All areas of electronics have a stake in the subject of industrial automation. However, it is closely tied to electrical engineering because the logic that today’s PLC programming achieves was initially accomplished using electrical wire. Therefore, one can take up industrial automation quickly and have a fulfilling career if one knows how to wire the inputs and outputs to get a specific result.
Controlling industrial equipment and processes with PLC and SCADA is called industrial automation (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition). It lessens the need for intervention from people. It is becoming increasingly important in both daily life and the global economy. By reducing hazards, industrial automation and control systems enable industrial plants’ safe and effective operation.
The Role of Industrial Automation in Electronics Manufacturing
Robots no longer seem frighteningly far in the future as we have entered a new age. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that industrial machine automation will continue to play a crucial role in developing the modern electronics manufacturing industry.
Industrial automation essentially entails the substitution of robots for workers. A machine programmed to carry out the procedure autonomously without requiring human assistance produces and assembles parts. Artificial intelligence (AI) differs from industrial automation because it emphasizes intelligent technology and algorithms more than traditional programming.
Fixed VS Flexible
There are typically two types of industrial automation: fixed and programmable.
Fixed industrial automation includes hardwired devices to perform tasks for a specific reason. Manufacturers purchase these machines to carry out particular tasks or create a single component, and they are not made to be reprogrammed.
Programmable industrial automation, on the other hand, offers additional freedom. This machinery can be programmed to generate a variety of components within its capabilities, with the intended function being encoded into the machine’s computer memory for each new part. A robotic arm is a prime example of a programmable device because two firms might purchase the same robot to perform completely different tasks.
The Benefits of Industrial Automation
Implementing industrial automation in your manufacturing operations has a wide range of advantages.
Industrial automation, especially for automated machinery purchased for a specific purpose, dramatically decreases the possibility of human error. Robots can manufacture tiny, intricate pieces with the highest degree of precision and accuracy, improving the quality of the final product.
The quality of the work and the efficiency with which the parts have been produced increase significantly. Robots work with incredible speed, handling components delicately, and ensuring correct assembly, whereas humans can only work at a specific pace to make high-quality items.
Additionally, the labor expenses of employing a human workforce dwarf the costs associated with deploying automated machinery, allowing you to make components of superior quality far more cost-effectively. Robots don’t need as many bathroom breaks or sick days even though they work for free.
Because manufacturing may be a minefield of possible risks and hazardous operations on the manufacturing floor, industrial automation can help improve health and safety. For example, your workers won’t need any time off for recovery because injuries are much less likely to occur when fewer humans are involved in processes.
Economies and societies benefit significantly from the simplification of business and industry. Moreover, the world is dynamic because of the technologies that power industries constantly evolve and require skilled experts. Industrial automation professionals will keep nations competitive and on course.
This industry will be welcomed in three crucial ways in the upcoming ten years. Creating new electrical items for personal and professional use comes first. Products that are no longer in demand might be replaced with new ones to increase business sales. Creating new electronic devices will ultimately improve product quality and adaptability, as well as industrial automation across almost all industries. Additionally, producing and selling unique items will result in more jobs.
Ultimately, lowering human error will result in advances in production and efficiency in factories and plants. More products can be produced in less time with quality improvement.
Robotics and machines are precise, dependable, and capable of working effectively in hazardous conditions where people shouldn’t. As a result, technicians and engineers can focus more on enhancing product quality by allowing industrial automation to handle more regular labor. As a result, humans can spend more time on challenging problems and improving finishing product touches.
People today demand more individualized and unique items to improve their life. Industrial automation can develop factories and workshops that meet various purposes. It takes too long and is expensive to create small batches of things by hand; nevertheless, industrial automation can make the operations viable. This can be done without compromising worker safety or quality standards. The same is true for mass-produced commodities that are automated in industrial settings.
The Future of Industrial Automation and Electronics
Industrial automation is becoming more affordable, making it easier for small enterprises to automate their production-floor procedures.
Due to a focus on more intelligent processes and increasing digitization, the IoT’s explosive growth and the ideas surrounding Industry 4.0 also offer the ideal framework for industrial automation. Manufacturers can monitor equipment, optimize systems, and enhance operations by integrating IoT capabilities into automated processes on the production line.
The use of AI further increases accuracy because it can identify and prevent mistakes or failures, enabling machines to comprehend considerably more complicated and nuanced goals than straightforward product execution. Fully automated production is the way of the future.
Today’s electrical gadgets, like drives and switch gears, are more advanced and include programming capabilities. Industrial automation includes using PLC and SCADA to control electrical and instrumentation devices such as servo, stepper, VMC, CNC, and AC DC drives.
Conclusion
The term “industrial automation” refers to a wide range of topics, including digital production, easy-to-use control systems for handling equipment and processes, Industry 4.0, and the intelligent factory. It replaces human mental and physical work in the engineering and industrial sectors with technology and control systems. Automated systems and products that integrate hydraulics, mechanical, pneumatics, electronic, and electrical components perform tasks that humans traditionally carried out. Numerous industries use industrial automation, including aerospace, automotive, oil and gas, and electronics.
Industrial automation was first aimed at reducing production costs and increasing productivity, but now the focus is on improving the quality and adaptability of goods. As indicated by the advantages above, industrial automation enables firms to explore countless options.