Unit-1:

Introduction to basics of industrial automation

ECE361
Industrial Automation
 Introduction to Industrial Automation
• Lesson Objectives :
• To define Automation and Control and explain the
differences in the sense of the terms
• To underline the basic objectives of a manufacturing
industry and explain how automation and control
technologies relate to these
• To introduce the concept of a Product Life Cycle and
explain how Automation and Control technologies
relate to the various phases of the cycle
• To classify Manufacturing plants and categorize the
different classes of Automation Systems that are
appropriate for these
 Introduction to Industrial Automation
• Industry:
• Systematic Economic Activity that could be related to
Manufacture/Service/ Trade.

• Automation :
• Greek words “Auto”(self) and “Matos” (moving)
Definition: 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
 Control

• Control is a set of technologies that achieves desired

patterns of variations of operational parameters and
sequences for machines and systems by providing
the input signals necessary.
Q. Can you explain the above definition in the
context of a common control system, such as
temperature control in an oven?
Ans: Consider a temperature-controlled oven as
found in many kitchens.
• A careful examination of the dials would show
that one could control the temperature in the
oven. This is a closed loop control operation.
• One can also control the time for which the
oven is kept on.
• Note that in both cases the input signal to the
process is the applied voltage to the heater
coils. This input signal is varied as required to
hold the temperature, by the controller.
 Automation vs Control Systems
• 1. Automation Systems may include Control Systems but the
reverse is not true. Control Systems may be parts of Automation
Systems.
• 2. The main function of
– Control systems is to ensure that outputs follow the set points.
– However, Automation Systems may have much more
functionality, such as computing set points for control systems,
monitoring system performance, plant startup or shutdown, job
and equipment scheduling etc.
• Automation Systems are essential for most modern industries. It is
therefore important to understand why they are so, before we
study these in detail in this course .
Fig. :- A CNC Machine
with an Automated Tool
Changer and the
Operator Console with
Display for Programming
and Control of the
Machine
 Role of automation in industry
• Manufacturing processes, basically, produce finished product from
raw/unfinished material using energy, manpower, equipment and
infrastructure.

• Since an industry is essentially a “systematic economic activity”, the

fundamental objective of any industry is to make profit.
• Profit = (Price/unit – Cost/unit) x Production Volume (assuming to
be sellable) ………..(1)
• So profit can be maximized by producing good quality products,
which may sell at higher price, in larger volumes with less
production cost and time.
• Automation can achieve all these in the following ways,

• Automation affects all of these factors.

• Firstly, automated machines have significantly lower production
times. For example, in machine tools, manufacturing a variety of
parts, significant setup times are needed for setting the
operational configuration and parameters whenever a new part is
loaded into the machine. This can lead to significant unproductive
for expensive machines when a variety of products is
manufactured.
 Profit = (Price/unit – Cost/unit) x Production Volume ………..(1)

• Q. With reference to Eq. (1), explain how the

following automation systems improve
industrial profitability.
– a. Automated Welding Robots for Cars
– b. Automated PCB Assembly Machines
– c. Distributed Control Systems for Petroleum
Refineries
• Q. With reference to Eq. (1), explain how the following
automation systems improve industrial profitability.
– a. Automated Welding Robots for Cars
– b. Automated PCB Assembly Machines
– c. Distributed Control Systems for Petroleum Refineries

• Ans: Some of the factors that lead to profitability in each case, are
mentioned.
• a. Automated Welding Robots for Cars
– Increased production rate, Uniform and accurate welding, Operator
safety.
• b. Automated PCB Assembly Machines
– Increased production rate, Uniform and accurate placement and
soldering
• c. Distributed Control Systems for Petroleum Refineries
– Energy efficiency, Improved product quality
Economy of Scale and Economy of Scope

