AUTOMATION IN YEAR 2020

 

Automation was also highlighted in Gartner’s recently published top ten strategic technology trends for 2020. One trend is what Gartner calls “hyperautomation,” the combination of multiple machine learning, packaged software and automation tools to deliver work, referring to all the steps of automation—discover, analyze, design, automate, measure, monitor and reassess. Understanding the range of automation mechanisms, how they relate to one another and how they can be combined and coordinated is a major focus for hyperautomation.

 

Another 2020 trend identified by Gartner is “autonomous things.” These are physical devices that use AI to automate functions previously performed by humans. The most recognizable forms of autonomous things are robots, drones, autonomous vehicles/ships and appliances. Their automation goes beyond the automation provided by rigid programing models, and they exploit AI to deliver advanced behaviors that interact more naturally with their surroundings and with people. As the technology capability improves, regulation permits and social acceptance grows, autonomous things will increasingly be deployed in uncontrolled public spaces, predicts Gartner.

 

Another recent report about automation pointed out that the promise and potential challenges of automation may take a long time to manifest themselves. The Future of Warehouse Work from UC Berkeley Labor Center offers an in-depth, detailed look at the range of ways in which warehouse work and the industry as a whole might change with the adoption of new technology over the next five to 10 years.

Conclusion? “We project that the industry likely won’t experience dramatic job loss over the next decade, though many workers may see the content and quality of their jobs shift as technologies are adopted for particular tasks.”

 

There will be no dramatic job loss because the adoption of automation takes time: “Absent a major shift in how warehousing activities are valued, the dynamics that have created barriers to innovation and contributed to the sector’s status as a laggard are likely to persist over the next five to 10 years.” This is probably true for other industries and type of jobs where inertia will triumph over automation for some time to come.

Credit to : https://www.forbes.com/sites/gilpress/2019/10/30/2020-predictions-about-automation-and-the-future-of-work-from-forrester/?sh=2ac34d1e1318

APA ITU ETAC?

 

PNEUMATIC & HYDRAULICS DJV5032 V2

 

Pneumatic control systems can be designed in the form of pneumatic circuits.

A pneumatic circuit is formed by various pneumatic components, such as cylinders, directional control valves, flow control valves, pressure regulator, signal processing elements such as shuttle valve, two pressure valve etc.

Pneumatic circuits have the following functions

To control the entry and exit of compressed air in the cylinders.
To use one valve to control another valve
To control actuators or any other pneumatic devices

Methods of controlling Pneumatic Cylinders

Happy reading!

Why is employability important?

To students:

‘To be employed is to be at risk, to be employable is to be secure’

The Art of Building Windmills, Peter Hawkins (1999)

• ‘A degree is no longer enough’
  Following dramatic increases in HE provision in the UK and fundamental shifts in the graduate recruitment market, a degree is no longer enough to guarantee a graduate a satisfying future career. This is all the more true in light of the current economic climate. In many sectors, recruiters are looking for 'work-ready' graduates with clear evidence of job specific skills in addition to high level graduate attributes. To have the competitive advantage in the job market, students need to have developed their employability throughout their time at University.
• Return on investment
  One of the main reasons students choose to study at university is to enhance their career prospects. This becomes increasingly important in view of rising costs of education and levels of debt on graduation, so individuals want to ensure it has been money well spent. This is even more of a driver for international students than home students.
• Engaging in the educational process
  Innovative teaching, learning and assessment methods help students engage in the education process and have the added benefit of also helping them to develop attributes which make them attractive to potential employers. Students’ interest is more likely to be maintained if they can see the relevance of their studies to their future careers and life beyond University.
• Engaging in the whole student experience
  Students who make an effort to fully participate in the total student experience (academic, co-curriclar, extra curricular and work experience) benefit from a well rounded education, contribute fully to the life of the University and community and hopefully have fun in the process.

