Automation
can generally be defined as the process of following a predetermined sequence
of operations with little or no human labor, using specialized equipment and
devices that perform and control manufacturing processes. Automation in its
full sense, is achieved through the use of a variety of devices, sensors,
actuators, techniques, and equipment that are capable of observing the
manufacturing process, making decisions concerning the changes that need to be
made in the operation, and controlling all aspects of it.
OR
Automation
is the process in industry where various production operations are converted
from a manual process, to an automated or mechanized process.
Example: Let’s assume that a worker is operating
a metal lathe. The worker collects the stock, already cut to size, from a bin.
He then places it in the lathe chuck, and moves the various hand-wheels on the
machine to create a component; a bolt could be such an item. When finished the
worker begins the process again to make another item. This would be a manual
process. If this process were automated, the worker would place long lengths of
bar into the feed mechanism of an automatic lathe. The lathe mechanisms feed
the material into the chuck, turn the piece to the correct shape and size, and
cut it off the bar before beginning another item. This is an example of an
automated machine in a manufacturing process.
Automation
is a step beyond mechanization, where human operators are provided with
machinery to help them in their jobs. Industrial robotics are said to be the
most visible part of automation. Modern automated processes are mostly
controlled by computer programs, which through the action of sensors and
actuators, monitor progress and control the sequences of events until the
process is complete. Decisions made by the computer ensure that the process is
completed accurately and quickly.
Many
people fear that automation will result in layoffs and unemployment; they believe
that its evils considerably outweigh its benefits. Basically, automation does
take over jobs performed by workers; but automation does not need to bring
about unemployment, as some people fear, for three very positive reasons:
First, in terms of the numbers of workers
required to produce a product, the reduction is a temporary displacement which
can be offset by the demands of a broadening market, as well as the creation of
new industries. It still takes many workers to build, service, and operate any
automatic machine.
Second, automation does not happen overnight;
it is an evolutionary process. Manual, direct-labor work will be progressively
transformed into work, which will be cleaner, easier, safer, and more rewarding
to the worker, who, through the process of automation itself, will be trained
for the more skillful accomplishments required in the better jobs of the
future.
Third, and most important, automation is the
necessary solution to a predicted shortage of labor. It is designed to do the
work of people who are not there; it is a solution to a problem, not a cause.
Automation is a technology dealing with the application of mechatronics and
computers for production of goods and services. Manufacturing automation deals
with the production of goods. It includes:
■ Automatic machine tools to
process parts.
■ Automatic assembly
machines.
■ Industrial robots.
■ Automatic material
handling.
■ Automated storage and
retrieval systems.
■ Automatic inspection
systems.
■ Feedback control systems.
■ Computer systems for
automatically transforming designs into parts.
■ Computer systems for planning
and decision making to support manufacturing.
The
decision to automate a new or existing facility requires the following
considerations to be taken into account:
■ Type of product
manufactured.
■ Quantity and the rate of
production required.
■ Particular phase of the
manufacturing operation to be automated.
■ Level of skill in the
available workforce.
■ Reliability and maintenance
problems that may be associated with automated systems.
■ Economics.