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GLOSSARYWhat is Automation? Automation (ancient Greek: = self dictated) implies a programmed arrangement of responses to a particular set of conditions or circumstances in order to produce or maintain desired objectives. Industrial automation is the use of programmed systems to improve the performance, reliability and agility of industrial machinery and processes. In the scope of industrialization, it is a step beyond mechanization. Whereas mechanization provided human operators with machinery to assist them with the physical requirements of work, automation greatly reduces the risk of rework, unanticipated breakdowns and human mistakes. Specialised
hardened, usually electronic, systems, referred to as programmable controllers,
are used to synchronize the flow of inputs from (physical) sensors and events
with the flow of outputs to actuators and events. This leads to precisely controlled
actions that permit a tight control of almost any industrial machinery or process.
Human-machine interfaces (HMI), are usually employed to communicate
with programmable controllers and other automation sub-systems, such as measurement
and monitoring devices for further automated analysis, control or emergency response. Another form of automation in industrial use is on-line test automation,
where rugged sensors and computer-controlled test probes automatically record,
analyse and direct for further action. The use of wired and wire-free
communication technology and advanced software algorithms in recent years has
resulted in intelligence being widely distributed on almost every equipment. Industrial
Automation has taken a big leap not only in Factories but also in Building. Environmental
and Transportation areas. Automation Tools |