ELEMENTS OF INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION 2022

ELEMENTS OF INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION

Week 1

 INDUSTRY DEFINITION:
 Systematic Economic Activity that could be related to Manufacture/Service/ Trade.

 AUTOMATION:
 The word ‘Automation’ is derived from greek words “Auto”(self) and “Matos” (moving). Automation
therefore is the mechanism for systems that “move by itself”.
 Automation is a set of technologies that results in operation of machines and systems without significant
human intervention and achieves performance superior to manual operation.
 Automation can be defined as the technology by which a process or procedure is accomplished without
human assistance.
 It is implemented using a program of instructions combined with a control system that executes the
instructions.
 To automate a process, power is required, both to drive the process itself and to operate the program and
control system. Although automation is applied in a wide variety of areas, it is most closely associated with
the manufacturing industries.

 FIRST INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION (1760 TO 1840)

 When the development of automation technologies truly exploded and gave birth to industrial automation.
 The creation of the steam engine and first self-driven machines in the seventeenth century led to the need to
invent first automatic control systems such as speed control devices, temperature and pressure regulators.

 SECOND INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION (1871 AND 1914)

 The period between 1871 and 1914 went down in history as the Second Industrial Revolution, marked by wide
adoption of electricity, telegraph networks, and railroad worldwide.
 The combination of these allowed us to achieve a new level of productivity and economic growth.

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 THIRD INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

 Third Industrial Revolution, also commonly known as the Digital Revolution.
 It began in the second half of the 20th century, following the end of the two world wars, and was marked by
the shift from mechanical and analogue electronic systems to digital technologies, rapidly evolving thanks
to the advancement of computing and communications.

 INDUSTRY 4.0

 NEED AND BENEFITS OF INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION:

Companies undertake projects in automation and computer-integrated manufacturing for good reasons,
some of which are the following:

1. High Productivity: Industrial automation enables a continuous mass production, allowing plants and
factories to run 24/7 with minimal downtime. Automation solutions speed up all the processes, reduce
assembly times and improve productivity.
2. Reduced Costs: The introduction of technological innovations, such as robotics, smart machinery, and AI
systems, helped to reduce production costs. Which enhances the value of business assets and makes
companies more profitable.
3. Better Quality and Consistency: Advantage of implementing automation is the elimination of human
error and much greater consistency, leading to better quality of the products as well as this high level
staying consistently stable.
4. Greater Safety: The minimization of human errors leads to reduction of accidents and injuries, while
deploying robots and machines to handle tasks in dangerous and hazardous conditions allows employees to
avoid risks and prevent long-term health effects of working in industrial environments.

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5. Improved Flexibility: Automation solutions are also designed to make the industrial processes and
machinery a lot more flexible. The ability to reprogram robots and devices allows organizations to adapt
robustly to the fast-changing market demands.
6. Increased added value and Human Capacity: Designed to liberate employees from having to perform
repetitive and routine work, automation solutions are adding value by allowing humans to concentrate on
more complex creative tasks.
7. New level of data support and Production Traceability: It is the newest feature of Industry 4.0.
Innovative systems able to collect and analyse various kinds of data in real time provide a whole new level
of possibilities. They allow companies to improve traceability, reduce waste and continuously optimize all
work processes.
8. Real-time Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance: It enable continuous monitoring of all the processes
in real-time mode. A variety of highly sensitive sensors in modern-day industrial machinery, issues and
errors in production processes can be easily detected and addressed. This results in lower maintenance costs
and longer life cycles of the equipment, as well as minimization of incidental malfunctions.

 APPLICATION OF AUTOMATION
1. Automated material handling
2. Packaging machines
3. Assembly systems
4. Conveyor systems of all kinds
5. Machining transfer lines
6. Metal fabrication; machining, welding, cutting, etc.
7. Paint and coating automation
8. processes Quality control and inspection
9. Programmable logic controllers
10. Industrial robots
11. Food and beverage processing
12. Non-destructive testing and inspection Robotic drilling and fastening
13. Equipment condition monitoring
14. Industrial transport automation

 AUTOMATION HIERARCHY:
 The industrial automation hierarchy takes on a pyramid form of communications where information gets
aggregated as it moves from a low level (sensor level) to high level (Server or enterprise level) and there is
a direct correlation between the levels of the hierarchy in that improved communications between levels of
the hierarch lead to direct efficiency increases of the overall manufacturing systems.
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 For the purposes of this text, five levels of automation can be identified, and their hierarchy is depicted in Figure.

