Automation and Control technologies

ü  Automation

• What is Automation? 

• Benefits and basic architecture.   

• Analog control and Digital control   

• Advantages and benefits of digital control.       

• Controllers for digital control 

• Control methods. 

• Sensors and actuators used for automation         

• Programmable logic controllers 

• Internal architecture of a plc.   

•  Ladder programming.    

• Industrial communication. 

ü  Control technologies

• PID control.

• Use Matlab for PID controlling.

                                                    Automation

Automation is make a process in a factory to operate by machines in order to minimize or diminish human involvement in production environment. There are many advantages and benefits of industrial automation.

•  Productivity improvement     

• Accuracy

• Cost saving

• Safety of the employees

                                           Analog control vs. Digital control.

     Digital control is established by re-programmable or hard coded microprocessor which is made by millions of transistors. Analog control circuits are made by resistors, inductors, capacitors and Operational amplifiers. Each method has its cons and pros.

1	Digital control
Advantages		Disadvantages
Flexibility		Easy to break
Speed		Hard to do fast loops
Cost		Complex  programming
Accuracy
Less implementation errors.

2	Analog Control
Advantages		Disadvantages
Robust		Slow development.
Dynamic range		Hard to do complicated control.
Continuous processing		Electro-magnetic and RF interference.
Hard to modify		Hard to modify
		Hard to build in comparative logic
		Hard to build in intelligence
		Hard to do MIMO

Controllers for digital control hardware

• Digital computer

Huge processing power.Can be used for large automation systems.Can implement any industrial communication method/protocol

• Microcontrollers.

Small computer in single IC.IC contains processor, Memory and input/output interfaces.Used in automatically controlled products, embedded systems, toys, automobile engine control systems, industrial automation etc.

• Digital signal processors

Optimized for fast operational needs of digital signal processing (audio/video data).

• Programming logic devices

Used to build reconfigurable logic circuits.Combination of a logic device and a memory device.

• Programming logic controllers

Digital computer used for industrial applications like automation.Designed for industrial conditions, e.g., temp ranges, immunity toElectrical noise, resistance to vibrations, etc.