UNIT 1 Automation

Automation: Types of automation, reasons for

automating, automation strategies, Detroit type
automation: Automated flow lines, methods of work
part transport, Transfer mechanisms, buffer storage,
automation for machining operations, Low-cost
automation. (8)

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Automation
•Automation can be defined as a technology
concerned with the application of mechanical,
electronic, and computer-based systems to operate
and control production.

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Types of Automation
1. Fixed Automation
2. Programmable Automation
3. Flexible Automation

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1. Fixed Automation
•Fixed automation is a system in which the sequence
of processing (or assembly) operations is fixed by the
equipment configuration.

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 Fixed Automation
Features of fixed automation are:
• high initial investment for custom-engineered
equipment
• high production rates
• relatively inflexible in accommodating product
variety

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2. Programmable Automation
• The production equipment is designed with the
capability to change the sequence of operations to
accommodate different product configurations.
• The operation sequence is controlled by a program.
• New programs can be prepared and entered into
the equipment to produce new products.

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Programmable Automation
Features of programmable automation are:
• high investment in general purpose equipment
• lower production rates than fixed automation
• flexibility to deal with variations and changes in
product configuration
• Most suitable for batch production

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 3. Flexible Automation
• It is an extension of programmable automation.
• A flexible automated system is capable of producing a variety
of parts with virtually no time lost for changeovers from one
part style to the next.
• There is no lost production time while reprogramming the
system and altering the physical setup.

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Flexible Automation
Features of flexible automation are:
•high investment for a custom-engineered system
•continuous production of variable mixtures of
products
•medium production rate,
•flexibility to deal with product design variations

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Production Quantity vs Product Variety

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Layout w.r.t. Production Quantity vs Product Variety

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LEVELS OF AUTOMATION

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Level 1: Device level
oThis is the lowest level in our automation hierarchy.
oIt includes the actuators, sensors, and other hardware
components that comprise the machine level.
oThe devices are combined into the machine’s individual
control loops, for example, the feedback control loop for
one axis of a CNC machine or one joint of an industrial
robot.

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Level 2: Machine level
o Hardware at the device level is assembled into individual
machines.
o Examples include CNC machine tools and similar
production equipment, industrial robots, powered
conveyors, and automated guided vehicles.
o Control functions at this level include performing the
sequence of steps in the program of instructions, in the
correct order, and making sure that each step is properly
executed.

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Level 3: Cell or system level
o This is the manufacturing cell or system level, which
operates under instructions from the plant level.
o A manufacturing cell or system is a group of machines or
workstations connected and supported by a material
handling system, computer, and other equipment
appropriate to the manufacturing process.
o Production lines are included in this level.
o Functions include part dispatching and machine loading,
coordination among machines and material handling
system, and collecting and evaluating inspection data.

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Level 4: Plant level
o This is the factory or production systems level.
o It receives instructions from the corporate information
system and translates them into operational plans for
production.
o Likely functions include order processing, process
planning, inventory control, purchasing, material
requirements planning, shop floor control, and quality
control.

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Level 5: Enterprise level
oThis is the highest level, consisting of the corporate
information system.
oIt is concerned with all of the functions necessary to
manage the company's marketing and sales, accounting,
design, research, aggregate planning, and master
production scheduling.

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Reasons for Automating
•To increase labor productivity
•To reduce labor cost
•To mitigate the effects of labor shortages
•To reduce or eliminate routine manual and clerical tasks
•To improve worker safety
•To improve product quality
•To reduce manufacturing lead time
•To accomplish processes that can not be done manually
•To avoid the high cost of not automating
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Manual Labor in Production Systems
Manual Labor in Factory Operations
•Task is too technologically difficult to automate
•Short product life cycle
•Customized product.
•To cope with ups and downs in demand
•To reduce risk of product failure

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Manual Labor in Production Systems..
Manual Labor in Manufacturing Support Systems
•Equipment maintenance
•Programming and computer operation
•Engineering project work
•Plant management

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Automation Principles and Strategies
1. USA Principle
USA stands for
1. Understand the existing process
2. Simplify the process
3. Automate the process.

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Understand the Existing Process:
It basically refers to the collection of details related to
current process
•What are the inputs?
•What are the outputs?
•What exactly happens to the work unit between input and
output?
•What is the function of the process?
•How does it add value to the product?

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Simplify the Process:
•What is the purpose of this step?
•Is this step necessary?
•Can this step be eliminated?
•Is the most appropriate technology being used in this step?
•How can this step be simplified?

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Automate the Process:
Once the process has been reduced to its simplest form,
then automation can be considered.

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 2. Ten Strategies for Automation and
Production Systems
i. Specialization of operations
ii. Combined operations
iii. Simultaneous operations
iv. Integration of operations
v. Increased flexibility
vi. Improved material handling and storage
vii. On-line inspection
viii. Process control and optimization
ix. Plant operations control.
x. Computer-integrated manufacturing

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3. Automation Migration Strategy
Phase 1: Manual production using single-station
manned cells operating independently.
Phase 2: Automated production using single-station
automated cells operating independently.
Phase 3: Automated integrated production using a
multi-station automated system with serial
operations and automated transfer of work units
between stations.