 

To academic staff:

‘The things employers generally value in new graduates are things that most teachers in higher education generally value’

Helping Departments to Develop Employability, Harvey & Knight (2003)

• Employability plays an important role in the implementation of the Colleges' Learning and Teaching Strategies. It is part of good learning practice. Students who engage in developing their employability are likely to be independent, reflective and responsible learners.
• Innovative learning, teaching and assessment methods which promote students’ understanding and help them to engage in ‘deep’ learning will also enhance their employability.
• Involving employers in the education experience, for example, through placements, case studies, delivery of guest lectures, can help students appreciate the relevance of their course and learn how to apply theory and knowledge in practical ways in the workplace.
• In some subject areas, employability links to requirements for accreditation from professional bodies.

To your School:

‘Although a student’s experience of higher education cannot guarantee a ‘graduate level job’, the nature of that experience influences the chances of success’

Encouraging the Development of Employability, M. Yorke (2003)

• Employers target universities where they have successfully recruited in the past and where they recognise that courses are continuing to develop and innovate to produce graduates with the knowledge, skills and attributes relevant to their needs.
• Employability coheres with the concept of PDP (Personal/Professional Development Planning), encouraging students to become reflective learners and present themselves effectively.
• A focus on employability can encourage student motivation, leading to better results and higher positions in national subject league tables.

 

To the University:

‘We aim to produce graduates fully equipped to achieve the highest personal and professional standards’

Strategic Plan 2012-2016, University of Edinburgh

• The work of the Employability Initiative focuses on:
  • ‘embed[ing] graduate attributes and employability in all our curricula, and equip our students to compete in the global marketplace’;
  • ‘producing graduates with socially and economically valuable attributes and expertise’;
  • ‘increase[ing] student satisfaction with the opportunities and support for developing their graduate attributes and employability’;
  • ‘equip[ing] our graduates with the expertise and graduate attributes they need to achieve their full potential within the global community’; and
  • ‘brokering strategic partnerships between academics, industry, specialists and other institutions to enhance the development of graduate attributes in all students’. Strategic Plan 2012-2016

MAJOR TECHNOLOGY TRENDS IN EDUCATION

According to the latest data, video for homework is on the rise; mobile computing is "beyond the tipping point"; and most kids don't use traditional computers to connect to the Internet at home. Those are just three of the major trends revealed in the 2013 Speak Up Survey from Project Tomorrow, which CEO Julie Evans revealed at the FETC 2014 conference last week.
The 2013 results represent more than 400,000 surveys from 9,000 schools and 2,700 districts across the country. Respondents included 325,279 students, 32,151 teachers and librarians, 39,986 parents, 4,530 district administrators and, new to this year’s survey, 1,346 community members.

1. Personal Access to Mobile Devices
According to the 2013 results, students overwhelmingly have access to personal mobile devices. “If there was any doubt in our mind that we were beyond the tipping point in terms of kids carrying a computer in their pocket, backpack or purse,” she said, “we’re there.”
Specifically, said Evans, 89 percent of high schools students have access to Internet-connected smart phones, while 50 percent of students in grades 3 through 5 have access to the same type of devices. High school student access to tablets tops out at 50 percent and laptops come in at 60 percent. In addition to personal access, the survey found about a third of students have access to a device (typically laptops or tablets) in their school.

2. Internet Connectivity
For Evans, this was an interesting set of  statistics showing the ways students generally connect to the Internet when at home. According to the study, 64 percent of students surveyed identify 3G- or 4G-enabled devices as their primary means of connecting to the Internet, with another 23 percent saying they connect through an Internet-enabled TV or Wii console. When asked why traditional broadband access wasn’t their primary means of connectivity, students said there was less contention for access with other members of the family through these non-traditional devices.

3. Use of Video for Classwork and Homework
Video is another tool that has been on the rise in recent years. While her presentation focused on students, Evans noted that 46 percent of teachers are using video in in the classroom.
One-third of students are accessing video online — through their own initiative — to help with their homework. Evans called this the “Khan Academy effect.” Additionally, 23 percent of students are accessing video created by their teachers.

