oday the technological world has developed and has continued to innovate to provide an easier lifestyle. This is the main focus of automation. Automation has gained more recognition from people in the business and industrial sectors. The purpose of this report is to discuss and inform the overview knowledge in the automation field. “Automation is the system of manufacture designed to extend the capacity of machines to perform certain tasks formerly done by humans, and to control sequences of operations without human intervention” (Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, 2017, p. 1). Humans are capable of such incredible things and have improved throughout time even develop automated technology to do those tasks. Automation and the technology has performed in theses tasks in impacting production by increasing accuracy and speed while eliminating errors and repetitive work. There is examples in the fields of communications that use devices such automatic telephone switching equipment, automated guidance and communication systems (Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, 2017, p. 1). Automation was birth in the early 1900s and continued to grow as time passed. As automation grew and continued to develop productivity was increasing and the future looked bright but there was a fear of this field.
The report will discuss several major sections of automation. Automations history, the beginning and origin automation is different from today and the evolution of it will be discussed. From the the goal in making the process faster, the cost, effectiveness, errors, and overall process of automation is a major section that will be presented. The history and the future of the automation field in careers and job opportunity will be discussed. Lastly, the technology being used in automation will be discussed.
Discussion
History
Today the opportunities to share information are unlimited with the technology and automation that is accessible. We often think of automation as modern but with that there is a history that is dynamic and large. Automation in manufacturing is used to have machines perform processes with levels of speed, consistency, and precision that is more capable than a human worker. Manufacturing automation has many benefits.
Automation has made a large part resulting in increases of free time and real wages appreciated by most workers in industrialized nations. Automation has greatly expanded production and lowered costs. Due to this, goods such as refrigerators, televisions, telephones, and other goods available to more people. With the importance of automation today, it is appreciated and recognized of its innovation in history.
The term automation appeared in 1936 by D.S. Harder while working for the General Motors Corporation, also known as GMC. At that time he defined automation as “the transfer of workparts between the machines in a production process, without human operation” (Hitomii, 1994). Today automation is described as “nonmanufacturing systems in which programmed or automatic devices can operate independently or nearly independently of human control” (Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, 2017, p. 1). Humankind have made supplies and tools in use for production activities. In history replacement of physicla labour with machines was the first step in aoutomation. There is three elememst to a machine; the prime mover that converts one kind of energy to mechanical energy, a drving force that was trabsmitted from a transmittor, and the machining unit conducting the mechancial work (Hitomi, 1994). Rooting back to the 11th century, automation has been recqginzed. An increase in the market demand for miners and metals as applications of innovations in mining grew popular in the 11th century. The big issue during this time of mining was draining water out of shafts and tunnels in the underground mining. The solution to this was to apply water power using waterwheels to power draining engines (PHC, 2016). Waterwheels is an example of automation that was a key stepping stone in direction to the automated process in factories today. The first realization of automation “autometics” or the “automatic lathe”. It was invented invented in 1873 (Hitomi, 1994). During the time of the Industrial Revoultion, automation was making big jumps in rpogress of increasing factory productivity. The paper insudtrsy used a machine that made made continous sheets of paper on a coiled wire afbric, the Fourdriner. The textile industry became more efficient and faster with the use of cotton spinning, which became mechnized by steam or water power. In the 1920s factory productivity rapidly increased due to electricty and leading the charge in industrial automation was the automative industry. A focal point during World War II was the placements of advancements in indutrial automation. Used to produce figther airplanes, tanks, tank warships. As time passed by the 1980s, the ultimate goal was for factories automated to the extent that humans and robots would manage the whole manufactruing process.
Development, Improvement, and Process
Automation and technology have changed into a new identity in terms of business. Automation is used everyday and part of human society like the way cellphones and social media is used daily. Automation is almost a part of everything we do in today’s culture. The developmet of technology and solutions are used to improve and innovate new techniques to further more positive outcomes. Innovation today looks different that it was the in the past. Automation has a built a relationship of economic forces and technical innovations as the development of feedback and transfer systems, division of labor, energy and power transfer, mechanization of the factory.
The division of labor in manufacturing is a result in increased production and also a result of reduction in the level of skills required of workers. The division of labor is the rdeuction of a manufacturing or service process into small independents steps (Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, 2017, p. 1). The next into developing automation is mechaniztation. The evoloution in technology of power transfer improved in production effieciency. This resulted in a rise to the factory systems of production because machines and workers had to be close to the power source. Evolving rapidly is the concept of automation . “The oil and chemical industries, for example, have developed the continuous-flow method of production, owing to the nature of the raw materials used. In a refinery, crude oil enters at one point and flows continuously through pipes in cracking, distillation, and reaction devices as it is being processed into such products as gasoline and fuel oil” (Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, 2017, p. 1). A central computer is used to control the equipment. The automible, chemical, oil, iron and steel industries all use automated machines in parts of its manufacturing processes to it’s production needs. Automation is an influence with its consistent use in day-to-day life.