Department of

Mechanical
Engineering ,
Automation in GEC bhuj

Manufacturing (AIM) Unit No: 1

Unit title:
Introduction
Subject name: AIM
Subject Code: 3171922

D J Patel
  Automation can be defined as a technology concerned with the
application of mechanical, electronic, and computer-based
systems t0 operate and control production.

Defining  Automation is the technology by which a process or procedure is

accomplished without human assistance. It is implemented using
Automation a program of instructions combined with a control system that
executes the instructions.
 Automation is a term for technology applications where human
input is minimized.
  The automated elements of the production system can be
separated into two categories:
(1) Automation of the manufacturing systems in the factory and
(2) Computerization of the manufacturing support systems. In
modern production systems, the two categories overlap to some
Defining extent. because the automated manufacturing systems
Automation operating on the factory floor are themselves often
implemented by computer systems and connected to the
computerized manufacturing support systems and management
information system operating at the plant and enterprise levels.
The term computer-integrated Manufacturing used to indicate
this extensive use of computers in production systems. The two
categories of automation are shown in Figure
 Potential
Manufacturing
Opportunities Support System
Computerisation
Application
of automation

Production System
and

CIM
computerizati
on in a
production Facilities: Potential
Factory Automation
system. Equipment Applications
 Automated manufacturing systems operate in the factory on the
physical product. They perform operations such as processing, assembly,
Introduction to inspection, or material handling, in some cases accomplishing more than
one of these operations in the same system. They are called automated
Automation because they perform their operations with a reduced level of human
participation compared with the corresponding manual process.
 In some highly automated systems, there is virtually no human
participation.
Examples of automated manufacturing systems include:
 Automated machine tools that process parts
 Transfer lines that perform a series of machining operations
Introduction to
 Automated assembly systems
Automation  Manufacturing systems that use industrial robots to perform
processing or assembly operations
 Automatic material handling and storage systems to integrate
manufacturing operations
 Automatic inspection systems for quality control
  Consider an automated turning operation in which a cone-shaped
geometry is generated. Assume the system is automated and that
a robot is used to load and unload the work unit.
 The work cycle consists of the following steps:
(1) load starting workpiece.