4. Mobile Devices for Schoolwork
According to the 2013 results, students are leveraging mobile devices both to be more efficient in their day-to-day tasks and to transform their own learning processes.
Sixty percent of students are using mobile devices for anytime research, 43 percent for educational games and 40 percent for collaboration with their peers. Thirty-three percent of students surveyed use mobile devices for reminders and alerts related to their academic lives, 24 percent for taking photos of their assignments, and 18 percent for in-class polling.
Surprisingly, said Evans, 12 percent of the students responding said they use mobile devices to text questions to their instructors while in the classroom. “I do wonder,” she added, “how many of the teachers are responding to those texts.”

5. Using Different Tools for Different Tasks
Evans admitted, with the proliferation of so many tools, it isn’t surprising students are designing “best-fit” solutions for their very specific needs.
Rather than using one or even a few platforms for various tasks, students are increasingly savvy about taking advantage of the benefits of the tools available.
“We find them using video, social media and cell phones for communications; they use e-readers for reading texts and articles; they write, take notes and do research on laptops. But,” she paused, “where does that leave tablets?”
According to Evans, tablets were the second or third choice device for completing many of the academic tasks students are faced with.
“They like the devices,” she noted, “but they are more focused on using the right tool for the task at hand,” and many times tablets don’t seem to fit.

6. Paying Attention to the Digital Footprint
Digital footprint was a new research area for the 2013 survey and, according to Evans, showed some interesting results. Sixty-four percent of high school students responding admitted to being careful about the things they post online; 39 percent said they advise friends about the content they post, with 32 percent saying they stopped interacting with friends who post inappropriate content online. Finally, 44 percent of high school students said they believe a positive digital profile is an important part of their future.

7. An increased Interest in Online Learning
This year’s Speak Up found that students who have not taken an online course are increasingly interested in the opportunity, citing a desire to have more control over their learning and believing that they will get more support from an online teacher.
Math was the subject student were most interested in taking online, with Foreign language coming in second and science a distant third.

8. Gaming is Growing, and the Gender Gap is Closed
Another interesting area for Evans was student gaming. This year’s results showed 60 percent of students using laptops as a gaming device. Cell phones and game consoles tied with 54 percent use, while tablets clocked in at 44 percent.
Of particular note is students’ interest in taking gaming technology and applying it to learning difficult concepts, as well as their interest in using games as a way to explore career opportunities. Evans also noted no gender difference in students’ interest in games, with younger girls actually showing more gaming activity than their male counterparts.

9. Social Media in Schools
Another set of questions revolved around the place of social media in the school. When showing the data for text messaging, networking sites (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) and chat rooms, it was clear the the student expectations for the use of these technologies far outpaced those of administrators, teachers and parents. Administrators scored the highest among the non-student groups represented.
According to Evans, the data identify “a clear disconnect in terms of the value proposition” of these tools. “Today’s students,” she added, “are looking at social media not as a separate thing that you do occasionally but as a pervasive part of the way they are living their lives outside of school — one they want to connect with their lives inside the classroom.”

10. What Devices Belong in 'The Ultimate School?'
The final piece of data Evans shared focused on students’ ranking of the relative importance of devices in their classroom experience. Fifty-six percent of students said laptops were most important; 51 percent chose digital readers; and 48 percent selected tablets.
“This is still an evolving area,” said Evans and one She said Project Tomorrow plans to keep and eye on in the coming years. Something of interest, she added, that may not come as a surprise is that 62 percent of students want to bring their own devices.
Full results of the 2013 Speak Up will be released to survey participants Feb. 5 and will be released publicly April 8 when Evans shares the report with Congress.

ROBOT INDUSTRY AUTOMATION DJV 6043

 

Robotics industrial automation is changing the face of production. Manufacturers around the globe are implementing some form of automation to become more efficient, safe and ultimately to increase revenues. While some advantages are obvious, there may be more than you think. Add them all together and you can see why so many industries are investing in industrial robots.