1. Device level. This is the lowest level in the 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 vehicles. Control functions at this level include performing the sequence of steps in the program of
instructions in the correct order and making sure 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 are 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 the corporate
information system and translates them into operational plans for production. Likely functions include order
processing, process planning, inventory control, purchasing, material requirements planning, shop floor
control, and quality control.
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. The corporate information system is
usually managed using Enterprise Resource Planning.

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ELEMENTS OF INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION 2022

 BASIC COMPONENTS OF AUTOMATION SYSTEM:

 The relationship among these elements is illustrated in Figure.
 All systems that qualify as being automated include these three basic elements in one form or another.
 They are present in the three basic types of automated manufacturing systems: fixed automation,
programmable automation, and flexible automation.
 An automated system consists of three basic elements:
1. Power to accomplish the process and operate the system.
2. A program of instructions to direct the process, and
3. A control system to actuate the instructions.

1. Power to Accomplish the Automated Process: The power is required for the automation system for the
following

a. Power for the Process

b. Power for Material handling functions

c. Power for Automation

a. Power for the Process: The process like Casting, EDM, Forging, Heat-treatment, Injection Molding, and
Laser Cutting Welding utilizes thermal, electrical, mechanical energy. Most of the process uses electrical
energy for their operation. Convectional energy sources (coal, diesel etc) and non-conventional energy
sources are also used for the process.

b. Power for Material handling functions: Power is required for Loading and unloading the work unit and
material transport between operations. Manual, semiautomatic and automatic machineries are used for the
material handling functions.

c. Power for Automation: Above and beyond the basic power requirements for the manufacturing operation,
additional power is required for automation. The additional power is used for the following functions:

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 Controller unit: Modern industrial controllers are based on digital computers, which require electrical power
to read the program of instructions, perform the control calculations, and execute the instructions by
transmitting the proper commands to actuating devices.
 Power to actuate the control signals: The commands sent by the controller unit are carried out by means of
electromechanical devices, such as switches and motors, called actuators. The commands are generally
transmitted by means of low-voltage control signals.
 Data acquisition and information processing: In most control systems, data must be collected from the
process and used as input to the control algorithms. In addition, for some processes, it is a legal requirement
that records be kept of process performance and/or product quality. These data acquisition and record-
keeping functions require power, although in modest amounts.

2. Program of Instruction: The actions performed in an automated process are defined by a program of
instructions. Each part or product style made in the operation requires one or more processing steps that are
unique to that style, These processing steps are performed during a work cycle. A new part is completed
during each work cycle. The particular processing steps for the work cycle are specified in a work cycle
program.

 Work Cycle Programs: In the simplest automated processes, the work cycle consists of essentially one step,
which is to maintain a single process parameter at a defined level. However, the system becomes
complicated when the process involves a work.
 Decision-Making in the Programmed Work Cycle: The program of instructions is repeated each work cycle
programs without deviation. But, many automated manufacturing operations require decisions to be made
during the programmed work cycle to cope with variations in the cycle. In many cases, the variations are
routine elements of the cycle, and the corresponding instructions for dealing with them are incorporated into
the regular part program.
3. Control System: The control element of the automated system executes the program of instructions. The
control system causes the process to accomplish its defined function which is to carry out some
manufacturing operation.
The controls in an automated system can be either closed loop or open loop. A closed loop control system,
also known as a feedback control system is one in which the output variable is compared with an input
parameter, and any difference between the two is used to drive the output into agreement with the input. As
shown in Figure closed loop control system consists of six basic elements: (1) input parameter, (2) process,
(3) output variable, (4) feedback sensor. (5) Controller and (6) actuator.

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 The input parameter often referred to as the set point, represents the desired value of the output. The process
is the operation or function being controlled.
 In particular, it is the output variable that is being controlled in the loop. A sensor is used to measure the
output variable and close the loop between input and output.
 Sensors perform the feedback function in a closed loop control system.
 The controller compares the output with the input and makes the required adjustment in the process to
reduce the difference between them.
 The adjustment is accomplished using one or more actuators, which are the hardware devices that
physically carry out the control actions, such as an electric motor or a flow valve. The model in Figure
shows only one loop, however, most industrial processes require multiple loops, one for each process
variable that must be controlled

 An Open loop control system operates without the feedback loop, as in Figure.
 In this case, the controls operate without measuring the output variable so no comparison is made between
the actual value of the output and the desired input parameter.
 The controller relies on an accurate model of the effect of its actuator on the process variable.
 With an open loop system, there is always the risk that the actuator will not have the intended effect on the
process, and that is the disadvantage of an open loop system.
 Its advantage is that it is generally simpler and less expensive than a closed loop system.
 Open loop systems are usually appropriate when the following conditions apply:

