Industrial automation is the use of control systems,
such as computers or robots, and information
technologies for handling different processes and
machinery in an industry to replace a human being. It
is the second step beyond mechanization in the scope
of industrialization. Increase Quality and Flexibility
in Your Manufacturing Process Earlier the purpose of
automation was to increase productivity (since
automated systems can work 24 hours a day) and to
reduce the cost associated with human operators (i.e.
wages & benefits). However, today, the focus of
automation has shifted to increasing quality and
flexibility in the manufacturing process. In the
automobile industry, the installation of pistons into
the engine used to be performed manually with an error
rate of 1-1.5%. Presently, this task is performed
using automated machinery with an error rate of
0.00001%. Advantages of Industrial Automation Lower
operating cost: Industrial automation eliminates
healthcare costs and paid leave and holidays
associated with a human operator. Further, industrial
automation does not require other employee benefits
such as bonuses, pension coverage, etc. Above all,
although it is associated with a high initial cost it
saves the monthly wages of the workers which leads to
substantial cost savings for the company. The
maintenance cost associated with machinery used for
industrial automation is less because it does not
often fail. If it fails, only computer and maintenance
engineers are required to repair it. High Productivity
Although many companies hire hundreds of production
workers for up to three shifts to run the plant for
the maximum number of hours, the plant still needs to
be closed for maintenance and holidays. Industrial
automation fulfills the aim of the company by allowing
the company to run a manufacturing plant for 24 hours
a day 7 days a week and 365 days a year. This leads to
a significant improvement in the productivity of the
company. High Quality Automation alleviates the error
associated with a human being. Further, unlike human
beings, robots do not involve any fatigue, which
results in products with uniform quality manufactured
at different times. High Flexibility Adding a new task
in the assembly line requires training with a human
operator, however, robots can be programmed to do any
task. This makes the manufacturing process more
flexible. High Information Accuracy Adding automated
data collection can allow you to collect key
production information, improve data accuracy, and
reduce your data collection costs. This provides you
with the facts to make the right decisions when it
comes to reducing waste and improving your processes.
High Safety Industrial automation can make the
production line safe for employees by deploying robots
to handle hazardous conditions.