8 Advantages of Industrial Automation:

Quality Control - no one likes purchasing an item, only to be disappointed by the poor quality. Robots are a great solution for higher quality production. Quality builds trust from customers as well as pride knowing that you are contributing something of value.

Repeatability - Being consistent and knowing that you will get the same quality end product is critical to efficiency. A robot is able to perform the exact same task, exactly the same way, over and over again. Less errors means less wasted time.

Waste Reduction - Consistent repeatability allows manufacturers to reduce overall waste. Less errors not only saves time, but it also reduces the amount of material required to produce the product. A couple of examples: robots can use less wire for welding, less amount of paint, and cut closer to the edge.

Faster Cycle Times - Unfortunately humans have their limitations. Robots have been known to greatly improve production cycle speeds. The more you can produce, the higher demand you can meet and ultimately bringing in more money.

Improved Workplace Safety - There are so many dangerous work environments that can have horrible side effects on a human body. Separating workers from lifting too much weight, exposure to fumes and gases, close interaction with lasers or blades, can tremendously decrease the possibility of injury.

Reduction of Labor Costs - Labor can be expensive, especially when you factor in medical benefits, paid time off, injury comp time, etc... Robots can replace certain jobs, but that doesn't mean they are going to take over the world. It just means we need to adjust our focus. Understanding that robots are there for our own safety and efficiency allows us to remove workers from tough tedious jobs, to more fulfilling roles.

Reduced Floor Space - It's easy to start sprawling out across the shop floor with extra materials, tools, and machinery. Robots can help reduce the footprint of the required workspace by optimizing everything into a smaller, confined space.

Integration with Business Systems - Now a days, communication between multiple data platforms is rapidly growing, improving efficiency. You can see when there's a bottleneck a lot quicker with proper technology installed. Robots and machinery are talking with one another to give business leaders a better view on the overall picture, helping them make smarter decisions on how to improve their process.

Do you have any question?

Please refer to your lecturer or supervisor.

PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER DJV 3022

 

What is a PLC?

A PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER (PLC) is an industrial computer control system that continuously monitors the state of input devices and makes decisions based upon a custom program to control the state of output devices.

 

Almost any production line, machine function, or process can be greatly enhanced using this type of control system. However, the biggest benefit in using a PLC is the ability to change and replicate the operation or process while collecting and communicating vital information.

 

Another advantage of a PLC system is that it is modular. That is, you can mix and match the types of Input and Output devices to best suit your application.

 

HISTORY OF PLCS

The first Programmable Logic Controllers were designed and developed by Modicon as a relay re-placer for GM and Landis.

 

These controllers eliminated the need for rewiring and adding additional hardware for each new configuration of logic.

The new system drastically increased the functionality of the controls while reducing the cabinet space that housed the logic.

The first PLC, model 084, was invented by Dick Morley in 1969

The first commercial successful PLC, the 184, was introduced in 1973 and was designed by Michael Greenberg.

WHAT IS INSIDE A PLC? 

The Central Processing Unit, the CPU, contains an internal program that tells the PLC how to perform the following functions:

 

Execute the Control Instructions contained in the User's Programs. This program is stored in "nonvolatile" memory, meaning that the program will not be lost if power is removed

Communicate with other devices, which can include I/O Devices, Programming Devices, Networks, and even other PLCs.

Perform Housekeeping activities such as Communications, Internal Diagnostics, etc.

HOW DOES A PLC OPERATE?

There are four basic steps in the operation of all PLCs; Input Scan, Program Scan, Output Scan, and Housekeeping. These steps continually take place in a repeating loop.

 

Four Steps In The PLC Operations

1.) Input Scan

Detects the state of all input devices that are connected to the PLC

2.) Program Scan

Executes the user created program logic

3.) Output Scan

Energizes or de-energize all output devices that are connected to the PLC.

4.) Housekeeping

This step includes communications with programming terminals,

internal diagnostics, etc...

APPLICATION AUTOMATION SYSTEM DJV 5032

Automation Control System

´  System that is able to control a process with minimal human assistance or without manual.

