Industrial automation has revolutionized production processes. Thanks to it, the efficiency of production lines and the quality of products has increased, and human involvement has been limited mainly to the operation of electronic control systems. Below, we will discuss which control systems are used in industrial automation.
Industrial automation systems are sets of devices, programs, and other elements that are appropriately selected for the company’s activity and production conditions, as well as correctly configured to create perfectly integrated systems. They are based on the cooperation of several elements, the most important of which are:
- production machines forming production lines, as well as robots and actuators such as motors, pumps, and valves;
- sensors installed in various parts of production lines (detectors, vibration recorders, etc.);
- devices and software for controlling production and technological lines (computers, controllers);
- power distribution systems for the installation and communication systems within the enterprise.
How do control systems work?
Modern industrial automation control systems are most often based on PLC (Programmable Logic Controllers), which utilize complex algorithms. They collect input data and process it into output signals that control machines. SCADA systems allow for data collection, process visualization, and alerting about hazards. Meanwhile, DCS systems are used for distributed control. The choice of a specific system should be dictated by the specific needs of a given enterprise. Many industrial automation specialists predict that production management will soon be entrusted to artificial intelligence.