CHAPTER 4

AUTOMATION SYSTEM
DAE 32503 – ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION
SYSTEM
By: Nor Faezah Adan
Introduction to Automation

Automation in Manufacturing

Automation strategies

Designing for Automation

4.1 Introduction to Automation
Automation can be defined as a technology
concerned with the application of mechanical,
electronic and computer based systems to operate.
Therefore, an automated machine is composed of:
• A mechanical part including the actuators/drives
and sensors.
• An electronic circuit i.e the hardware.
• A control system that represents the intelligence of
the system.
 4.1.1 Automatic vs Autonomous
Example: The automatic toaster
Bread is put in the toaster, a lever is pushed down, and
when the toast is done, it shuts off and pops up
automatically  The toaster is automatic, but not
autonomous.
Autonomous toaster  would have a more flexible
capability. It would have a way of knowing what kind
of bread was in it and how well done the user wants the
toast, so it could adjust the heat accordingly. It would
be able to monitor the toasting process so the toast
would always be fully done and never burned.
 4.1.1 Automatic vs Autonomous
Example 2: The traffic light
Human presses button at traffic light when they want to
cross the street. Even if the traffic light work
automatically without any buttons are pressed, it is still
an automatic system because the input (e.g. time to
change the lights) is provided  Automatic traffic
light.
Autonomous traffic light  if the traffic light uses a
camera and moves its camera to detect people who
want to cross the street and change its light
accordingly, it is then an autonomous system.
 4.1.2 Basic elements
Power

Program of Control
instructions Process
System

• Power: To accomplish the process and operate the

system.
• A program of instruction to direct the process.
• A control system to actuate the instructions.
 4.1.3 Benefits of Automation
1) Increase labour output
Example: Addition of a robot to handle material or
use of PLC to control manual process. Each is
intended to free up the worker from a task, thereby
enabling him or her to produce more.

2) Increase production output

Increase the amount of product made over a specific
period of time. Robot is fast and consistent.
 4.1.3 Benefits of Automation
3) Reduce or eliminate effects of labour shortages
If the manufacturing process is particularly labour
intensive, lack of workers can result in machine
downtime, less product and overtime for the current
workforce. Making the process labour intensive
through automation allows it to better withstand
periods of labour shortages.
 4.1.3 Benefits of Automation
4) Improve worker safety
Example: Utilization of a robot to remove parts
from an injecting press. For a worker to remove
parts from the mould, the press door must be
opened, which activates the mechanical interlocks
that prevent the mould from closing as the worker
removes the parts. But if a robot removes the parts,
the worker is no longer required to reach the press,
thus removing him from the dangerous
environment. Injecting
Auto
injecting
press
press
 4.1.3 Benefits of Automation
5) Reduce labour cost
Example: Labour cost reduction include any type of
automation that reduces the number of workers or
the time each worker spend in production.

6) Improve product quality

Robot has higher accuracy and consistent.
 4.1.3 Benefits of Automation
7) The existence of processes that simply cannot be
done manually
Some processes may require too high of a degree of
precision or be too small for the human hand to
effect or have too complex a geometry.
Example:Manufacturing of computer chips. In
2008, INTEL announced a new computer chip
containing 2 billion transistors. Obviously, this can
only be produced with the aid of automated
machines.
 4.2 Automation in Manufacturing
Examples of automated manufacturing system:
• Automated machine tools that process machine parts.
• Transfer lines that perform a series of
machining operations. Inspection

• Automatic inspection system for quality control.

• Manufacturing systems that use industrial robots
to perform processing or assembly operations.
• Automatic material handling and storage systems to
integrate manufacturing operations.
• Automated assembly systems.
 4.2 Automation in Manufacturing
Automated manufacturing systems can be classified
into three standard types:

Manufacturing automation

Fixed automation

Programmable automation

Flexible automation
 4.2.1 Fixed Automation
Fixed automation is a system in which the sequence
of processing (or assembly) operations is fixed by the
equipment configuration.
This is also called hard automation.
Used when the volume of production is very high,
therefore, appropriate to design specialized
equipment to process products at high rates and low
cost.
Examples: Machining transfer lines, Automated
assembly machines.
 4.2.1 Fixed Automation
Example:
Automobile industry, where highly integrated
transfer lines are used to perform machining
operations on engine and transmission components.
The economics of fixed automation is such that the
cost of the special equipment can be divided over a
large number of units produced, so that the resulting
unit costs can be lower relative to alternative
methods of production.
Transfer
Assembly
line
 4.2.1 Fixed Automation
The risk:
 Initial investment cost is high and if the volume
of production turns out to be lower than
anticipated, then the unit costs become greater.
 The equipment is specially design to produce
only one product, and after that product’s cycle
life is finished, the equipment is likely to
become obsolete. Therefore, for products with
short life cycles, fixed automation is not
economical.
 4.2.2 Programmable Automation
In programmable automation, the production
equipment is designed with the capability to change
the sequence of operations to accommodate different
product configuration.
The operation sequence is controlled by a program.
New programs can be prepared and entered into the
equipment to produce new products.
Example, CNC lathe that produces a specific product
in a certain product class according to the “input
program”.
 4.2.2 Programmable Automation
The system must be reprogrammed with the set
machine instructions that correspondent to the new
product when a new batch of different product needs
to be produced.
Physical setup of the machine must be changed (this
changeover procedure takes time):
 Tools must be loaded.
 Fixtures must be attached to the machine table.
 Required machine setting must be entered.
 4.2.2 Programmable Automation
In terms of economics:
 The cost of equipment can be spread over a large
number of products even though the products are
different.
 Because of the programming feature and the
resulting adaptability of the equipment, many
different and unique products can be processed
economically in small batches.
 4.2.2 Programmable Automation
Typical features of programmable automation are:
 High investment in general purpose equipment.
 Lower production rates than fixed automation.
 Flexibility to deal with variations and changes in
product configuration.
 Most suitable for batch production.
Example: CNC

