AN OVERVIEW OF INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION IN MANUFACTURING

Abstract

Automation has been of high priority for the manufacturing sector, from Ford's first set of Model-T Assembly lines in the early 1920s to the modern factory floor. With appropriate automation, the aim was to rationalize the production and keep the process under control. Instrumentation for measuring process variables assumed a significant role in meeting such goals. The development of new sensors and instruments took place in stages concurrent with advancements in science and technology. This paper comprehensively reviews the evolution of industrial automation. Essentially, it reviews the milestones in the industrial automation and control systems, the emergence of Distributed Control Systems (DCSs), the advanced control architecture, the non-conventional technologies for the future and finally the benefits from the networked system.While certain processes in the industrial domain have been entirely automated, others do require the combined participation of humans and technology. Not all automation is computer driven; in fact, industrial automation includes hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, electrical, electronics, and computer-aided procedures. Industrial automation facilitates the use of technology so machines can carry out the process of manufacturing with levels of precision, speed, and consistency that is beyond those of humans.