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Advantages of such a strategy include
• It allows introduction of the new product in the shortest
possible time
• It allows automation to be introduced gradually (in planned
phases)
• It avoids the commitment to a high level of automation
from the start

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Symbols used in the Production Systems Diagrams

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Detroit type Automation
•Also known as fixed automation
•Continuous production
•Non-flexible or hard automation
•In this sequence of mechanical processing operations are
performed as fixed by the job or equipment configuration.

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Automated flow lines
•Consists of several machines or workstations
•Linked together by work handling devices that transfer parts
between workstations
•Transfer of work part occurs automatically
•Workstation carry out their specialized functions
automatically

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Automated flow lines
•Buffer storage can be incorporated into flow line either at
single location or between every station.
•Inspection stations can also incorporated in line to perform
intermediate checks on the quality of workparts.

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Automated flow lines
•Most suitable for highly stable product life, high product
demand.
•Objectives of using flow line automation are:
➢To reduce labor cost
➢To increase production rates
➢To reduce work-in-process
➢To achieve specialization of operations
➢To achieve integration of operations

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Flow pattern of operations
•In-line configuration:
➢Consists of sequence of workstations in a more-or-less
straight line arrangement.

•Rotary configuration:
➢Workparts are indexed around a circular table.
Workstations are stationary.

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Selection of flow pattern
•Rotary type is commonly limited to smaller workpieces and to
fewer stations.
•Not flexibility in design of rotary configuration.
•It involves a lower cost and requires less floor space.

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In-line Configuration
•In-line design is preferable for larger workpieces and accommodate a
larger number of workstations.

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 In-line Configuration

(a) L-shaped

(b) U-shaped

(c) rectangular

Several possible layouts of the segmented in-line configuration of an automated production

line: (a) L-shaped, (b) U-shaped, and (c) rectangular. Key: Proc = processing operation, Aut =
automated workstation, Wash = work carrier washing station.

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Methods of workpart transport
•Continuous transfer
•Intermittent transfer or Synchronous transfer
•Asynchronous or power free transfer

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Selection of transport system
•Type of operation to be performed
•Number of workstation on the line
•Weight and size of workparts
•Production rate requirements

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Continuous transfer
•Workparts are moved continuously at constant speed.
•Easy to design and fabricate and can achieve high rate of
production.

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Intermittent transfer or Synchronous transfer
•Workparts are transported with intermittent or discontinuous
motion.
•Workstations are fixed in position and parts are moved
between stations and then registered at proper locations for
processing.
•All workparts are transported at same time and so it is known
as Synchronous transfer system.

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Asynchronous or power free transfer
•Also known as power and free method.
•It allows each workpart to move to the next station when the
processing of current station has been completed.
•Each parts moves independently of other parts.
•It also compensates for line balancing problems.

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Transfer Mechanisms
•There are various types of transfer mechanisms used to move
parts between stations.
•It can be grouped into
➢Provides linear travel for in-line machines
➢Provides rotary motion for dial indexing machines

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Linear transfer mechanisms
1. Walking Beam Systems:
•In this workpart is lifted from their workstations by a transfer
bar.
•It moves one position ahead to the next station.
•The transfer bar then lowers the parts into next workstation.

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2. Powered roller conveyer system:
•Conveyer is used to move parts having flat riding surfaces.
•The rollers may be powered by two mechanisms:
➢Belt drive
➢Chain drive

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3. Chain drive conveyer system:
•Chain is used to transport the work carriers.
•Chain is driven by pulleys.
•It is used for continuous, intermittent or non-
synchronous motion.

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Rotary transfer mechanisms
1. Rack and Pinion:
•Simple mechanism
•Not suitable for high speed operation.
•It uses a piston to drive the rack which causes the pinion gear
and attached table to move.

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2. Ratchet and Pawl:
•Operation is simple
•Not much reliable (due to wear)

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3. Geneva mechanism:
•The previous two mechanisms converts the linear motion into rotational
motion.
•It uses a continuously rotating driver to index the table.

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4. Cam mechanism:
•It provides the most accurate and reliable method.

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Buffer storage
•Automated flow lines consists of basic transfer mechanism
and workstations.
•It also consists of storage zones.
•Reasons of using buffer storage zones are:
➢To reduce the effect of individual station breakdowns
➢To allow some parts of line operating

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Automation for machining operations
•Transfer system has been designed to perform a variety of
different metal cutting operations.
•Applications include operations such as milling, boring,
drilling, reaming, tapping.
•Turning and grinding operations can be carried out.

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1. Single station machine
•Performs several operations on single workpart which is
fixtured in one position throughout the cycle.
•Operations are performed on several different surfaces.
•Production rates are usually low to medium.

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2. Rotary indexing machine
•Have high rates of production.
•Performs a sequence of machining operations on several
parts simultaneously.
•Parts are fixtured on a circular table mounted between
successive stations.

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3. Transfer machine
•Highly automated
•Workstations are arranged in a straight line flow pattern.
•Parts are transferred automatically from station to station.
•Transfer system may be synchronous or asynchronous.
•Buffer storage can be incorporated.

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Reference
Groover, M.P. (2008) Automation, Production Systems,
and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing. 3rd Edition,
Pearson Education, New Delhi.

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