Introduction to Automation

Basic Elements of an Automated System Advanced Automation Functions Level of Automation

Introduction
Automation is technology by which a process or procedure is accomplished without human assistance Automation is implemented using a program of instruction combined with a control system that executes the instruction Power is required to drive the process and to operate the program and control system

Basic Element of an Automated System

An automated system consists of three basic elements Power to accomplish the process and operate the system A program of instruction to direct the process A control system to actuate the instructions

Elements of Automated System

Power

Program of instructions

Control system

Process

Power to accomplish the Automated Process

Advantage of Electrical Power Widely available at moderate cost Can be readily converted to alternative energy form like mechanical, thermal, light, acoustic, hydraulic & pneumatic At a low level can be used to accomplish function like signal transmission, information processing, data storage Can be storage in long-live batteries

Power for the Process

In production, the term of process refers to the manufacturing operation that is performed on a work unit. Most of the power in manufacturing is thermal, electrical, and mechanical The power source is often converted from electricity

Common Manufacturing Process and Their Power Requirements

Process power form Casting thermal EDM electrical Forging mechanical Heat treating thermal Injection molding thermal & mechanical Machining mechanical Punching & blanking mechanical Welding thermal

Additional process in manufacturing

Loading and unloading the work unit Material transport between operations

Power for Automation

Controller unit
Modern industrial controller are based on digital computer

Power to actuate the control signals

The command send by the control unit are carried out by mean of electromechanical devices (switch, motor, actuator)

Data acquisition and information processing

Data must be collected from process and used as input to the control algorithm. This data acquisition and record keeping function require power

Program of Instructions
The actions performed by an automated process are defined by a program of instructions These processing steps are performed during a work cycle A new part is completed during each work cycle (sometimes more than one part produced during the work cycle ex multi cavity plastic part)

Work cycle programs

In the simple automated process the work cycle consist of single step process In the more complicated system typically:

Load the part into the production machine Perform the process Unload the part

During each step there are one or more activities or more process parameter

Process parameters

Process parameters are inputs to the process:

Temperature setting Coordinate axis value in positioning system Valve opened/closed in a fluid flow system Motor on/off

Feature of the work Cycle

The number and sequence of processing steps Process parameter changes in each step

Decision-Making in the Programmed Work Cycle

Operator interaction
Ex automated engraving operation (operator may have to enter the alphanumeric character)

Difference part or product style processed by the system

The automated system is programmed to perform different work cycle on the different part or product Ex industrial robot for spot welding (often designed to build different body style)

Variations in the starting work unit

The starting work units are not consistent Ex starting work unit machining operation for sand casting material

Summary the features of work cycle program

Number of steps in work cycle

Load, process and unload

Manual participation in the work cycle Process parameter Operator interaction Variations in part or product style Variations in starting work units

Control System
The control elemen of the automated system executes the program of instructions The control in an automated system

Open loop control system Closed loop control system or a feedback control system

Open loop
Input parameter controller actuator process Output variable

Conditions in open loop system

The action performed by the control system are simple The actuating function is very reliable Any reaction opposing the actuator are small enough to have no effect on the actuating

Close loop
Input parameter controller actuator Feedback sensor process Output variable

Advanced Automation Functions

In additional, an automated system may be capable of executing advanced functions that are not specific to a particular work unit Function
safety monitoring Maintenance and repair diagnostic Error detection and recovery

safety monitoring

Reason
To protect human workers in the vicinity of the system To protect the equipment associated with the system

Safety monitoring means more than the conventional safety measures taken in a manufacturing operation

Possible responses to various hazards

Completely stopping the automated system Sounding an alarm Reducing the operating speed of the process Taking corrective actions to recover from the safety violation

Safety Monitoring
Limit switch Photoelectric sensor Temperature sensor Heat or smoke detector Pressure-sensitive floor pads detector Machine vision systems

Maintenance and repair diagnostic

Statues monitoring Failure diagnostics Recommendation of repair procedure

Levels of Automation
Enterprise Level
Flow of data

Corporate Information System Production System

Plant Level
Cell or System Level Machine Level

Manufacturing system group of machine

Individual Level Sensor, actuators, other hardware element

Device Level

Device Level
It includes the actuators, sensors, and other hardware components that comprise the machine level The device are combined into the individual control loops of the machine For example the feed back control loop for one axis of a CNC machine

Machine Level
Hardware in the device level is assembled into individual machine CNC machine tools and similar production equipment, industrial robots, power conveyor, and automated guided vehicle Control level at this level include performing the sequence of steps in the program of instructions in the correct order and making sure that steps is properly executed

Cell or System Level

A manufacturing cell or system is a group of machines or work stations connected and supported by a material handling system, computer, and other equipment appropriated to the manufacturing process Consist of production lines, part dispatching, machine loading, material handling system, coordinating among machines, colecting data, and evaluating inspection data

Plant Level
This is the factory or production systems level Consist of order processing, process planning, inventory control, purchasing, MRP, shop floor control, and quality control

Enterprise Level
Consist of the corporate information system It is concerned with all the functipn necessary to manage the company Includes marketing, sales, accounting, design, research, aggregate planning, and master production scheduling