´  Have the ability to initiate , adjust, action show or measures the variables in the process and stop the process in order to obtain the desired output

The main objective of Automation Control System used in the industry are:

                1. Increase productivity

                2. Improve quality of the product

                3. Control production cost

Can you explain the details about this basic block diagram?

Please send your answer to your lecturer and comment below!

Technology in Education

The rapid and constant pace of change in technology is creating both opportunities and challenges for schools.
The opportunities include greater access to rich, multimedia content, the increasing use of online coursetaking to offer classes not otherwise available, the widespread availability of mobile computing devices that can access the Internet, the expanding role of social networking tools for learning and professional development, and the growing interest in the power of digital games for more personalized learning.
At the same time, the pace of change creates significant challenges for schools. To begin with, schools are forever playing technological catch up as digital innovations emerge that require upgrading schools’ technological infrastructure and building new professional development programs. Some schools have been adept at keeping up with those changes, while many others are falling far behind, creating a digital divide based largely on the quality of educational technology, rather than just simple access to the Internet.
The rapid evolution of educational technologies also makes it increasingly challenging to determine what works best. Longitudinal research that takes years to do risks being irrelevant by the time it is completed because of shifts in the technological landscape. The iPad, for instance, became popular in schools soon after it was released and well before any research could be conducted about its educational effectiveness.
Following is a look at some of the hottest issues and trends in educational technology and how they are creating opportunities and challenges for K-12 schools.

INDUSTRIAL ROBOTICS VIDEO!

Thanks for watching this video!

INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS

Credit to : http://www.learnaboutrobots.com/industrial.htm Modern industrial robots are true marvels of engineering. A robot the size of a person can easily carry a load over one hundred pounds and move it very quickly with a repeatability of +/-0.006 inches. Furthermore these robots can do that 24 hours a day for years on end with no failures whatsoever. Though they are reprogrammable, in many applications (particularly those in the auto industry) they are programmed once and then repeat that exact same task for years. A six-axis robot like the yellow one below costs about $60,000. What I find interesting is that deploying the robot costs another $200,000. Thus, the cost of the robot itself is just a fraction of the cost of the total system. The tools the robot uses combined with the cost of programming the robot form the major percentage of the cost. That's why robots in the auto industry are rarely reprogrammed. If they are going to go to the expense of deploying a robot for another task, then they may as well use a new robot.
	This is pretty much the typical machine people think of when they think of industrial robots. Fanuc makes this particular robot. Fanuc is the largest maker of these type of robots in the world and they are almost always yellow. This robot has six independent joints, also called six degrees of freedom. The reason for this is that arbitrarily placing a solid body in space requires six parameters; three to specify the location (x, y, z for example) and three to specify the orientation (roll, yaw, pitch for example). If you look closely you will see two cylindrical pistons on the side of the robot. These cylinders contain "anti-gravity" springs that are a big part of the reason robots like these can carry such heavy loads. These springs counter-balance against gravity similar to the way the springs on the garage door make it much easier for a person to lift. You will see robots like these welding, painting and handling materials.
The robot shown at right  is made by an American company, Adept Technology. Adept is America's largest robot company and the world's leading producer of SCARA robots. This is actually the most common industrial robot. SCARA stands for Selective Compliance Articulated (though some folks use Assembly here) Robot Arm. The robot has three joints in the horizontal plane that give it x-y positioning and orientation parallel to  the plane. There is one linear joint that supplies the z positioning. This is the typical "pick and place" robot. When combined with a vision system it can move product from conveyor belt to package at a very high rate of speed (think "Lucy and the candies" but way faster). The robot's joint structure allows it to be compliant (or soft) to forces in the horizontal plane. This is important for "peg in hole" type applications where the robot will actually flex to make up for inaccuracies and allow very tight part fits.
	The machine at left can be called a Cartesian robot, though calling this machine a robot is really stretching the definition of a robot. It is Cartesian because it allows x-y-z positioning. Three linear joints provide the three axes of motion and define the x, y and z planes. This robot is suited for pick and place applications where either there are no orientation requirements or the parts can be pre-oriented before the robot picks them up (such as surface mounted circuit board assembly)  Thanks for reading this entry!!

