Industrial Automation: A Complete and Up-to-Date Guide on the Subject
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2025 8:40 am
Industrial automation is one of the main pillars of Industry 4.0, the fourth industrial revolution that is transforming production processes through technology.
This technological transformation has allowed us to go further and further, with solutions that encompass these processes and are constantly improved to facilitate the activities of the industry.
But do you know what industrial automation is? How does industrial process automation work in practice?
In this article we will explain the concept, operation, pillars and advantages of automation in the industry, as well as show some examples of sectors that can benefit from this trend.
What is industrial automation?
Industrial automation is the use of technological solutions, such as software, hardware, electromechanical machines and specific equipment, to automate and optimize industrial processes.
It integrates the mechanical, electronic and information technology (IT) areas and is responsible for increasing the competitiveness of industries in the market by increasing productivity.
In simpler words, it is the use of technology with the aim of spending as little as possible to produce the best product. To do this, it seeks:
Improve working conditions, increase safety and eliminate hazardous jobs;
Improve product availability, so that the company can supply the necessary quantities at the exact time;
Increase company productivity by reducing costs, increasing quality and reducing the production time of goods;
Provide more autonomy in manufacturing processes , so that operators do not need as much knowledge in managing the process.
This type of automation does not consist of replacing vietnam whatsapp data humans with machines , but rather in reassigning employees to more strategic and less repetitive activities.
In this way, it allows processes to be more agile, efficient and safe, with less costs, waste and errors.
How does industrial automation of a system work?
Industrial automation of a system involves the use of electronic devices to monitor and control the physical variables of the process, such as temperature, pressure, flow, level, etc.
These devices include:
Sensors: These are the elements that capture information from the environment and send it to the controllers.
Controllers: are the devices that process the information received from the sensors and generate command signals for the actuators.
Actuators: are the elements that perform actions on the process, such as opening or closing a valve, turning a motor on or off, etc.
Communication networks: are the means that allow data to be exchanged between devices.
To better understand how industrial automation works, there is no shortage of examples. Imagine controlling the temperature of an oven.
A sensor measures the internal temperature of the oven and sends this information to a controller.
The controller compares the measured temperature with the desired temperature and generates a signal to the actuator.
The actuator activates the oven heater or cooler to increase or decrease the temperature as needed.
Operational and control part.
In addition to thinking about industrial automation and what a device does, we can approach the automated system more broadly.
In this case, it is composed of the operational part and the control part.
The operational part is the one that acts directly on the process and is composed of activation and pre-activation devices (motors, pistons, compressors, cylinders and valves) and detection devices (inductive, capacitive, vision, ultrasonic sensors, etc.).
This set of elements is responsible for the movement of the machine, since they make it perform the desired operation.
The control part is the programmable part of the system. It is implemented with the help of the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), the brain of industrial process automation.
It is the PLC that communicates with all the components of the system. It recognizes the inputs, processes the logic and updates the outputs.
Do you understand what industrial automation does? Then let’s learn about its pillars!
The pillars of industrial automation
Industrial automation is based on six fundamental pillars, which characterize industry 4.0 . They are:
Virtualization
Virtualization involves the creation of digital models of industrial processes, called digital twins, which allow scenarios to be simulated and tested before their actual implementation.
It also allows integration between the physical and virtual world, through technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality.
Decentralization
Decentralization refers to the ability of automated systems to make decisions autonomously, without human intervention.
This technological transformation has allowed us to go further and further, with solutions that encompass these processes and are constantly improved to facilitate the activities of the industry.
But do you know what industrial automation is? How does industrial process automation work in practice?
In this article we will explain the concept, operation, pillars and advantages of automation in the industry, as well as show some examples of sectors that can benefit from this trend.
What is industrial automation?
Industrial automation is the use of technological solutions, such as software, hardware, electromechanical machines and specific equipment, to automate and optimize industrial processes.
It integrates the mechanical, electronic and information technology (IT) areas and is responsible for increasing the competitiveness of industries in the market by increasing productivity.
In simpler words, it is the use of technology with the aim of spending as little as possible to produce the best product. To do this, it seeks:
Improve working conditions, increase safety and eliminate hazardous jobs;
Improve product availability, so that the company can supply the necessary quantities at the exact time;
Increase company productivity by reducing costs, increasing quality and reducing the production time of goods;
Provide more autonomy in manufacturing processes , so that operators do not need as much knowledge in managing the process.
This type of automation does not consist of replacing vietnam whatsapp data humans with machines , but rather in reassigning employees to more strategic and less repetitive activities.
In this way, it allows processes to be more agile, efficient and safe, with less costs, waste and errors.
How does industrial automation of a system work?
Industrial automation of a system involves the use of electronic devices to monitor and control the physical variables of the process, such as temperature, pressure, flow, level, etc.
These devices include:
Sensors: These are the elements that capture information from the environment and send it to the controllers.
Controllers: are the devices that process the information received from the sensors and generate command signals for the actuators.
Actuators: are the elements that perform actions on the process, such as opening or closing a valve, turning a motor on or off, etc.
Communication networks: are the means that allow data to be exchanged between devices.
To better understand how industrial automation works, there is no shortage of examples. Imagine controlling the temperature of an oven.
A sensor measures the internal temperature of the oven and sends this information to a controller.
The controller compares the measured temperature with the desired temperature and generates a signal to the actuator.
The actuator activates the oven heater or cooler to increase or decrease the temperature as needed.
Operational and control part.
In addition to thinking about industrial automation and what a device does, we can approach the automated system more broadly.
In this case, it is composed of the operational part and the control part.
The operational part is the one that acts directly on the process and is composed of activation and pre-activation devices (motors, pistons, compressors, cylinders and valves) and detection devices (inductive, capacitive, vision, ultrasonic sensors, etc.).
This set of elements is responsible for the movement of the machine, since they make it perform the desired operation.
The control part is the programmable part of the system. It is implemented with the help of the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), the brain of industrial process automation.
It is the PLC that communicates with all the components of the system. It recognizes the inputs, processes the logic and updates the outputs.
Do you understand what industrial automation does? Then let’s learn about its pillars!
The pillars of industrial automation
Industrial automation is based on six fundamental pillars, which characterize industry 4.0 . They are:
Virtualization
Virtualization involves the creation of digital models of industrial processes, called digital twins, which allow scenarios to be simulated and tested before their actual implementation.
It also allows integration between the physical and virtual world, through technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality.
Decentralization
Decentralization refers to the ability of automated systems to make decisions autonomously, without human intervention.