Example (2) Position cutting tool prior to cutting

(3) Turn
(4) Reposition the tool to a safe location at end of turning and
(5) Unload Finished workpiece
Identify the activities and process parameter(s) in each step of the
operation.
  In step (1). the activities consist of the robot manipulator reaching
for the raw work part, lifting and positioning the part into the
chuck jaws of the lathe, then removing the manipulator to a safe
position to await unloading. The process parameters for these
activities are the axis values of the robot manipulator (which
Solution change continuously), the gripper value (open or closed), and the
chuck jaw value (open or closed).
 In, step (2), the activity involves the movement of the cutting tool
to a "ready' position, The process parameters associated with this
activity are the x-and z-axis position of the tool
  Step (3) is the turning operation. It requires the simultaneous
control of three process parameters: rotational speed of the
workpiece (rev/min), feed (mm/rev), and radial distance of the
cutting tool from the axis of rotation. To cut the conical shape,
radial distance must be changed continuously at a constant rate
for each revolution of the workpiece For a consistent finish on the
surface, the rotational speed must be continuously adjusted to
Solution maintain a constant surface speed (m/min); and for equal feed
marks on the surface, the feed must be set at a constant value.
Depending on the angle of the cone, multiple turning passes may
be required to gradually generate the desired contour. Each pass
represents an additional step in the sequence.
 Steps (4) and (5) involve the reverse activities as steps (2) and (1),
respectively, and the process parameters are the same.
  Automated manufacturing systems can be classified into three
basic
(1) fixed automation.
(2) Programmable automation, and
(3) Flexible automation.
Types of  Fixed Automation - Fixed automation is a system in which the
Automation sequence of processing (or assembly) operations is fixed by the
equipment configuration. Each of the operations in the sequence
is usually simple, involving perhaps a plain linear or rotational
motion or an uncomplicated combination of the two; for example,
the feeding of a rotating spindle. It is the integration and
coordination of many such operations into one piece of equipment
that makes the system complex.
 Typical features of fixed automation are:
 high initial investment for custom-engineered equipment
 high production rates
 relatively inflexible in accommodating product variety
Types of The economic justification for fixed automation is found in products
Automation that are produced in very large quantities and at high production
rates. The high initial cost of the equipment can be spread over a
very large number of units, thus making the unit cost attractive
compared with alternative methods of production. Examples of
fixed automation include machining transfer lines and automated
assembly machines.
  Programmable Automation. In programmable automation. the
production equipment is designed with the capability to change
the sequence of operations to accommodate different product
configurations. The operation sequence is controlled by a program,
which is, a set of instructions coded so that they can be read and
interpreted by the system. New programs can be prepared and
entered into the equipment to produce new products.
Types of  Some of the feature that characterize programmable automation
Automation include:
 Hi investment in general purpose equipment
 Lower production rates than fixed automation
 Flexibility to deal with variations and changes in product
configuration
 Most suitable for batch production
  Programmable automated production systems arc used in low-
and medium-volume production. The parts or products are
typically made in batches. To produce each new batch of a
different product, the system must be reprogrammed with the set
of machine instructions that correspond to the new product. The
physical setup of the machine must also he changed. Tools must
Types of be loaded. fixtures must be attached to the machine table, and
the required machine settings must be entered. This changeover
Automation procedure takes time. Consequently, the typical cycle for a given
product includes a period during which the setup and
reprogramming takes place. followed by a period in which the
hatch is produced. Examples of programmable automation
include numerically controlled (NC) machine tools, industrial
robots, and programmable logic controllers.
  Flexible Automation. Flexible automaton is an extension of
programmable automation. A flexible automated system is capable of
producing a variety of parts (or products) with virtually no time lost for
changeovers from one part style to the next. There is no lost production
time while reprogramming the system and altering the physical setup
(tooting, fixtures, machine settings). Consequently, the system can
produce various combinations and schedules of parts or products instead
of requiring that they be made in batches. What makes flexible
Types of automation possible is that the differences between parts processed by
the system arc not significant. It is a case of soft variety.so that the
Automation amount of changeover required between styles is minimal.
The features of flexible automation can be summarised as follows
 High investment for a custom-engineered system
 Continuous production of variable mixtures of products
 Medium production rate,
 Flexibility to deal with product design variations
  Examples of flexible automation are the flexible manufacturing
systems for performing machining operations that date back to
the late 1960s.

