Industrial Automation Technology05/08/2018Automation or automatic control, is the use of various control systems for operating equipment such as machinery, processes in factories, boilers and heat treating ovens, switching on communication networks, steering and stabilization of ships, aircraft and other applications and vehicles with minimal or reduced human intervention. Some processes have been completely automated. Automation is achieved by various means including mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, electronic devices and computers, usually in combination. Complicated systems, such as modern factories, airplanes and ships typically use all these combined techniques. The benefit of automation include labor savings, savings in electricity costs, savings in material costs, and improvements to quality, accuracy and precision. Automaton was not widely used before 1947, when Ford established an automation department. It was during this time that industry was rapidly adopting feedback controllers, which were introduced in the 1930s. Industrial automation deals primarily with the automation of manufacturing, quality control and material handling processes. General purpose controllers for industrial processes include Programmable logic controllers, stand-alone I/O modules, and computers. Industrial automation is to replace the decision making of humans and manual command-response activities with the use of mechanized equipment and logical programming commands. One trend is increased use of Machine vision to provide automatic inspection and robot guidance functions, another is a continuing increase in the use of robots. Industrial automation is simply done at the industrial level. Energy efficiency in industrial processes has become a higher priority. Applications for example found in motor controls, general purpose pumps, fans, and servo controls reduce energy consumption and thus increase efficiency. The paradox of automation says that the more efficient the automated system, the more crucial the human contribution of the operators. Humans are less involved, but their involvement becomes more critical. This is where maintenance becomes crucial. As more processes become automated, the higher the skill level requirements become for operators and maintenance personnel. If an automated system has an error, it will compound that error until it is fixed or is shut down. A shut down then necessitates human involvement. At this point a repair solution is often necessary. Whenever this becomes the case, call on the experts at Precision Electronic Services to assist with the solution you need. Back To Blog
Industrial Automation Technology05/08/2018Automation or automatic control, is the use of various control systems for operating equipment such as machinery, processes in factories, boilers and heat treating ovens, switching on communication networks, steering and stabilization of ships, aircraft and other applications and vehicles with minimal or reduced human intervention. Some processes have been completely automated. Automation is achieved by various means including mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, electronic devices and computers, usually in combination. Complicated systems, such as modern factories, airplanes and ships typically use all these combined techniques. The benefit of automation include labor savings, savings in electricity costs, savings in material costs, and improvements to quality, accuracy and precision. Automaton was not widely used before 1947, when Ford established an automation department. It was during this time that industry was rapidly adopting feedback controllers, which were introduced in the 1930s. Industrial automation deals primarily with the automation of manufacturing, quality control and material handling processes. General purpose controllers for industrial processes include Programmable logic controllers, stand-alone I/O modules, and computers. Industrial automation is to replace the decision making of humans and manual command-response activities with the use of mechanized equipment and logical programming commands. One trend is increased use of Machine vision to provide automatic inspection and robot guidance functions, another is a continuing increase in the use of robots. Industrial automation is simply done at the industrial level. Energy efficiency in industrial processes has become a higher priority. Applications for example found in motor controls, general purpose pumps, fans, and servo controls reduce energy consumption and thus increase efficiency. The paradox of automation says that the more efficient the automated system, the more crucial the human contribution of the operators. Humans are less involved, but their involvement becomes more critical. This is where maintenance becomes crucial. As more processes become automated, the higher the skill level requirements become for operators and maintenance personnel. If an automated system has an error, it will compound that error until it is fixed or is shut down. A shut down then necessitates human involvement. At this point a repair solution is often necessary. Whenever this becomes the case, call on the experts at Precision Electronic Services to assist with the solution you need.