(1) The actions performed by the control system are simple,

(2) The actuating function is very reliable, and

(3) Any reaction forces opposing the actuation are small enough to have no effect on the actuation. If these
characteristics are not applicable, then a closed loop control system may be more appropriate

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 AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGY AS A PART OF ENGINEERING SCIENCES, KEY

DEVELOPMENT MILESTONES IN HISTORY OF AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGY:
 Automation technology is a crossover discipline that uses knowledge and scientific methods from
mechanical, electrical, production and structural engineering and numerous other technical sciences.
 One point these sciences all have in common is the researching, definition and application of engineering
principles. What differentiate them are the subject matter and the orientation of the respective discipline.
 Three components are needed to realize modern automatic processes:
A. Sensors to detect the system states,
B. Actuators to output the control commands,
C. Controllers for the program flow and to make decisions.

HISTORY OF AUTOMATION:
1. The history of automation can be traced to the development of basic mechanical devices, such as the wheel ,
lever, cam , screw and gear in ancient and medieval times. These basic devices were refined and used to
construct the mechanisms in waterwheels, windmills and steam engines .
2. After his first steam engine in 1765, James Watt and his partner, Matthew Boulton, made several
improvements in the design. One of the improvements was the flying-ball governor (around 1785), which
provided feedback to control the throttle of the engine.
3. The third basic element of an automated system is the program of instructions that directs the actions of the
system or machine. One of the first examples of machine programming was the Jacquard loom, invented
around 1800. This loom was a machine for weaving cloth from yarn. The program of instructions that
determined the weaving pattern of the cloth consisted of a metal plate containing holes.
4. By the early 1800s, the three basic elements of automated systems—power source, controls, and
programmable machines—had been developed, although these elements were primitive by today’s
standards. It took many years of refinement and many new inventions and developments, both in these basic
elements and in the enabling infrastructure of the manufacturing industries, before fully automated systems
became a common reality.
5. Since 1945, many new inventions and developments have contributed significantly to automation
technology. Del Harder coined the word automation around 1946 in reference to the many automatic
devices that the Ford Motor Company had developed for its production lines.
6. The first electronic digital computer was developed at the University of Pennsylvania in 1946.
7. The first numerical control machine tool was developed and demonstrated in 1952 at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology based on a concept proposed by John Parsons and Frank Stulen
8. By the late 1960s and early 1970s, digital computers were being connected to machine tools.
9. In 1954, the first industrial robot was designed and in 1961 it was patented by George Devol.

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10. The first commercial robot was installed to unload parts in a die casting operation in 1961. In the late 1960s,
the first flexible manufacturing system in the United States was installed at Ingersoll Rand Company.
11. Around 1969, the first programmable logic controller was introduced.
12. In 1978, the first commercial personal computer (PC) was introduced by Apple Computer, although a
similar product had been introduced in kit form as early as 1975.
13. Developments in computer technology were made possible by advances in electronics, including the
transistor (1948), hard disk for computer memory (1956), integrated circuits (1960), the microprocessor
(1971), random access memory (1984), megabyte capacity memory chips (circa 1990), and the Pentium
microprocessors (1993).
14. Software developments related to automation have been equally important, including the FORTRAN
computer programming language (1955), the APT programming language for numerical control (NC)
machine tools (1961), the UNIX operating system (1969), the VAL language for robot programming
(1979), Microsoft Windows (1985), and the JAVA programming language (1995). Advances and
enhancements in these technologies continue.

 EFFECTS OF AUTOMATION ON PEOPLE

 As automation advances, technological innovations could displace some segment of the workforce, so it's
possible there may be temporarily higher unemployment.

 Currently, technology is displacing workers whose jobs consist of routine, repeatable tasks, like
bookkeeping, manufacturing, and food services.

 Individuals performing these types of jobs aren’t the only people who may lose work due to automation.
White collar jobs are vulnerable as well.

 People who use computers at work may be at even more risk of losing their jobs to automation.

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 As software programs become more efficient, it’s possible they may completely replace the humans
originally tasked with operating them.

 TYPES OF AUTOMATION SYSTEM

1. FIXED AUTOMATION/ HARD AUTOMATION:

 Fixed automation, which is also often referred to as hard or rigid automation, describes the most permanent
and application-specific types of industrial automation systems that are typically designed to carry out a
single process, tasks or a set of tasks and can’t be easily adapted for other applications.

 The economic justification for fixed automation is found in products that are made 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 minimizing the
unit cost relative to alternative methods of production. Examples of fixed automation include machining
transfer lines and automated assembly machines.