Types of  The relative positions of the three types of automation for

different production volumes and product varieties are depicted in
Automation Figure.
 For low production quantities and new product introductions,
manual production is competitive with programmable
automation.
Types of
Automation
Global and  All automated systems will fall into either Fixed, Programmable or
Specific Flexible, but there are many other global and specific applications
of automation. Here we will explore some additional forms of
Automation automation, beginning with a global, integrative approach and
then moving onto more specific types.
Approaches
  Integrated Automation is a comprehensive automation
framework. Integrated automation seeks to reduce the
complexity of independently automated work processes by
Integrated streamlining communication between automated processes.
Rather than allowing five automated systems to operate
Automation separately, integrated automation unifies them under one system.
This automation type can include technologies such as Flexible
Machining Systems, Automated Material Handling, and
Computer-Aided Manufacturing.
 Industrial automation involves the use of technology to manage the
repetitive tasks, including those that are hazardous for human
Industrial laborers. Common implementation examples include Numerically
Controlled Equipment, Flexible Manufacturing Systems and
Automation Computer-Aided Manufacturing. Industrial automation can increase
the accuracy of production and improve industry safety.
 Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) uses computers and
Computer- machines in concert to automate manufacturing. CAM is often
integrated with Computer Aided Design (CAD) to improve
Aided manufacturing processes. Some benefits of CAM include increased
material and production consistency, increased production output,
Manufacturing and increased component quality. CAD designs verified by engineer
oversight is then automatically reproduced using CAM.
 In RPA, developers write code that automates tasks and the
interface at the back end by using Application Programming
Interfaces (APIs). The robotic automation interacts with the
Robotics available IT infrastructure, and there is no requirement of the
complicated system integration. RPA is programmed to automate
Process many back-office operations, workflow and infrastructure. These
processes are generally labour-intensive, and they can easily
Automation integrate with user portals, websites, and the many in-house
applications. RPA is a set of commands executed by bots, adhering
to the pre-defined set of rules. The main aim of RPA is to get rid of
the repetitive and monotonous tasks performed by humans.
 Cognitive Intelligence relies on dedicated software to automate
information-intensive processes. Cognitive Intelligence generally
Cognitive uses RPA for automation. This form of automation has a range of
benefits, which includes reduced operational costs, improved
Intelligence customer satisfaction, and many other perks such as the bringing
precision to complicated business processes based on unstructured
data.
 Conversational automation rapidly changing approaches to
customer service. Messaging is the preferred customer service
channel in the US, South Korea, Singapore and India. Conversational
Automation is a step forward from traditional chatbots. Through its
Conversational use of Natural Language Processing, it is free-flowing and
unstructured. Because it is not dependent upon fixed responses like
Automation traditional chatbots, it allows for more human-like interactions.
Conversational Automation yields better customer experience than
traditional chatbots. Intelligent bots significantly reduce labor costs
and improve customer service because of their 24/7 availability and
rapid responses
 1.Eliminate the manipulation of paper documents.
Go digital. You can store information on your system and at the same time
save money. No more printing and storing paper documents.
Optimize time spent looking for information.
2.Utilize employee time better.
One of automation’s best feature is that it gives you the opportunity to use
talent and do what humans do best: create ingenious business plans to
Reasons for eliminate costs, make important decisions, etc. Creative and innovative
methods that an automated system can’t do.
Implementation Concentrate on the most important tasks.
3.Define business processes.
of Automation You need to identify what is implicated in your business process before
you can configure the automation. This identifying process makes
everything visible and gives you a clear idea of what is happening or
should be happening in your business!
4.Make better projections
A Business Process Automation (BPA) gives you all the tools needed to
monitor data, at all times. It gives you much more precise data and
projections about your business’ future needs and income.
 5.Identify unused resources
More than estimating your future sales or needs, a good BPA will help you
detect resources that are no longer used or are underused (for example, an
unused mobile phone left by a departing employee). Automation of
processes gives you the opportunity to identify and re-affect unused
resources.
6.Allow new business opportunities
Automation allows the ability to configure and support assets in fields you
Reasons for couldn’t even have thought about while using only human resources.

Implementation 7.Save money, even while sleeping

As a human, sleeping is a basic need; you will not be able to function if you
of Automation don’t get enough sleep. At a certain point, you’ll need to take a break from
physically managing your operations and give yourself a well needed rest.
Thankfully, your automated systems don’t need to rest. You can configure
them to work all day and all night, over and over.
8.Easily manage decentralized teams in different time zones
Sadly, you can only be in one place at a time. You don’t have access to
places on the other side of the world. Thanks to automated systems, it’s
not always like that. You can manage the tasks of your decentralized
teams across multiple time zones.
 Now, it wouldn’t be trustworthy if we didn’t mention the downsides to
automation. Fortunately, there’s not many of them:
1.Integration compatibility of the system - You have to make sure that
the platform you choose is compatible with your existing systems. Is
there an API source to assure compatibility? Or you’ll need to add
programming resources to make sure they are integrated.
2.ROI - Some automated services come with important costs. Make
sure you identify the return on investment you’ll get before choosing
Challenges of your software.
Automation 3.Complexity - Sometimes, the tasks you have to complete on a daily
basis may be complex. The software can do it for you. Many providers
offer related services to establish the workflow in the interface or
make sure you can easily configure the system according to your
business processes.
4.Security - We often hear about problems related to computer security.
Indeed, everyday there’s countless hacking attempts. Of course,
digitalization opens the door to this vulnerability, but the best
solutions always improve their security measures.
  The USA Principle is a common sense approach to automation
projects. Similar procedures have been suggested in the
manufacturing and automation trade literature, but none has a
more captivating title than this one.
USA stands for:
USA Principle 1.Understand the existing process
2.Simplify the process
3.Automate the process.
 It may turn out that automation of the process is unnecessary or
cannot be cost justified after it has been simplified.
 1. Specialization of operations

Strategies for The first strategy involves the use of special-purpose equipment
Automation designed to perform one operation with the greatest possible
efficiency. This is analogous to the concept of labor specialization,
which is employed to improve labor productivity.
 2. Combined operations

Production occurs as a sequence of operations.

