What is Industrial automation?

Industrial automation uses computer control systems and robots (i.e., automated machinery) to replace humans in making decisions and participating in manufacturing processes. For example, automated machining tools and moving parts perform machining and finishing operations on materials, and automated delivery systems move parts and components to various manufacturing stages.

The benefits of industrial automation

Because of the benefits offered by the integration of industrial automation technology - including increased production speed, better quality control, and improved safety - manufacturing facilities in almost every industry are increasingly choosing to adopt it instead of traditional manual or mechanized methods. Some of the most important benefits include:

Improve manufacturing quality and flexibility

One of the hallmarks of manufacturing excellence is better quality, i.e. lower overall production error rates. Automated manufacturing and assembly equipment, such as CNC machines, have integrated programs designed to handle repetitive tasks with increasingly low error rates. In addition, these machines can be programmed to perform new operations and additional steps immediately during assembly.

Increase productivity

Compared to manually operated facilities, automated manufacturing facilities offer the ability to operate faster and continuously without the risk of errors due to operator fatigue. While industrial automation may still require some human inspection and supervision, automated processes are far more productive per person on the manufacturing floor than manual or mechanical processes.

Reduce cost

Despite the high initial costs, industrial automation can help facilities reduce overall costs by:

Integrate analytics tools into the process to minimize data collection and management costs.

Reduce overall labor costs, such as wages, benefits, and other health care costs.

Integrated sensors and automatic alarms reduce the risk of equipment failure or service outages.

secure

Automated processes are safer because they require less operator involvement. Instead of playing the role of operator, human supervisors can monitor tasks and production from a safer distance, while machines can handle tasks with potentially hazardous materials or equipment, such as:

chemicals

Sharp metal and equipment

Heavy materials and equipment

Materials that require extremely high or low temperatures

Electronic equipment

[Types of industrial automation]

Manufacturing facilities can use a combination of different levels or degrees of automation to structure their manufacturing processes. These types of industrial automation include:

Fixed automation (also known as hard automation)

Many manufacturing facilities perform routine, repetitive tasks that do not vary from product to product. Processes that require these continuous or large-scale operations use specialized machines with fixed automation, also known as hard automated processes. While fixed automated processes are inflexible and can be costly initially, they produce products with high speed, accuracy, and safety.

Flexible automation (also known as soft automation)

Flexible automation, also known as soft automation, enables more flexible production. Unlike a machine that uses hard coding, it does not use a hard coding machine to handle a set of tasks without any deviation, as hard automation does, but instead uses specified commands in a computer program. Changing the code can change not only the order of steps, but also the actual process of execution. For example, individual CAD templates for parts and products can be converted into specific instructions for CNC machines. In addition, guided vehicles and other dynamic manufacturing tools use flexible automated processes to handle complex manufacturing tasks.

Programmable automation

In programmable automation, manufacturing tasks are handled by computer programs that provide specific instructions to the machine. These processes can vary from batch to batch, as engineers can modify the instruction set to fit the specifications of a specific manufacturing application.

Programmable automation is ideal for manufacturing facilities that produce small batches and produce similar products using many of the same steps and tools. While completely new configurations and sequences are possible, they typically require much longer setup and processing times. Unlike flexible automation, programmable automation allows hard automation Settings to be reconfigured from the same underlying systems and tools for each production run. This type of automation is common in paper mills or rolling mills.

Integrated automation

Integrated automation is handled entirely by computers and control processes with minimal human involvement. Computers can design the necessary parts, test designs, and manufacture parts. This type of industrial automation is closest to the "lights out" automation first conceived in the 1980s.

Type of manufacturing process compatible with automation

The manufacturing process establishes the operations required to produce the final part or product, while the automation process determines how the operations are performed. For example, the assembly of prefabricated parts (manufacturing process) can be achieved through hard automation or programmable automation (automated process).