Automation - Types of automation,advantages and disadvantages of automation

                                        Automation

Automation  ­:- it is a technique, method, or a system or controlling a process  automatically. Automation obtained from a greek words  “auto” and “matos” where  auto means ‘itself’ and  and matos means ‘moving ‘. Therefor automation is a process of  system that  move by itself.

Types of automation tools :-

•  Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)
•  Human Machine Interface (HMI)
•  Distributed Control System (DCS)
•  Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)
•   Artificial neural network (ANN)
•   Instrumentation
•   Robotics
•   Motion control

Information Technology (IT)  makes a great role in industrial automation .figure below shows the major IT areas context of industrial automation used.

Automation Systems may include Control Systems which may be parts of automation system. Main factor  of control systems is to make certain that the outputs follow the particular set points, Such as computing set points, monitoring system , plant startup and shutdown, jobs scheduling etc.

Industrial Automation implicate different types of consequential  amount of hardware technologies such as Actuation and Drives, Electronics design for Signal Conditioning, Stand-alone Computing Systems, Communication and Display etc.

Different Types of Automation Systems :-

Flexible Automation :- it is an addition of programmable automation. In this human gives high-level command to the computer system  in the form of codes, after that computer identify product location and sequence, lower level changes are done automatically. Each machine get instruction from computer.

Fixed Automation :-  fixed automation system the sequence of  processing operation is fixed, which has a fixed set of operation and designed to be efficient for this set.

Programmable Automation :- in programmable automation product producing in batches. It is used for a changeable sequence of operation using electronic control. It uses a kind of job process where job variety low and product volume is medium to high example paper mills, steel rolling mills etc.

Integrated Automation ­:- in integrated  automation system where all processes working under computer control and planning under digital information process. Technologies used in integrated automation such as computer aided design, computer numerical control machine tools, automatic material handling system etc.

Advantages of automation system :-

1.Higher production rates

2.Increase productivity

3.Improve safety

4.Reduce human labour cost

5.Perform tast beyond human capabilities

6.Good product quality

7.Efficient use of material

8.Safety of workers

9.Compliance consistency

                   10.Reduce cycle time in installation process

11.reduce job related injuries

      Disadvatages of automation system :-

                            1.Reduce jobs

                            2.Capital expenditure

                            3. machine becomes redundant when production process changes

                               4. Security issues

                               5. High initial cost