SERVICIO NACIONAL DE APRENDIZAJE SENA

SISTEMA INTEGRADO DE GESTION Versión: 02

Procedimiento Ejecución de la Formación Profesional Integral
ENGLISH WORKSHEET Código: GFPI-F-0109

Read the article and develop the activities through

the reading.
An Introduction to Automation in Industry
Today, the growing competitiveness of industry demands high quality and authentic products
at a competitive rate. To meet this challenge, many industries are considering various new
product designs and new integrated manufacturing techniques.

1. Complete the article with the next words: AUTOMATION – MACHINES – ROBOTICS –
INDUSTRIES – TECHNOLOGIES – CONDITIONS – PRODUCTION – TECHNIQUES –
INVESMENT.

What is Automation in Industry?

Automation is the control of and processes by independent systems through the use of
various which are based on computer software or . Industry implements
automation to increase productivity and reduce labour costs.

Industrial utilizes various industrial communication devices such as programmable logic

controllers (PLCs), programmable automatic controllers (PACs) which are used to control the
industry. In industries, control strategies use a set of technologies implemented to achieve the
desired result, making automation systems necessary in

Why Industrial Automation?

Industrial automation improves the rate of through superior control of production. It helps
to produce bulk by significantly reducing product processing time with better quality. Therefore, a
given labour input it produces a large number of results.

Integrating several processes in an industry with automated machinery, minimizes cycle times and
effort, reducing the need for human labour. Due to the industrial automation, the on
workers has been saved. Thus, the investment in workers has been saved with industrial automation.

Since automation reduces human involvement, the possibility of human error is also eliminated. Due
to automation, consistent and reliable product quality can be maintained with greater automation
compliance by adaptively controlling and monitoring industrial processes at all stages, from the
laboratory to the industrial level.

The automation can completely reduce the need to manually check for various process parameters.
Making the use of automation technologies, industrial processes automatically adjusts process
variables to define values using closed-loop control . The complexity of operating
processes is reduced with industrial automation. The industrial automation decreases the level of
personal safety by replacing it with automated machines working in harsh .
 SERVICIO NACIONAL DE APRENDIZAJE SENA
SISTEMA INTEGRADO DE GESTION Versión: 02
Procedimiento Ejecución de la Formación Profesional Integral
ENGLISH WORKSHEET Código: GFPI-F-0109

2. Read the next paragraphs and label with the different types of industrial automation.

Flexible Automation – Fixed Automation – Programmable Automation

Types of Industrial Automation Systems

In this process, the sequence of processing operations is set by the equipment parameters. Each of
the operation in a fixed or hard automation sequence is usually simple; it is the combination and
coordination of many operations into one piece of equipment that makes the system more
complicated. This type of automation is characterized by high initial investment cost and high
production rates. It is, therefore, suitable for products with very high demand and volumes. Machine
transfer lines, automatic assembly machines, and certain chemical processes instruments are
examples of fixed automation.

The production equipment is designed to be able to modify the sequence of operations to the different
product configurations in this automation. The sequence of operation is controlled by a programming,
which is a set of coded instructions allowing the system to read and interpret them. This automation is
particularly appropriate for batch production process where production volume is medium to high. It is
hard to change and recognize the system for a new product or sequence of operations. Numerically
controlled machines, steel rolling mills, paper mills, and industrial robots are the examples of
programmable automation.

A flexible or soft automated system is a system that is capable of producing a wide range of products
with essentially no time for changes from one product to another. It is a fully programmable
automation. There is no loss of production time when reprogramming the automation system and
changing the physical parameter of the product. As a result, the system can produce different
combinations and schedules of products instead of requiring them to be manufactured in separate
batches. Examples of this automation system are self-guided vehicles, automobiles and CNC
machines.

3. Answer the next questions according to the reading. Try to use your own words.

a- What is Industrial Automation?

b- Mention the Industrial Communication devices used for the Industrial Automation process
c- In simple sentences, describe the benefits of Automation in the industrial field. (At least 5)
d- Make a comparative chart and describe the differences among the types of industrial
automation, describe in simple sentences the features.
 SERVICIO NACIONAL DE APRENDIZAJE SENA
SISTEMA INTEGRADO DE GESTION Versión: 02
Procedimiento Ejecución de la Formación Profesional Integral
ENGLISH WORKSHEET Código: GFPI-F-0109

FIXED AUTOMATION PROGRAMMABLE FLEXIBLE AUTOMATION

AUTOMATION

 The operations and the  

sequence are set by the 
equipment parameters. 