• Economy of Scale
• Definition: Reduction in cost per unit resulting from
increased production, realized through operational
efficiencies. Economies of scale can be accomplished
because as production increases, the cost of producing
each additional unit falls.
• Economy of Scope
• Definition: The situation that arises when the cost of
being able to manufacture multiple products
simultaneously proves more efficient than that of being
able to manufacture single product at a time.
 Economy of Scope
• Economy of scope arises in several sectors of manufacturing, but
perhaps the most predominantly in electronic product
manufacturing where complete product life cycle, from
conception to market, are executed in a matter of months, if
not weeks.
• Therefore, to shrink the time to market drastically use of
automated tools is mandated in all phases of the product life
cycle.
• Additionally, since a wide variety of products need to be
manufactured within the life period of a factory, rapid
programmability and reconfigurability of machines and
processes becomes a key requirement for commercial success.
• A. Can You give an example of an industry where
economy of scope is more significant than the economy
of scale?
• Ans: One such example would a job shop which
manufactures custom machine parts by machining
according to customer drawings. Another example would
be a factory to manufacture Personal Computer
components
• B. Can you give an example of an industry where
economy of scale is more significant than the economy
of scope?
• Ans: One such example would be a Power plant. Another
one would be a Steel Plant.
 Types of production systems
• Major industrial processes can be categorized as follows
based on their scale and scope of production.
• Continuous flow process: Manufactured product is in
continuous quantities i.e., the product is not a discrete
object. Moreover, for such processes, the volume of
production is generally very high, while the product
variation is relatively low. Typical examples of such
processes include Oil Refineries, Iron and Steel Plants,
Cement and Chemical Plants.
• Mass Manufacturing of Discrete Products: Products are
discrete objects and manufactured in large volumes.
Product variation is very limited. Typical examples are
Appliances, Automobiles etc.
 Types of production systems
• Batch Production: In a batch production process the product
is either discrete or continuous. However, the variation in
product types is larger than in continuous-flow processes.
The same set of equipment is used to manufacture all the
product types. However for each batch of a given product
type a distinct set of operating parameters must be
established. This set is often referred to as the “recipe” for
the batch. Typical examples here would be Pharmaceuticals,
Casting Foundries, Plastic molding, Printing etc.
• Job shop Production: Typically designed for manufacturing
small quantities of discrete products, which are custom
built, generally according to drawings supplied by customers.
Any variation in the product can be made. Examples include
Machine Shops, Prototyping facilities etc
Types of Production Systems
 Types of Automation Systems
• Automation systems can be categorized based on the
flexibility and level of integration in manufacturing process
operations. Various automation systems can be classified as
follows

• Fixed Automation
• Programmable Automation
• Flexible Automation
• Integrated Automation
 Automation
Parameters Fixed Manufacturing Programmable Flexible Integrated
Systems Manufacturing Manufacturing Manufacturing
Systems Systems Systems

Salient • High Volume •Changeable •Frequent •To control the

Features • Fixed Efficient Sequence of Change of whole factory
Operation operation operators (GUI) •Adv optimizing
•Dedicated •Electronic •Computer •Computer
Equipment Controls controlled Communication
•Prog. Material •Productivity
Handling Management
Factory •Continuous Flow •Batch Process •Job Shops •All types
Type •Discrete Mass •Mass •Batch Process •Large factories
Production Production

Examples • Process Automation •NC Machines •CNC M/C •Chemical

• Conveyors •Assembly Centers Process
•Paint Shops Robots •Automatic Automation
•Transfer Line Guided Vehicles •Plant-wide CIM
•Car Design M800
 For what kind of a factory would you
recommend Fixed Automation
• Fixed automation is appropriate in the following
circumstances.
• A. Low variability in product type as also in size, shape,
part count and material
• B. Predictable and stable demand for 2- to 5-year time
period, so that manufacturing capacity requirement is
also stable.
• C. High production volume desired per unit time
• D. Significant cost pressures due to competitive market
conditions. So automation systems should be tuned to
perform optimally for the particular product
 For what kind of a factory would you
recommend Flexible Automation

• Flexible automation, on the other hand is used in the

following situations.
• A. Significant variability in product type. Product mix
requires a combination of different parts and products
to be manufactured from the same production system
• B. Product life cycles are short. Frequent up gradation
and design modifications alter production requirements
• C. Production volumes are moderate, and demand is
not as predictable
 For what kind of a factory would you
recommend computer integrated
manufacturing and why?

• Ans: For large systems producing sophisticated and

expensive products in large volumes having many
subunits to be integrated in complex ways.