AUTOMATION

Automation is the technology that integrates machines and control systems to carry out tasks with
little or no human intervention.
Both automated and mechanized systems can carry out tasks with little or no human intervention.
In addition, automated systems are self-controIling systems that are able to control and adjust their
operations.
Mechanized systems developed with the industrial Revolution to meet increased production needs.
The assembly line was improved in the automotive industry at Ford Motor Company.
Automation developed in the 20th century because there were significant developments in various
fields, such as the digital computer, IT systems and electronics, sensor and control technology,
which allowed the invention of the first industrial robots.
Current automated machines are defined as complex systems because they can interact with other
devices in an interconnected network. They are capable of processing high-level instructions
including the location of product components, the order in which they are to be assembled and so
forth.
Automated systems carry out primarily material handling operations, processing operations,
repetitive operations and inspecting operations.

PROS AND CONS OF AUTOMATED SYSTEMS

Automation carries a lot of benefits for companies. First, productivity increases because machines
can work 24/7 without necessarily stopping.
That means higher output.
Machines are also much faster than humans and they drastically reduce assembly time.
As a result, production time decreases and production costs are reduced.
Clearly, automated production needs fewer factory workers, so that companies can also cut on
labour costs.
Profits increase in the long run.
We should also consider that since automation reduces human involvement, the possibility of
human errors is also eliminated. This ensures high product quality. Machines are better than
humans at highly repetitive tasks, as their performance is constant, they don’t get bored or
distracted; besides they are more precise, so they are suitable for high-precision operations.
Industrial automation increases the level of safety for personnel because machines can work in
dangerous working conditions, for example nuclear power plants, chemical laboratories,
underwater or under the ground, and they can be used for space or military missions. Machines
can also be employed to carry heavy loads or to work with toxic materials, and even to perform
potentially dangerous tasks such as welding or painting car bodies.
There are some disadvantages. The initial cost to buy and install automated systems can be high,
especially for small and medium enterprises. Maintenance costs must also be considered.
Besides, there are technological limits. lf the computer system was to faiI, the entire production
would break down. Companies may also need to take on qualified personnel as machines need
precise programming, or they may want to consider retraining their staff.
There is an ongoing debate about automation causing unemployment.
The need for manual workers is reduced, but new job opportunities are opening up for specialized
positions. Currently, qualified technicians are sought-after (= ricercati/ambiti) in different industrial
fields. On the whole, the advantages of automation outweigh (= superano/compensano) the
disadvantages.
Advantages of automated systems: productivity increases; production time decreases;
production costs are reduced; labour cost is reduced; high product quality; safety increases; new
job opportunities.
Disadvantages of automated systems: initial costs; maintenance costs; technological limits; new
staff costs; unemployment for manual workers.

INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION
CIM: Computer Integrated Manufacturing
CAD: Computer Aided Design
CAM: Computer Aided Manufacturing
Since the 1970s there has been a growing trend in manufacturing firms towards automation.
Nowadays, specialized systems deal with almost all stages of the manufacturing process, from
product design to production planning and final assembly. A central computer system is used to
link all the production stages.
CIM is Computer Integrated Manufacturing. It is a technology that uses a central computer system
to link all the production stages. / CIM systems allow for the interconnection of all automated
systems in a factory.
CIM is important in modern automated factories because it coordinates the actions of the single
workstations and oversees the overall system performance.
CAD is the main technology for product design. / CAD is used for product design.
CAD allows a design to be saved and worked on over a period of time. A design with CAD can be
easily modified. / The main advantages of CAD are that it stores data in the database which can be
retrieved (= recuperati) and reused easily.
The CAD system can generate the detailed drawings required for the production of objects.
CAM systems are used mainly for monitoring plant operations and are also used to send
instructions to the machines. /
The main functions of CAM are assisting in the planning and management of the operations to
realize a prototype or the final object.
To manufacture a CAM product CNC machines or rapid prototyping machines can be used.
CAM improves efficiency in manufacturing because the computer systems operate the single
machine tools and equipment so that they work in an interconnected network. The computers also
monitor the process of manufacturing, so adjustments can be made automatically through a series
of control loops (= circuiti di controllo).
CAM systems allow for continuous production of exact copies.
CAD and CAM can be used together in CAD/CAM systems, where a specialized software
transforms data from drawings into machining instructions. In this way, the software installed on
the central computer automatically updates any changes made during production and alerts all the
related stages, to save time and eliminate mistakes.
CNC MACHINES
CNC machines are industrial machine tools controlled by computers. They differ from traditional
machine tools because they operate automatically to produce the final objects.
The CAD/CAM software analyses the drawing and creates the control program to instruct the
machine.
The protocol used for CNC machines is Computer Numerical Control, in fact the software
generates strings of numbers.
The numbers of a CNC code represent the coordinates needed to control the movements of the
machine in 3D space along x, y and z axes, which direction to move, how fast, etc.
There are CMC milIs, lathes, surface grinders, welding tools, CNC laser cutters and engravers,
CNC EDM, CNC waterjet cutters.
Companies have been investing in CNC machines because they are faster and more efficient.
CNCs can manufacture the same object hundreds or thousands of times, and every finished
product is the same. Also, CNC machines are able to produce complex shapes in extremely small
sizes. Finally, safety in the workplace is increased due to protections on the machines.
CNC machines are more expensive than manual machines and it can take a long time to write the
program to operate them.
A CNC LATHE (picture page 149 ex. 4 I Mech)
A CNC lathe can machine pieces of soft materials such as plastic and wax, as well as harder
materials such as aluminium, mild steel (= acciao dolce) and brass. The basic structure is similar to
a manual lathe, in fact here we have a horizontal lathe with a cast-iron bed, headstock (=testa
motrice) and tailstock (=contropunta). A motor rotates the spindle (=albero) and the chuck
(=serraggio/mandrino) that holds the workpiece at programmable speeds. Thanks to stepper
motors (=motori passo-passo), the cross slide (=slitta trasversale) carries the cutting tool
horizontally along the z axis (which is right and left when you look at it) and longitudinally along the
x axis (in and out) with great positional accuracy.
A computer is used to create the CNC programs from the drawings we made before. Then the
programs are sent to the microprocessor of the CNC lathe, which downloads, stores and executes
them. During the turning, the control panel displays the x and z axes coordinates of the cutting tool,
the feed rate (=velocità di avanzamento), and the spindle speed. There is also a feedback loop
(=circuito/ciclo di feedback/ retroazione) based on optical sensors, that monitor all parameters,
while, if necessary, the main computer adjusts position or speed. It is also possible to adjust the
parameters manually by accessing different menus on the control panel.
In fact, the CNC lathe features (=mostra) a control panel – you can see it in the picture - that allows
manual operation. It includes a display with a keypad, an error indicator/pause button and an
emergency stop push button. If you push the emergency stop button, the power to the motors is
cut off and the axes stop.
There is a safety door for protection during machining, if the door is opened during machining,
magnetic interlocks located on it stop the spindle and the axes. Limit switches prevent the bed -
from over-travelling and the cutting tool from crashing into the chuck.
THE 3D PRINTING REVOLUTION
A 3D printer is a printer operated from a computer that creates a three-dimensional solid object out
of tiny layers of material.
There are two revolutionary aspects of 3D printing. Firstly, a 3D printer can create prototypes and
objects rapidly, secondly it works by additive manufacturing, because it adds material to create an
object.This way, it reduces wastage, as it only uses as much raw material as needed.
There are two mechanical parts in a 3D printer: the print bed and the nozzles. The print bed is the
surface where the printer deposits the material and can move up and down, while the nozzles
move back and forth, and also up and down, to dispense the fluid.
Steps of the preparation of a 3D printing:
To prepare a 3D printer the user draws the digital object using CAD and saves the file in an .stl
format. Then a software divides the design into layers and the computer sends the dimensions of
the layers to the printer.
The FDM 3D printer works by melting plastic and depositing it through nozzles onto the printer bed,
where it instantly cools. The nozzles deposit the fluid from the bottom upward layer after layer until
the object is fully formed.
Common materials for 3D printing include thermoplastics, e.g. PLA or ABS. In some types of 3D
printers, the material can range from glass and ceramics to some metals such as aluminium, siIver
or steel. Waxes and nylon are also used as support materials.
THE USES OF 3D PRINTERS AND THE RELATED BENEFITS
This technology provides countless applications and lots of advantages. To start with, 3D printers
are being used increasingly in medicine for medical education and training. Then, 3D-printed
plastic organs make it possible for surgeons to practise operations with no risk and possibilities are
opening up for real transplants.
Also, the aircraft and automotive industry is using 3D printing, because prototypes of parts and
components, also complex ones, with hollow (=vuote) or movable parts, can be realized and tested
quickly and cost-effectively.
What’s more, 3D printers are being used in architecture for rapid, accurate modelling.
In the same way, 3D printing is widely used in the design and fashion industry to create objects,
which can be easily customized and personalized according to individual needs and requirements.
Toys, even food are only some of the other possible applications.
In conclusion, although there are limits to what couId be achieved by this method, future
possibiIities seem to be increasing.
Benefits of 3D printing:
Prototypes can be realized and tested quickly and cost-effectively (=convenienti);
3D printers are used for rapid and accurate modelling;
3D printed objects can be easily customized and personalized.