 Numerically controlled (NC) machine tools.

 Industrial robots.
 Programmable logic controllers.
 4.2.3 Flexible Automation
Flexible automation is most suitable for mid-volume
production range.
Flexible automation possesses some of the features
of both fixed and programmable automation.
It is also called soft-automation.
Flexible automation typically consists of a series of
workstations that are interconnected by material
handling and storage equipment to process different
product configurations at the same time on the
same manufacturing system.
 4.2.3 Flexible Automation
A central computer is used to control the various
activities that occur in the system, routing the various
parts to the appropriate stations and controlling the
programmed operations at the different stations.
With flexible automation, different products can be
made at the same time on the same system.
This means that the products can be produced on a
flexible system in batches, if desirable, or that several
products can be mixed on the same system.
 4.2.3 Flexible Automation
The computational power of the control computer is
what makes this versatility possible.
However, the exorbitant cost of this system limits its
use to high volume application.
Example:
 Industrial robot. Robot

 Flexible manufacturing system. FMS

 4.2.4 Automation comparison
Automation Consideration Advantages Disadvantages
Fixed / Hard  High demand • Maximum efficiency • Large initial investment
volume • Low unit cost • Inflexibility
 Long product • Automated material
life cycle handling – fast and
efficient movement of
parts
Programmable  Batch production  Flexibility to deal with • New product requires long
 Products with changes in product set-up time
different options  Low unit cost for large • High unit cost relative to
batches fixed automation
Flexible/Soft  Low production  Flexibility to deal with • Large initial investment
rates design variations • High unit cost relative to
 Varying demand  Customized products fixed or programmable
 Short product automation
life cycle
4.2.4 Automation comparison
 4.2.4 Automation Strategies
A central computer is used to control the various
activities that occur in the system, routing the various
parts to the appropriate stations and controlling the
programmed operations at the different stations.
With flexible automation, different products can be
made at the same time on the same system.
This means that the products can be produced on a
flexible system in batches, if desirable, or that several
products can be mixed on the same system.
 4.2.5 Designing for Automation
Symmetry
Both ends of the part were designed to be identical to
make orientation unnecessary.
 4.2.5 Designing for Automation
Asymmetry
 Important features of each part are difficult to detect
mechanically and solution to the problem is to
remove symmetry.
 Disk and circular objects are particularly good
candidates for asymmetric design features, because
without locating features, they can assume an
infinite number of rotational orientations.
 Rectangular shapes however, usually benefit from
symmetry because they are only a few feasible
orientations
4.2.5 Designing for Automation
 4.2.5 Designing for Automation
Parts tangling
 Parts often have both holes and projections in which
the functions of these features are irrelevant to each
other and the projections are not intended to enter
the hole.
 The relationship between hole size and part
projection dimensions for such parts is important to
prevent projection from sticking into the hole and
causing a tangle.
4.2.5 Designing for Automation
4.2.5 Designing for Automation
 4.2.5 Designing for Automation
Parts feeding
 Most of the machines for feeding parts utilize
vibration or gravity, and force is transmitted from
piece to piece as parts are pushed forward from the
rear.
 If parts are too thin or if edges are beveled, the parts
will tend to “shingle”.
 If parts end are not orthogonal to the direction of
travel, the parts will tend to “wedge”.
4.2.5 Designing for Automation
4.2.5 Designing for Automation
 4.2.5 Designing for Automation
Design for insertion
 Even if parts are oriented correctly, when the
tolerances are close, it is difficult to achieve the
perfect alignment necessary to accomplish an
insertion task with an industrial robot or other
automatic machine.
 It is frequently possible to design the mating parts to
make the insertion job easier.
4.2.5 Designing for Automation
 4.2.5 Designing for Automation
Fasteners
 There are assembly machines that are used for
driving screws.
 Fundamentally, it is wise to avoid screws and
fasteners because of the complexity they add to the
assembly process.
 It is often possible to do this with no compromise in
quality or integrity of the assembly.
4.2.5 Designing for Automation
4.2.5 Designing for Automation

End of Lecture 10