Automation and Transfer Machines

Automation and Transfer Machines

Automation and Transfer Machines - The word automation was coined in about the year 1947 by D.S. Harder of Ford Motor Co. USA. The word automation has a multitude of definitions that vary with the industry, plant or individual using it.

Many people use it (i.e. the word automation) in referring to Mechanization (semiautomatic or automatic materials handling, automatic loaders and unloaders, and other labor saving devices).

Mechanization means that something is done or operated by machinery and not by hand. Feedback is not provided and thus one .deals with open loop systems. Industrial development has been mostly a story of mechanization.

The automatic screw machine with its earn actuated tools and sequencing represents a high degree of mechanization.

The word Automation means a system in which many or all of the processes in the production, movement, and inspection of parts and material are automatically performed or controlled by self operating devices. This implies that the essential elements of automation include in addition to mechanization sensing and feedback devices and some degree of decision making; thus a closed loop system is created.

Automation is a term used to denote the continuous automatic production of a product. Production is accomplished by using a machine that automatically performs one or more of the five fundamental manufacturing processes making, inspecting, assembling testing, and packaging and has also got a feedback arrangement. Automation

(i) Makes the life of the worker easier, while also increasing productivity.

(ii) Reduces drudgery.

(iii) Gets the dirty work, the heavy work and the boring repetitive manual operations done by machines.

(iv)Gets many dangerous jobs done by machines.

(v) Helps in cost reduction.

(vi)Results in improvement in product quality and reliability.

(vii) Results in automatic product uniformity after the initial machine setup.

(viii) Results in reduced floor space, maintenance and inventory requirements.

(ix) Leads to increase in company profits.

Due to a formation while some workers (mostly unskilled and semiskilled) lose there jobs, better jobs, with higher pay and improved working conditions, are created.