What is Industrial Automation?

 Industrial Automation

Industrial automation can be defined as the application of specific software, hardware and equipment technologies in production processes.

The main objective of industrial automation is to implement projects that are capable of increasing the autonomy of manufacturing processes and minimizing human effort in the value chain. Currently, it is a concept intrinsically linked to industry 4.0, which encompasses cyber-physical systems, the Internet of Things, and Cloud Computing to create “smart factories”.

The evolution of automation

The first automation systems were conceived in the late nineteenth century when the world witnessed the industrial revolution. At that time, manual tasks were carried out by adapted machinery, which had the purpose of increasing production efficiency. The actions were controlled through mechanical parts, which “automated” the most repetitive steps of the work.

These parts were later replaced by devices that operated through relays and contactors, enabling more complex and sophisticated automation on assembly lines.

It was only after World War II that the first numerically controlled machines and process control systems appeared. At that time, analog integrated circuits were also created, which gave rise to a new generation of automated systems.

Over the years and into the 1970s, the first commercial computers were used to control large automation systems. Due to programming difficulties and high maintenance costs, these computers were later replaced by the Programmable Logic Controller, a much more advanced machine designed especially for industrial processes.

In the 1990s, technology had evolved enough to design circuits and computers with high processing capacity. Thus, automation systems became more efficient, faster, and more reliable, enabling larger-scale productions with cost reduction, space optimization, and increased reliability and technical safety.

Industrial automation today

In the current era, automation is based on the design and implementation of cyber-physical systems, which control material processes and management decision-making in a completely decentralized manner. With the internet of things, these systems gained the ability to “dialogue” with several machines simultaneously and send information in real-time to managers and supervisors. However, simpler mechanical and electronic systems have not yet been abandoned, as there are processes in which human labor is fundamental to the quality of the product. Furthermore, cyber-physical systems have a higher cost, which sometimes makes their implementation impossible.

More precisely, modern-day industrial automation is focused on the following principles:

• Interoperability: the ability of cyber-physical systems (machines, assembly stations, and products) and humans to communicate with each other through the Internet of Things and Cloud Computing.
• Virtualization: virtual simulations of the industrial environment are created by interconnected data sensors, allowing you to remotely track and monitor all physical plant processes.
• Decentralization: through cyber-physical systems, machines can make decisions without human intercession and by production needs.
• Capacity in Real-Time: consists of collecting data, analyzing it, and delivering insights from these analyzes instantly.
• Service Orientation: provision of services (from cyber-physical, human systems, or Intelligent Factories) through Cloud Computing.
• Modularity: ability to flexibly adapt production according to the expansion, replacement, removal, or mutation of modules.

To ensure synergy between all these principles, industrial automation integrates three areas: electronics, which is in charge of hardware architecture and implementation; the mechanics that cover the actuating devices; and information technology, which encompasses system control software. Thus, each automation project requires a multidisciplinary team composed of specialists in software engineering, production, mechanics, and mechatronics.

The segments of industrial automation

Essentially, industrial automation is classified into two types: discrete process control and continuous process control. The first type can be conceptualized as one whose execution is carried out in stages. Primarily, the procedure is fed with raw material, followed by the reaction and, finally, the drawing of the final or semi-final product. It is a process widely used in batch manufacturing and assembly lines industries. In the continuous process, the operation is carried out uninterruptedly to guarantee the greatest possible volume of the final product. Thus, when a phase of the operation is completed, the product is immediately transferred to another machine, which will continue with the manufacturing process. In general, the continuous process is applied to refinery, beverage, chemical fluid,

The importance of industrial communication networks

Taking into account the complexity of industrial operations, automation systems must be based on communication networks that ensure speed and security in the exchange of data between sensors, actuators, computers, controllers, among other devices involved in the process.

Industrial networks are also essential for field equipment, as they allow asset management and self-diagnosis in dangerous or difficult-to-access regions. From a network-connected control center, the supervisory team can have an overview of the system at any time and place, being able to segment the information most pertinent to production goals and forward it to the appropriate departments.

Benefits of industrial automation

The automation of production processes can be more economically viable for several reasons. Starting with the quality standard, there is a consensus among specialists in industrial standards that automated systems provide greater qualitative excellence, as the machines are designed to conduct processes flawlessly and under strict control standards. Furthermore, energy resources and raw materials can be better used, considering that automation allows us to work with a focus on zero scraps.

It is also undisputed that the implementation of automated systems makes industrial processes more flexible, both in terms of production capacity and the possibility of changes in manufacturing parameters and product specificities. In addition, it provides greater precision and technical security, ensuring the feasibility of highly complex, unhealthy, or dangerous operations, which could never be carried out by manual methods.

The topics presented above constitute a brief explanation of industrial automation. To learn more about Siembra Automação's products and services, access products and services, and learn about our industrial automation machines and equipment.