automation the processing or assembly

operation in a system is fixed by the equipment
configuration, while in case of programmable
automation the production equipment is capable
to vary the sequence of operations so that it can
process variety of product configuration.
• Fixed automation is composed of workstations
and it will be connected to conveyors, while in
case of the programmable automation the
operation is handled by a program and this
program would have a set of instruction code and
the system would operate according to this
instruction.
 • In fixed automation the customized equipments
cost is really high, while in case of programmable
automation high investment is required for general
purpose equipment.
• Efficiency and production rate of fixed automation
is high when compared to programmable
automation and the reason for this could be the
different product configuration in programmable
automation
• In programmable automation the system can
handle different product configuration while in
fixed automation it is not possible
• Programmable automation is used for medium
production and the fixed automation is used for
bulk production.

What are the required tools for automation?

In order to do the automation certain tools are

required and they are programmable logic controllers,
SCADA, Human machine interface (HMI), VFD. A PLC
is an electronic device and it can do certain functions
like timing, logic sequencing, arithmetic control and
lot. The PLC is controlled by a programming software
and less wiring is needed for PLC. By using SCADA
real time industrial process control is possible and
with the help of this remote or local equipments in a
factory can be monitored. The SCADA system could
determine the faults in a system and can send
message to control system. By the help of HMI human
and machine interface is achieved.
What are the components and control systems used
in automation?

In PLC certain sensors are used to determine the

input, and signal is transmitted by using the
transmitter. The control systems such as PLC, PID
and DCS is used to control the operations. There are
output devices such as actuators, drives, control
valves, etc are used.

What is test automation?

The automation testing that doesn’t have any

disadvantages of manual testing. It uses a software to
do the tests and by this it can determine if the actual
and predicted output is same or not.

What are the advantages of automation?

• Productivity is increased
• Improved quality
• Cost is reduced
• Safety in working conditions
• It replaces human operators in tedious tasks
• Operation in dangerous environment is possible
because of this
• Accuracy
• Reliability
• Quality
• It can do tasks which is beyond human capability
What are the disadvantages of automation?
 • The sensors or robots that is used in automation
can’t take any judgment calls
• It takes time to repair
• It could be hazardous and also can cause
problems
• The initial cost will be high for installing machines
and equipment
• High maintenance is required for automated
machines
What are the applications of automation?

• Because of automation food retail industries has

changed the payment system has replaced
employees due to this and also self-checkout
system is done in many supermarkets because of
automation.
• Automation is very useful in mining process and
the human labor is decreased
• Automation is used for military purpose for
monitoring and surveillance
• Automation has played a great role in
industrialization, automation is now used in many
factories infact we won’t be able to see a factory
without the use of automation.
• Automation is done in many homes

Automation is essentially the use of automated technology and machinery for

processes such as manufacturing, eliminating the need of extra labour.

The advantages of automation are:

 • Reduced human labour required
• Consistency in quality
• Fewer risks of human error
• Improved health & safety
• Improved ef ciency
However, using automation can:

• Be a costly initial investment

• Require some manual labour: observation and programming, for
example
• Failures could lead to temporary downtime in production
Automation systems are classed into three different types of automation:

• Fixed automation
• Programmable automation
• Flexible automation
Fixed Automation

Fixed automation is a type of automation where the process of manufacturing

stays xed by the way it is con gured, following a xed sequence of
automated processes. An example of this is ow production, where products
are continuously being made. This is often also known as “hard automation”.
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 Fixed automation can be expensive to set up initially due to the equipment
required, but in return, it provides high production rates. However, it is
relatively in exible when it comes to making changes to the product.

This is relatively useful for many companies who use automation to create
food products of one type and variant. It allows them to effectively produce
that item and package it in bulk.

Foods that require chemical processes, for example, may use this to ensure
the consistency of the chemical processes.

Advantages of xed automation include:

• High levels of production

• Consistent quality in production
• Low cost per unit produced
Disadvantages of xed automation include:

• High initial cost

• Dif cult to accommodate changes
This type of automation is best suited for: High demand and generic products
that require no change.