2. 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.
 Some of the features that characterize programmable automation include

(1) High investment in general-purpose equipment,

(2) Lower production rates than fixed automation,

(3) Flexibility to deal with variations and changes in product configuration, and

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(4) High suitability for batch production.

 Programmable automated systems are used in low- and medium-volume production.

 The parts or products are typically made in batches.
 To produce each new batch of a different item, the system must be reprogrammed with the set of machine
instructions that correspond to the new item.
 The physical setup of the machine must also be changed. Examples of programmable automation include
numerically controlled (NC) machine tools, industrial robots, and programmable logic controllers.

3. FLEXIBLE AUTOMATION

 Flexible automation 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 design to the next.
 There is no lost production time while reprogramming the system and altering the physical setup (tooling,
fixtures, machine settings).
 Accordingly, the system can produce various mixes and schedules of parts or products instead of requiring
that they be made in batches. What makes flexible automation possible is that the differences between parts
processed by the system.

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4. INTEGRATED AUTOMATION

 Integrated automation involves the total automation of manufacturing plants as it is entirely handled by
computers and control processes with minimal human involvement.
 Computers can design the necessary parts, test the designs, and fabricate the parts. Integrated automation,
like flexible automation, is compatible with both batch process manufacturing and continuous process
manufacturing.
 Technologies that use this type of automation include:
1. Computer-aided process planning
2. Computer-supported design and manufacturing
3. Computer numerical control machine tools
4. Computerized production and scheduling control
5. Automatic storage and retrieval systems
6. Flexible machine systems
7. Automated material handling systems, e.g. robots
8. Automated conveyor belts and cranes

 AUTOMATION SYSTEM USING RELAY LOGIC:

 Relay logic is a hard wired control system using instrumentation, basically consists of relays wired up in a
particular fashion to perform the desired switching operations.
 The circuit incorporates relays along with other components such as switches, motors, timers, actuators,
contactors etc.
 The relay logic control works efficiently to perform basic ON/OFF operations by opening or closing the
relay contacts but it involves a humongous wiring.
 A relay logic circuit is a schematic diagram which shows various components, their connections, inputs as
well as outputs in a particular fashion.
 In relay logic circuits, the contacts NO and NC are used to indicate Normally Open or Normally Close relay
circuit.
 It contains two vertical lines, one on the extreme left and the other on the extreme right. These vertical lines
are called rails. The extreme left rail is at the supply voltage potential and is used as an input rail. The
extreme right rail is at zero potential and is used as the output rail.

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 The mechanical functions of relays simply wear out over time.

 In addition, the wiring required to operate a relay system is more complicated.
 This can also cause higher costs to install and upgrade due to extra labor costs.
 The advent of the microprocessor meant that relay logic control functionality could be programmed and
stored in a computer.
 In the late 1960’s some really brainy people realized this and focused to create a device called a
Programmable Logic Controller (PLC).

 PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER (PLC) :

 The difference between a PLC and relay logic is that a PLC is a programmable device whereas relay logic is
a network of hardwired electrical devices.
 Both a PLC and relay logic can perform logical computation, but a PLC does it using a microprocessor and
relay logic does it using electric circuits.
 The big difference between relay logic and ladder logic is that relay logic needs to hard wire each and every
control circuit for every single control function.
 Whereas ladder logic uses the assistance of a microprocessor based device called a Programmable Logic
Controller (PLC).
 The detailed discussion on hardware and programming concepts of PLC are presented in the next Chapters.

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 DIFFERENCE PLC & RELAY LOGIC

S.N PLC-based control panel Relay logic panel

o.
A large number of relays are used to
1 A Single microprocessor-based circuit is control operations.
control the operations.

2 Wiring is on the printed circuit board, which is minimum. It consists of complex wiring.
The operation can be changed by simply, changing the To change operation, complete the wiring
3
software program needs to be replaced.

4 Replacement time and cost are negligible. Replacement time and cost are very high.
5 PLC programs are simple to analyze Relay logic is very difficult to
and understand. understand.
6 Size is large and hence reliability is
Size is compact and reliability is high.
reduced.

7 It is portable easily. It is not easily portable.

8 Flexibility is negligible and less

Highly flexible and adaptable.
adaptive

Data storage and logging is difficult

Data storage and logging are easy since PLCs can be easily
9 since relay logic panels cannot be easily
connected to Computers.
interfaced to computers

PLCs use the scanning principle. Hence

the occurrence of an event is not
The occurrence of an event is recognized immediately and
10 recognized until the next scan. Hence
action is taken.
action is not
immediately taken.

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