HOW INDUCTION MOTOR WORKS??

Basic learning of induction motor for additional knowledge.

Induction motors in practice

What controls the speed of an AC motor?

In synchronous AC motors, the rotor turns at exactly the same speed as the rotating magnetic field; in an induction motor, the rotor always turns at a lower speed than the field, making it an example of what's called an asynchronous AC motor. The theoretical speed of the rotor in an induction motor depends on the frequency of the AC supply and the number of coils that make up the stator and, with no load on the motor, comes close to the speed of the rotating magnetic field. In practice, the load on the motor (whatever it's driving) also plays a part—tending to slow the rotor down. The greater the load, the greater the "slip" between the speed of the rotating magnetic field and the actual speed of the rotor. To control the speed of an AC motor (make it go faster or slower), you have to increase or decrease the frequency of the AC supply using what's called a variable-frequency drive. So when you adjust the speed of something like a factory machine, powered by an AC induction motor, you're really controlling a circuit that's turning the frequency of the current that drives the motor either up or down.

What's the "phase" of an AC motor?

We don't necessarily have to drive the rotor with four coils (two opposing pairs), as illustrated here. It's possible to build induction motors with all kinds of other arrangements of coils. The more coils you have, the more smoothly the motor will run. The number of separate electric currents energizing the coils independently, out of step, is known as the phase of the motor, so the design shown above is a two-phase motor (with two currents energizing four coils that operate out of step in two pairs). In a three-phase motor, we could have three coils arranged around the stator in a triangle, six evenly spaced coils (three pairs), or even 12 coils (three sets of four coils), with either one, two, or four coils switched on and off together by three separate, out-of-phase currents.

Advantages and disadvantages of induction motors

Advantages

The biggest advantage of AC induction motors is their sheer simplicity. They have only one moving part, the rotor, which makes them low-cost, quiet, long-lasting, and relatively trouble free. DC motors, by contrast, have a commutator and carbon brushes that wear out and need replacing from time to time. The friction between the brushes and the commutator also makes DC motors relatively noisy (and sometimes even quite smelly).

Disadvantages

Since the speed of an induction motor depends on the frequency of the alternating current that drives it, it turns at a constant speed unless you use a variable-frequency drive; the speed of DC motors is much easier to control simply by turning the supply voltage up or down. Though relatively simple, induction motors can be fairly heavy and bulky because of their coil windings. Unlike DC motors, they can't be driven from batteries or any other source of DC power (solar panels, for example) without using an inverter (a device that turns DC into AC). That's because they need a changing magnetic field to turn the rotor.
Artwork: Electric motors are extremely efficient, typically converting about 85 percent of the incoming electrical energy into useful, outgoing mechanical work. Even so, there is still quite a bit of energy wasted as heat inside the windings—which is why motors can get extremely hot. Most industrial-strength AC motors have built-in cooling systems. There's a fan inside the case attached to the rotor shaft (at the opposite end of the axle that's driving whatever machine the motor is attached to), shown here in red. The fan sucks air into the motor, blowing it around the outside of the case past the heat ventilating fins. If you've ever wondered why electric motors have those ridges on the outside (as you can see in the top photo on this page), that's the reason: they're cooling the motor down.

Thanks for reading this entry!!

ACHIEVEMENT IN A YEAR

Muadzam Shah Polytechnic Wins PIPPo 2015

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- The Muadzam Shah Polytechnic in Pahang today won the Polytechnic Proton Innovation Competition (PIPPo) 2015, which was held in conjunction with the Higher Education Week (HEWM) here.

A group of students received RM19,000 prize money and a trophy for redesigning a Proton car called Proton Telson.

The Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah Polytechnic, Kedah and Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Polytechnic, Shah Alam won second and third prize respectively for designing Saga Dyna and Proton Taring.

