Automation Equipment

There are many styles of automation equipment available on the market today. Factory automation is computer operated machinery that is non production oriented, whereas the manufacturing automation, also known as production equipment is used to produce parts and products. Besides the mass produced machinery that is produced for industrial manufacturing companies, some buyers require custom machinery, built to produce very specific dimensions. Automation systems use multiple machine automation pieces to produce systems integration, which in essence is combining the various components to form a larger functioning system whose success is determined by how well the subsystems cooperate. Machine automation includes equipment like assemblers, bulk feeder, plastics processors, material handling and injection molding systems, radial and axial inserters, laser marking and component sequencers. Robotic automation is an example of one element in an integrated system that is specifically designed to move parts tools and devices in predetermined movements. Assembly machinery is also used in a larger system of machinery, an assembly line. The individual assembly machines each have one action to perform which is one part of putting a product together while it goes down the conveyor belt, which is another aspect of the assembly equipment.

In general, automation equipment is able to perform a wide range of manufacturing, assembling and finishing processes such as cutting, welding, riveting, turning, smoothing, grinding, packing, coating, marking, molding, forming and more. The precision of their operation results in reduced material costs because the machines do not make mistakes while running correctly. Automation equipment is used in plants and factories to create parts and assemble them into products; when joined in a series of integrated into a system, the individual pieces of equipment become an automation system. There is no one standard setup or arrangement for the equipment because of the many uses and applications that automation systems have. Medical research facilities and food and beverage processing plants often use automation equipment when human contact with the product would be harmful or when it could contaminate the product. Automation equipment is used in many manufacturing facilities and by the aerospace, agriculture, automotive, computer, electrical, electronics, fiber optics, food and beverage, furnace and heat treat, general industry, medical, plumbing, microelectronics or semiconductor and telecommunications industries.

A vast amount of products are produced by way of automation equipment. Assembly line development and equipment as well as the robotic automation that is allowing it to advance technologically are particularly popular in the manufacturing business these days. This concept began with human hands instead of automated machinery in 1908 when Henry Ford decided to assign his workers stations where they would repeat the same task over and over again instead of doing every step for one product until it was complete. Assembling a product such as a car or toy or bicycle began to take minutes rather then hours because of the speed with which employees could do one task and move the part on to the next person. This increased ten fold when automated machinery came on the scene. The ability to mass produce the same item has lead to cheaper product prices for consumers and more money for the manufacturers. A variety of specific assembly machines including conveyor belts, lifts, pick and place equipment and palletizers enable the manufacturing industry to save and make money while still producing quality goods.

Industrial manufacturing has come a long way in the last 200 years. Interchangeability led to mass production that in turn inspired Henry Ford to develop the assembly line approach. Mechanization reduced the muscular effort that human operators needed to exert and now, through to the process of automation, complex machines are able to perform tasks that used to be completed manually. Advancements in technology and innovative ways of thinking have given rise to machines that perform assigned tasks automatically. The invention and subsequent development of the computer chip has played a formative role in enabling engineers to program and automate machines. Large pieces of equipment and small devices alike can be controlled through computers. Factory and manufacturing automation has had effects beyond the production floor. Supply and demand, economies of scale and decreased production costs have caused significant changes to the way parts and goods are made and purchased. Consumer goods and industrial products have both been impacted by automation systems with lasting effects. The newest development in this area is the rise of robotic automation. Robots are able to perform small but complex tasks with high accuracies and low maintenance. Human operators program the robot's movements and then oversee the process but do not have to provide constant guidance or support.

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Automation Equipment Types

• Assembly equipment is used in the production process.
  
• Assembly lines are manufacturing processes in which parts are added to a product in a sequential manner.
  
• Assembly machines are automated parts of the assembly process.
• Assembly machinery refers to automated equipment involved in the assembly process.
• Automation systems can include assembly, laser marking, bulk feeder, material handling and injection molding systems, plastics processors, radial and axial inserters, component sequencers, chip component mounters, etc. Automation systems are used in a wide variety of industries, such as the manufacturing, pharmaceutical and consumer products industries.
• Custom machinery is made to to fit the client's specifications and needs
• Factory automation refers to the automatic equipment and machines that are used in a factory setting.
• Machine automation refers to the computer-operated machines used in an assembly line.
• Manufacturing automation refers to the computer-operated equipment and machines found in a manufacturing setting.
• Production equipment is used during the manufacturing and assembly processes.
• Robotic automation is often used in conjunction with assembly machinery. Robots are designed to move material, parts, tools or specified devices through variable programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks.
• Systems Integration is when various automation functions work together in one system to get a specific thing done.

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Automation Equipment Types

Actuator - A device in a closed-loop control system that translates the control signal of the final control element into action by the control device.
 
Adjustable Speed - The concept of varying the speed of a motor, either manually or automatically. The desired operating speed (set speed) is relatively constant regardless of load.
 
Assembler - A program that translates assembly language into machine instructions.
 
Automation - Automatic, as opposed to human, operation or control of a process, equipment or a system. Automation also refers to the techniques and equipment used to achieve this automatic control.
 
Axis - Any movable part of a machine or system that requires controlled motion. Several axes of motion can be combined in a coordinated multi-axis system.
 
Bill of Material - A list of all the subassemblies, parts and raw materials of which a parent assembly consists.
 
CAD (Computer Aided Design) - Also called "CADD (computer aided design and drafting)," it is a system that can be integrated with a CAM system.
 
CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing) - The use of computer technology to generate data to control part or all of a manufacturing process.
 
Calibration - The process of determining the capacity or scale graduations of a measuring instrument.
 
CIM (Computer-Integrated Manufacturing) - The use of computers in all facets of manufacturing.
 
Conveyor Belt - A moving belt that transports objects along the assembly process.
 
Dark Factory - An entirely automated plant floor in which there is no labor.
 
FMC (Flexible Machine Centre) - Typically, an automated system comprised of CNC machines in which robots load and unload parts that are conveyed through the system.
 
JIT (Just-in-Time) - An approach to manufacturing in which each operation is closely synchronized with subsequent operations.
 
Load Cell - A transducer for the measurement of force or weight. Action is based on strain gages mounted within the cell on a force beam.
 
Network - Any system of computers and peripherals.
 
Proximity Switch - A device that senses the presence or absence of an object without physical contact and, in response, closes or opens circuit contacts.
 
RP (Rapid Prototyping) - An early step in the design process of assembly systems in which a small-scale prototype is developed to test out certain key features of the design. RP, which can include sketches, low-fidelity physical prototypes, CAD visualization, rapid application development or video prototyping, is extremely useful for large-scale projects, as it speeds up the entire development process.
 
Robotics - The study of the design and use of robots, particularly for their use in manufacturing and related processes.
 
Sensor - A device that measures the motion of, or forces/torques acting on, a body or joint.