Industrial automation-Technology Behind automated factories

 

What is Industrial Automation

What is Industrial Automation?

Industrial Automation was first proposed by Ford. It is a model for automating the operational processes of the manufacturing industry. On this basis, we can further subdivide into two levels of industrial automation: the automation of manual labor, and the automation of information processing and decision-making.

Automation of manual labor

Since the concept of automation was first proposed to the present day, most of the automation we call is the automation of physical labor, and most of the work categories of manual labor are usually highly repetitive and independent. , that is, technically speaking, this type of labor is the easiest to automate.

However, even from a technical point of view, we have been able to greatly replace manual labor through industrial automation technology, but is this economical? 

The answer is...Maybe. There are two main factors behind the automation of factories that limit their potential, changing consumer demands and increasing product complexity. In terms of time, consumers now want more – the same product has better functions, more functions, and even more personalization; replacement is faster – to continuously cater to consumers’ needs. In terms of taste, the industry frequently launches new products, which greatly shortens the previous product cycle.

Industrial Automation 

So why do these two factors limit the potential of automation? 

Starting from consumer demand, if the industry wants to keep up with the changing tastes of consumers, the existing production lines must also be constantly updated. However, the construction cost of an automated production line is very large, so the industry may only completely automate several fields that belong to the core business category (Ever-Green Product), or more upstream industries, will go bolder in the automated production line.

The second is product complexity. As the product complexity increases, the difficulty of automation becomes more difficult. However, the current technology has not yet reached a turning point, allowing the industry to reasonably introduce automation technology.

However, as the technology of Industry 4.0 matures, these problems we encounter in automating manual labor are gradually being solved. For example, additive manufacturing, human-machine collaboration, and the Internet of Things allow us to better handle complex production processes and meet consumer demand.

Automation of Information Processing and Decision Making

This stage has been in the past ten years, and it has grown significantly with the advancement of artificial intelligence technology. Looking at the framework of ten degrees of automation proposed by Sheridan and Verplank, in recent years, computers have also gained more and more decision-making power in the stages of acquiring data, analyzing data, establishing decisions, and implementing decisions.

As long as operators can understand the entire data strategy process and combine relevant technologies and technologies, they can build a highly automated Industry 4.0 factory in this modern age with abundant resources.

 

Industrial Automation 

Industrial Controllers: Past, Present, and Future

Since the advent of programmable logic controllers (PLCs), various automation controllers have migrated into industrial applications, including programmable automation controllers (PACs) and today's edge programmable industrial controllers (EPICs). Competition among leading controller suppliers has intensified as users have more choice in terms of cost, footprint, input/output (I/O) density, Fieldbus compatibility, communications, programming capabilities, and processing speed.

 For the market, diversity is often beneficial, but it can also be frustrating for engineers and end-users. Choosing a control platform is a long-term investment with associated costs such as training and support contracts. Policymakers want to get their money's worth for the money they put in.

 But before expressing support for the issue, it's better to take a look at how the industry is developing. What are the driving forces behind the development trends of different control solutions? How do these trends work now? How will users invest in automation in the future to ensure success?

 

Figure 1: Thanks to decades of technology integration, today's edge controllers can provide multiple I/O capabilities, multiple communication interfaces, and embedded HMI and programming capabilities. Image credit: Opto22

 

Industrial Automation 

 Evolution Mode of Industrial Controllers

 Studying the advancements in the field of automation and control over the past few decades can see how some iterations of specific technologies are driving the development of new I/O and control functions.

 For example, when the first I/O systems were developed, field control and sensing equipment also relied on electromagnetic and pneumatic components, which were limited by physical properties that affected their useful life. Compact low-voltage components such as solid-state relays are driving users to demand more options for integrating I/O directly into their systems. This led to the emergence of the first modular I/O, and at the same time, electronics companies brought high-tech computing into the mainstream. The sensitive electronics in these systems require external I/O to interact with the real world. This is the first serially addressable I/O rack, which is an alternative to rack-based I/O in PLCs.

 From dedicated, independent I/O devices to modular I/O, to bus I/O, the multiplexing concept in industrial automation control is reflected. Next-generation control platforms incorporate embedded I/O processing circuitry. The module has expanded from 1 I/O channel to 32 channels, and now I/O is built into PLC and other single equipment. In some cases, with proper configuration, each I/O channel can accept a variety of different signal types.

 This model shows how innovation spreads across the industry: over time, individual innovations become modular, partner with other technologies, and then embedded within those technologies as part of an innovation cycle.

 For PLCs and PACs, this mode provides smaller controllers and I/O modules. Greater computing power is achieved "per square inch" as math and programming processor functions are integrated directly into control boards and other devices such as I/O, transmitters, and network gateways. Over time, the same pattern is reflected in the migration of new embedded communication interfaces and protocol standards to controllers.

 

 Fusion of different technologies

 The trend of convergence is intertwined with the integration cycle, and technological innovations outside the industrial control market are gradually entering the controller. Looking at the history of bus I/O, you can see how this trend has led to the development of new controller functions.

 From serial bus I/O, there are parallel I/O buses and other solutions that allow mini and microcomputers to interact with I/O. This also inspired the idea of ​​developing a stand-alone I/O communication processor, which separates the I/O from the computer, allowing any computer with a communication port to interact with it.

 As I/O modules and processors improved, early hybrid controllers also provided analog signal processing capabilities that were only available in distributed control systems (DCS) at the time. Since the original purpose of ladder logic programs (a PLC programming language) was not to handle analog data formats, this led to the creation of a new programming language for hybrid controllers.

 Then, low-cost alternatives to the IBM PC began to flood the market. Since the PC is the primary control function of the hybrid system, reliability concerns have arisen. It was significant for the supplier to develop an industry-hardened alternative that combined the I/O, networking, and programming components of earlier hybrid solutions into a single system that would later become a PAC system. PACs use the same processor as a PC and can provide a feature set that fills a niche between low-cost, PLC-based discrete control and high-cost, DCS-based process control.

 Innovations in high-tech enterprises and the personal computer market have brought opportunities for the development of industrial controls. This trend is starting to accelerate with the increasing convergence of the operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) domains. Take, for example, the wave of mobility solutions that have emerged in recent years. It's also reflected in the push to support big data, cloud analytics, and machine learning, technologies born outside the realm of industrial automation.

 

Industrial Automation 

 Future-proof controller

 As the trend toward deeper technology integration, greater convergence between industries, and greater connectivity between devices and systems continue, what will the controllers of the future bring us?

 How should engineers choose to ensure they can stay current with technology and help the business get the most out of it? The following 3 suggestions help manufacturers choose the right control technology to achieve their goals.

 1. Focus on design, not function

 Knowing that technology will continue to improve over time and become more tightly integrated and embedded, it makes sense to prioritize investments in control systems that cannot change easily or quickly. Engineers need to emphasize the architecture of the control system, not some of today's eye-catching features.

 2. Look for external innovations

 If engineers design systems that can evolve to keep pace with digital transformation, reducing maintenance and rework, it can impress end users, who will remember that the technology that determines the future often comes from outside the industry.

 3. Keep an open mind

 The battle for proprietary technology market share hinders innovation, while support for open standards opens up possibilities for everyone. Connectivity is one of the target metrics of Industry 4.0, and as connectivity increases, engineers need to invest in technologies that can create opportunities for disparate systems to work together.