The prizes were presented by Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching.

Earlier, in her closing remarks, Mary said the competition was aimed at highlighting the creativity, innovation and technical skill of the students and lecturers in automotive engineering design.

-- BERNAMA

Thank You for reading this entry!!!

WHAT IS INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION?

Industrial automation is the use of control systems, such as computers or robots, and information technologies for handling different processes and machineries in an industry to replace a human being. It is the second step beyond mechanization in the scope of industrialization.

Increase Quality and Flexibility in Your Manufacturing Process

Earlier the purpose of automation was to increase productivity (since automated systems can work 24 hours a day), and to reduce the cost associated with human operators (i.e. wages & benefits). However, today, the focus of automation has shifted to increasing quality and flexibility in a manufacturing process. In the automobile industry, the installation of pistons into the engine used to be performed manually with an error rate of 1-1.5%. Presently, this task is performed using automated machinery with an error rate of 0.00001%.

Advantages of Industrial Automation

Lower operating cost: Industrial automation eliminates healthcare costs and paid leave and holidays associated with a human operator. Further, industrial automation does not require other employee benefits such as bonuses, pension coverage etc. Above all, although it is associated with a high initial cost it saves the monthly wages of the workers which leads to substantial cost savings for the company. The maintenance cost associated with machinery used for industrial automation is less because it does not often fail. If it fails, only computer and maintenance engineers are required to repair it.

• High productivity

  Although many companies hire hundreds of production workers for a up to three shifts to run the plant for the maximum number of hours, the plant still needs to be closed for maintenance and holidays. Industrial automation fulfills the aim of the company by allowing the company to run a manufacturing plant for 24 hours in a day 7 days in a week and 365 days a year. This leads to a significant improvement in the productivity of the company.

• High Quality

  Automation alleviates the error associated with a human being. Further, unlike human beings, robots do not involve any fatigue, which results in products with uniform quality manufactured at different times.

• High flexibility

  Adding a new task in the assembly line requires training with a human operator, however, robots can be programmed to do any task. This makes the manufacturing process more flexible.

• High Information Accuracy

  Adding automated data collection, can allow you to collect key production information, improve data accuracy, and reduce your data collection costs.  This provides you with the facts to make the right decisions when it comes to reducing waste and improving your processes.

• High safety

  Industrial automation can make the production line safe for the employees by deploying robots to handle hazardous conditions.

Disadvantages of Industrial Automation

• High Initial cost

  The initial investment associated with the making the switch from a human production line to an automatic production line is very high. Also, substantial costs are involved in training employees to handle this new sophisticated equipment.

Conclusion

Industrial automation has recently found more and more acceptance from various industries because of its huge benefits, such as, increased productivity, quality and safety at low costs.


Thank You for reading this entry!!!!


credit for http://www.surecontrols.com/what-is-industrial-automation/

STRUKTUR ROBOT

A. Robot industri pada umumnya terdiri dari :

1. Sebuah bangunan besar dan kukuh dengan beberapa lengan yang  terkeluar 

2. Lengannya terdiri dari : penyepit, sensor, peralatan pada hujung lengan dan dapat digerakkan dengan bebas. Sistem robot memiliki  tiga komponen dasar, iaitu : Manipulate, Controller, dan Force

 

1.    Manipulate

                        Lengan yang memberikan gerakan robot untuk memutar, melipat, menjangkau objek. Gerakan ini di sebut dengan darjah kebebasan robot atau jumlah sumbu yang ada pada robot. manipulator terdiri dari beberapa segmen dan sambungan (joint).

 

2.Controller

Suatu peralatan yang bertugas sebagai pengendali dari gerakan robot. Controller ini membentuk sistem kawalan yang akan menentukan input dan output suatu robot. 

