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Overview of Industrial

Automation

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Automated System

Definition:A Collection of devices working together to accomplish tasks or produce a product or family of products.

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Automated Systems Examples

Automobiles:

On-board computer receives inputs from various sensors to control various outputs that regulate the engine’s operation and other functions such as antilock braking.

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Automated Systems Examples

Automobile (Next slide to enlarge)

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Automated Systems Examples

Home security systems:

The controller receives inputs from sensors on windows, doors, smoke detectors, etc. When the controller receives a signal that a door or window is open, or there is smoke in the house, it sounds an alarm and calls either the police department and/or the fire department.

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Automated Systems

Industrial automated systems can be just one machine or a group of machines. This group of machines is commonly called a manufacturing cell.

Four basic types of devices in a cell:Production

Support

Control

Feedback

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Simple Automation Cell

RobotController

RobotController

CNC Mill

Controller

CNC Lathe

Controller

Cell Controller

ConveyorSensor Sensor SensorSensor

CNC Lathe

Mill

Barcode

Reader

Controller

RobotRobot

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Robots

Commonly used in automation cells for:

Moving parts

Positioning parts

Welding

Assembling parts

Palletizing

Used when repetitive tasks are required.

Fast and accurate.

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Types of Robots

Several types of robots are available. Each one has its own advantages. Three basic types are:

Pneumatic

Hydraulic

Electric

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Pneumatic Robots

Advantages:Used for simple positioning task.

Inexpensive

Fairly fast

Somewhat accurate

Disadvantages:Cannot be used for complex tasks

Limited in the number of positions they can move

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Electric Robots

Advantages:

Very versatile

Fast

Accurate and repeatable

Can be used for precision positioning

Disadvantages:

Expensive

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Worlds Fasted SCARA Robot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E5-jNhNDrY

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Fastest Robot in the World

http://www.wimp.com/fastestrobot/

There is no possible way for your eyes to

keep up with what is hailed as the fastest

robot in the world. The TP80 Fast Picker

robot is designed to handle operations

with very small parts quickly and

efficiently.

http://www.staubli.com/en/robotics/6-axis-

scara-industrial-robot/low-payload-6-axis-

scara-robot/tp80/

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em7C

1SlqId8

Stäubli TP80 Fast Picker robot

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Incredible Robots

Rise of the Machines

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VvYu

1fWyxA

Incredible Robots - Rise of the Machines

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkiTuy

xuaVQ

Advanced Robotics – 2014 Documentary

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Hydraulic Robots

Advantages:

Good for painting and heavy applications

Fast and can move very smoothly

Can be used in hazardous areas

Disadvantages:

Somewhat dirty

Usually large

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Robot Integration

Most robots have digital I/O that can easily be interfaced to PLC’s/PAC’s, computers or other devices

They are relatively easy to program.

Robot positions are taught using either a

handheld teach pendent or a computer.

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Hard Automation

A device designed for one specific purpose and has little or no flexibility.

When the product that this device is designed to build and/or handle is no longer manufactured, the device is usually worthless.

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Support Equipment

Includes:

Automated Storage/Automated Retrieval equipment (AS/AR)

Conveyors

Hard automation devices

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Palletizers

Used to take boxes, bags, etc. from a cell and pack them onto a pallet containing many boxes, bags, etc. The palletizer might also wrap the items with plastic wrap or bands to hold them together.

Considered hard automation, trends in robotics are making them fall into the support category.

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Robotic Bag Pallatizer50# Feed Bag

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbm1DDZD75A

Can also be viewed on YouTube at:

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Robotic Bag Pallatizer50# Feed Bag

Can also be viewed on YouTube at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1mAhcJo7Og

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BibliographyStenerson, Jon. Industrial Automation and Process Control.

Francis, Ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003. ISBN 0-13-033030-2

Encobotics. (2008 February 28). Robotic 50# feed bag palletizer. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbm1DDZD75A

ColumbiaOkura. (n.d.). Robotic bag palletizer Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1mAhcJo7Og

Weatherby, Lee. (n.d.). Accurate automotive. Retrieved from http://www.accurateautomotiveaz.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=84&Itemid=90