Complex parts may require dozens, or even hundreds, of processing
steps. The strategy of combined operations involves reducing the number
Strategies for of distinct production machines or workstations through which the part
must be routed.
Automation This is accomplished by performing more than one operation at a given
machine, thereby reducing the number of separate machines needed.
Since each machine typically involves a setup, setup time can usually be
saved as a consequence of this strategy. Material handling effort and non-
operation time are also reduced.
Manufacturing lead time is reduced for better customer service.
 3. Simultaneous operations

Strategies for A logical extension of the combined operations strategy is to

simultaneously perform the operations that are combined at one
Automation workstation. In effect, two or more processing (or assembly) operations are
being performed simultaneously on the same workpart, thus reducing total
processing time.
 4. Integration of operations

Another strategy is to link several workstations together into a single

Strategies for integrated mechanism, using automated work handling devices to transfer
Automation parts between stations. In effect, this reduces the number of separate
machines through which the product must be scheduled.
With more than one workstation, several parts can be processed
simultaneously, thereby increasing the overall output of the system.
 5. Increased flexibility

This strategy attempts to achieve maximum utilization of equipment for

Strategies for job shop and medium volume situations by using the same equipment for a
variety of parts or products. It involves the use of the flexible automation
Automation concepts.
Prime objectives are to reduce setup time and programming time for the
production machine.This normally translates into lower manufacturing lead
time and less work-in-process.
 6. Improved material handling and storage
Strategies for A great opportunity for reducing nonproductive time exists in the use of
Automation automated material handling and storage systems.
Typical benefits include reduced work-in-process and shorter
manufacturing lead times.
 7. On-line inspection

Inspection for quality of work is traditionally performed after the process is

Strategies for completed. This means that any poor quality product has already been
produced by the time it is inspected. Incorporating inspection into the
Automation manufacturing process permits corrections to the process as the product is
being made.
This reduces scrap and brings the overall quality of product closer to the
nominal specifications intended by the designer.
 8. Process control and optimization
Strategies for This includes a wide range of control schemes intended to operate the
Automation individual processes and associated equipment more efficiently. By this
strategy, the individual process times can be reduced and product quality
improved.
 9. Plant operations control

Whereas the previous strategy was concerned with the control of the
Strategies for individual manufacturing process, this strategy is concerned with control at
Automation the plant level. It attempts to manage and coordinate the aggregate
operations in the plant more efficiently.
Its implementation usually involves a high level of computer
networking within the factory.
 10. Computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM)

Taking the previous strategy one level higher, we have the integration of
Strategies for factory operations with engineering design and the business functions of
Automation the firm.
CIM involves extensive use of:
1.Computer applications,
2.Computer data bases, and
3.Computer networking throughout the enterprise.
 Conclusion

Strategies for The ten strategies constitute a checklist of the possibilities for improving
the production system through automation or simplification. They should
Automation not be considered as mutually exclusive.
For most situations, multiple strategies can be implemented in one
improvement project.
 1. Device Level: This is the lowest level in our automation hierarchy. It
includes the actuators, sensors, and other hardware components that
comprise the machine level. The devices are combined into the individual
control loops of the machine; for example, the feedback control loop for
one axis of a CNC machine or one joint of an industrial robot.
2. Machine Level: Hardware at the device level is assembled into individual
machines. Examples include CNC machine tools and similar production
equipment, industrial robots, powered conveyors, and automated guided
Levels of vehicles. Control functions at this level include performing the sequence of
steps in the program of instructions in the correct order and making sure
Automation that each step is properly executed.
3. Cell or system Level: This is the manufacturing cell or system level, which
operates under instructions from the plant level. A manufacturing cell or
system is a group of machines or workstations connected and supported by
a material handling system, computer. and other equipment appropriate to
the manufacturing process. Production lines arc included in this level.
functions include part dispatching and machine loading. coordination
among machines and material handling system, and collecting and
evaluating inspection data.
 4. Plant level. This is the factory or production systems level. It receives
instructions from (he corporate information system and translates them
into operational plans for production. Likely functions include: order
Levels of processing, process planning, inventory control, purchasing, material
requirements planning, shop floor control, and quality control.
Automation 5. Enterprise level. This is the highest level consisting of the corporate
information system. It is concerned with all of the functions necessary to
manage the company: marketing and sales, accounting, design, research,
aggregate planning, and master production scheduling.