Coca Cola continues to use this automation in their factories. As seen above,
this allows for the production of large quantities of the soft drink, allowing
Coca Cola to meet the high demands of their classic soft drink.
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 Programmable Automation

Programmable automation allows the production equipment and automation

to be altered to changing needs. This is done by controlling the automation
through a program, which can be coded in certain ways for the automation to
change the sequence of automation.

It’s used more commonly in low to medium levels of production, often being
most suitable for batch production.

Programmable automation will often be used by factories who make different

variants of foods. This allows them to make batches, from a few dozen to
potentially thousands at a time, of one product. If the product needs
changing, it simply needs to be reprogrammed.

Advantages include:

• Flexibility to change products if needed

• Suitable if batch production is required
Disadvantages include:

• Expensive for equipment

• Lower production levels
• Often time-consuming to change products
This type of automation is well suited for: Low/Medium demand and
occasional changes in products.

Flexible Automation

Flexible automation, also known as “soft automation”, is similar to

programmable automation, although a little more complicated. Essentially,
exible automation enables the production of different types of products
without losing time when reprogramming.

A exible automation system can produce various combinations of products

ef ciently without having to separate them into different batches, as required
in batch production. This type of automation tends to have medium levels of
production.

Advantages include:

• Flexibility of products
• No time lost with new changes to production
Disadvantages include:
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 • High custom machinery/automation cost
• Higher cost per unit
There are essential differences in establishing exible automation from
programmable automation. A exible automation system will be able to
change the physical setup as well as programs, with no loss in time and
productivity.

Altering the part programme is usually done by coding the program of ine on
a computer and then transferring it to the automated system.

This type of automation is best suited for: Medium demand and constant
changes/large variety in products.

Deciding which type of automation to use for production can be tricky. This
chart below shows what options might be best to consider, depending on the
variety and demand of the product.

Image courtesy of Wisdomjobs.com

SCADA and MES systems:

SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) is a tool which is made of

computer systems. It enables for the gathering and analysis of real-time data,
and is used to monitor, control and supervise equipment.
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These are planted in manufacturing facilities in order to supervise equipment
such as telecommunication, water, gas and waste. If there is a problem with
these, such as failure in telecommunication equipment, the SCADA system
provides information with where the problem has occurred and determines
how critical the failure is.

An MES (Manufacturing execution system) is similarly a system which can be

used to supervise. However, an MES serves the purpose of monitoring and
tracking processes of production in a factory. It allows you to see how
effective production is at any given time, which is done by gaining real-time
data on production.

Both of these systems can be integrated within your manufacturing process to

ensure your factory equipment is working correctly, reducing potential
downtime and producing the highest quality product with minimal waste.

Advantages of Automation:
The advantages of automation are:

(i) Increased productivity (greater output per hour of labour input),

(ii) Improved product quality,

(iii) Reduction of scrap (particularly bene cial for costly raw

material),

(iv) More safety (due to operator taking the supervisory role instead
of active and direct physical participation),

(v) Reduced manufacturing lead time,

(vi) Reduction of in-process inventory, etc.

It is always advantageous to automate monotonous and hazardous

jobs. With more and more automation, human errors are totally
eliminated and product quality improved and rejects minimised,
prices reduced and ultimately standard of living of people
increased.
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Automation Disadvantages
Less versatility – by having a machine that can perform a certain
task limits to the exibility and variety of tasks that an employee
could do.
More pollution – different types of machines operate using motor
which may require gases or chemicals in order to operate. This can
cause an increase in pollution in the workplace.
Large initial investment – automated machines can be one of
the most costly operating costs for a company. With automated
machines running anywhere between thousands and millions of
dollars depending on the type and degree of automation.
Increase in unemployment – by increasing the amount of
automation, there are less employees required causing high
unemployment rates.
Unpredictable costs – there can be several unpredictable costs
that may exceed the actual cost saved by the automation itself.
Some of these costs could include research and development costs
of automating a process, preventative maintenance costs, and the
cost of training employees to operate automated machines.

What is Industrial Automation?