3. Force

Power supply adalah sebuah unit yang menyediakan tenaga pada controller dan manipulator sehingga dapat bekerja. Power supply dalam suatu sistem robot dibagi menjadi dua bahagian, iaitu bahagian untuk controller dan bahagian untuk manipulator. Bahagian controller  menggunakan elektrik sedangkan bahagian manipulator menggunakan elektrik, pneumatik, hidraulik ataupun ketiga tiganya. Gambar 5a, 5b dan 5c memberikan keterangan tentang power supply.

4. End Effector

Untuk memenuhi keperluan dari tugas robot atau si pemakai.

B. Geometri Robot dan Istilah – istilahnya

Degrees Of Freedom (DOF) adalah setiap titik sumbu gerakan mekanik pada robot, tidak terkira untuk End Effector.

Degrees Of Movement (DOM) adalah kebebasan / kemampuan untuk melakukan sebauh gerakan.

Sebagai contoh, robot dengan 6 pergerakan bebas :

1. Base Rotation (dudukan untuk berputar)

2. Shoulder Flex (lengan atas )

3. Elbow Flex (lengan bawah)

4. Wrist Pitch (pergelangan angguk)

5. Wrist Yaw (pergelangan sisi)

6. Wrist Roll (pergelangan putar) 

C. Control system

Ø  Jenis Robot Control

Ada beberapa jenis pengatur gerakan pada robot, diantaranya :

1. Limite Sequence Robot

Ciri – ciri : - Paling sederhana

- Paling murah

- umumnya menggunakan driver pneumatic

- Operasinya Pick & Place

2. Point to Point

Ciri - ciri : - Lebih canggih dari Limite Sequence Robot

- Menyimpan titik-titik dari langkah robot

- Menggunakan driver hydraulic

- Motor elektronik

3. Countouring

Ciri – ciri : - Peningkatan Point to Point

- Speed & Countour

- Menggunakan driver hydraulic

4. Line Tracker

Ciri – ciri : - Untuk benda bergerak

- Senior dan program

- Menggunakan driver hydraulic

5. Intelligent Robot

Ciri – ciri : - Dapat bereaksi dengan lingkungan

- Dapat mengambil keputusan

- Advance I/O

- Advance sensor

Ø  Bahagian – Bahagian pada control robot

control pada robot dapat dikelompokan dari level rendah, menengah dan tinggi. Secara detail adalah sebagai berikut :

• Low Technology Controllers

Mungkin dapat diprogram untuk praktis atau tidak praktis. Tidak ada internal memory amp.

• Medium Technology Controllers

Mempunyai 2 sampai 4 sumbu bergerak dan memiliki mikroprosesor serta memori (terbatas). Tetapi I/O-nya terbatas, delay setiap gerakan serta dapat diprogram jika kerja telah lengkap.

• High Technology Controllers

Memiliki memori yang besar serta punya mikroprosesor dan co-mikroprosesor. Bermacam-macam I/O, re-program dalam waktu singkat. Mempunyai sampai dengan 9 axis. Dalam kontrolernya ada 5 bagian penting, yaitu Power Supply, Interface, Axis Drive Board, Option Boards dan Mikroprosesor.

Ø  Sensor

Sensor pada robot industri ada dua kategori, yaitu :

• Internal Sensor

Digunakan untuk mengawall posisi, kecermatan dan lain-lain. Contohnya adalah potensiometer, optical encoder.

• External Sensor

Digunakan untuk mengontrol dan mengkoordinasi robot dengan environment. Contohnya adalah switch sentuh, infra merah.

Menurut jenis dan fungsinya dapat dilihat beberapa tipe sensor di bawah ini :

• sensor

Dapat digunakan untuk mengesan.. Ada dua jenis iaitu Touch Sensor dan Stress / Force Sensor.

• Proximity Sensor

Jika jarak antara objek dan sensor dekat. Misalnya untk mengetahui jarak dari objek.

• Optical Sensor

Untuk mengetahui ada atau tidaknya suatu barang.

• Vision Sensor

Untuk mendefinisikan benda, alignment dan inspection.

• Voice Sensor

Untuk mengenali jenis benda dan melakukan arahan yang diberi.

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