Industrial Automation is the technology that uses
mechanical, electronic and computer systems to help
manufacture and control things in production.
The term “Industrial Automation” is a process in which
various tasks in the manufacturing process are performed
automatically. The operator is required only for supervision,
this enables him to control a number of machines at a time.
In today’s world for a company to survive in the cut-throat
competition, it must opt for automation.
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Need of automation / Advantages of
automation.
1. Increased labour productivity.
2. Reduced labour cost.
3. Mitigate the effects of labour shortages.
4. Reduced or eliminate routine manual and clerical tasks.
5. Improved worker safety.
6. Improved product quality.
7. Reduced manufacturing lead time.
8. Reduced unit cost.
Types of Industrial Automation
Automation can be classi ed into 3 major categories:

1. Fixed automation
2. Programmable automation
3. Flexible automation
1. Fixed automation :
Fixed automation refers to the use of special-purpose
machines to perform a speci c task only. These types of
automatic machines are made to perform single or at the
most two tasks. Fixed automation is capable of
manufacturing a particular product style, so any changes in
the product design or process means changing the
automation system which in turn is quite dif cult.
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These machines that are used to automate the task are
custom-built according to the manufacturing process. As
Fixed automation is employed for doing a particular process
it becomes dif cult for Fixed automation to adapt to new
changes in the process. Fixed automation is initially
expensive, however, in the long run with high production
rates, it becomes economical. Therefore, xed automation is
best suited for mass production.

Fixed automation is also referred to as “Hard

Automation”

Examples of Fixed automation:

Examples of xed automation include automated assembly
lines in automobile manufacturing industries, material
handling conveyor systems, machining transfer lines,
chemical manufacturing systems etc.

Advantages of Fixed Automation are:

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 • Fixed automation has high production rates.
• Manufacturing cost per unit is lower.
• Uniform quality output.
Limitations of Fixed automation are:
• High Initial investment is required.
• Dif cult to adapt to changes.
2. Programmable automation :
Programabble automation refers to the production
equipment designed with the capability to change the
sequence of operations to accommodate different product
con gurations. The operation sequence is controlled by a
program, which is a set of instructions coded so that the
system can read and interpret them. New programs can be
introduced into the equipment to produce new products.

Unlike Fixed production which is suitable for mass

production, Programable automation is suitable for batch
production. In programmable automation, for each new style
of product the machinery must be reprogrammed. As the
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systems are being reprogrammed there is a span of non
productive time.

Examples of Programmable automation:

Examples of programmable automation include NC
controlled machine tools, industrial robots, CNC machines
Programmable logic controllers (PLC) etc.

Advantages of Programmable Automation

are:
• Programmable automation is best suited for batch
production.
• There is exibilty to accomodate product change.
Limitations of Programmable automation are:
• Initial cost is high.
• Lower production level as compared to xed
automation.
• Reprogramming is time consuming.
3. Flexible automation :
Flexible automation is an extended part of programmable
automation. A exible automated system is one that is
capable of producing a variety of products (or parts) with
virtually no time lost when changes are made from one
product to the next.
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There is no production time lost while reprogramming the
system and altering the physical setup (tooling, xtures, and
machine setting). Consequently, the system can produce
various combinations and schedules of products instead of
requiring that they be made in separate batches.

Flexible automation is also referred to as “Soft

Automation”

Example of Flexible automation:

Examples of exible automation include robotic arms that
can be reprogrammed to do a variety of tasks like drilling,
welding, spray painting etc.

Advantages of Flexible Automation are:

• No time is lost while changes are made.
• Easier to adapt to changes in product.
• It is faster than programmable automation as no time is
past in making the changes.
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 Limitations of Flexible automation are:
• Higher cost of equipment/machinery.
• Manufacturing cost per unit is higher.

All of the above automation can be quite expensive and for

small to medium scale businesses it might be a problem.
Therefore, for this purpose Low Cost Automation can be
implemented.

What is Low cost automation?

1. Low cost automation (LCA) is to implement an
automation solution at the lowest cost. LCA is de ned
as “a system where man and machine collaborate and
work together, to achieve a goal with less investment”.
2. An automation, which is easy to implement with high
exibility and reliability, which occupies less space, that
needs zero or minimum maintenance, with minimum
investment and running cost, is termed as LCA.
3. LCA is one solution especially medium and small scale
industries who nd it dif cult to implement automation.
4. LCA involves the introduction of standard equipment,
mechanism and devices to convert manual operation to
automatic ones by making use of parts or sub-
assemblies of old not utilized machines, mechanisms,
system which are available free or at very lower cost.
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