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VOLUME 26 Journal of Chengdu University of Technology

Students‟ Project – Trans-disciplinary article

Guide: Dr. Devimeenakshi.K. Assistant Professor (Senior), English Department, Vellore
Institute of Technology, Chennai

AUTOMATION - ITS ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

Dr. DEVIMEENAKSHI.K., MARGI BHATT AND GROUP
Abstract
This study gives a vivid picture on Automation, and its advantages and disadvantages. The
History of Automation, twentieth century, noteworthy applications, advantages and
disadvantages of automation are elaborately discussed. The key point to be shared is whether
AI shares opportunity or danger? What will happen in future, when everyone relies on AI
applications? No manual job just machine works and saves time and energy. AI shall
continue to change the world of work, and workers have to involve in life-long learning,
developing their skills, and changing professions more often than they did in the past. The
challenge for us is to expect any negative health and safety consequences, assess the risks,
and share this information to assist the future working world.

Introduction:
Automation is the technology by which a process or procedure is performed with minimal
human assistance. Automation or automatic control is the use of various control systems for
operating equipment such as machinery, processes in factories, boilers and heat treating ovens,
switching on telephone networks, steering and stabilization of ships, aircraft and other
applications and vehicles with minimal or reduced human intervention.
Automation covers applications ranging from a household thermostat controlling a boiler, to a
large industrial control system with tens of thousands of input measurements and output control
signals. In control complexity, it can range from simple on-off control to multi-variable high-
level algorithms.
Automation has been achieved by various means including mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic,
electrical, electronic devices and computers, usually in combination. Complicated systems,
such as modern factories, airplanes and ships typically use all these combined techniques. The
benefit of automation includes labour savings, savings in electricity costs, savings in material
costs, and improvements to quality, accuracy, and precision.

History of Automation

1. Initialization

Before 280 BC, in Egypt, a Greek inventor Eusebio‟s created a flush like regulator for a water
clock, this was before the digital and mechanical clock was created. Indeed, this was one of
the first attempts at automation, around and between the years 300 BC and 1200 AD, the
Greek and the Arab, used automation to keep a track of time. Around 850 ADS, a book
narrated different automated devices and controls.

2. Industrial Revolution

After the innovation of engines and machines, or self-driven mills, heaters, boilers,
furnaces, etc., created a necessity of automatic systems such as thermo regulators which
were made around 1600 AD, water regulators, and instruments that control the speed and
measure them. To promote automation, steam engines were designed at around 1700 AD.
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A similar mechanism of automation control was set up on windmills to tent their sails, by
Edmund Lee in the year 1745.
In the same year, a French inventor named Jacques de Volcanos, who created
impressive and innovative automotive machines invented the first ever automated
loom. Through the period of the Industrial Revolution, the designs of the feedback control
systems were all by trial and errors along with an engineering idea behindthem.
In 1771, the first automated spinning mill driven water power was created. They
called it water frame. In 1785, Oliver Evans developed an automatic mill for flour, which
made it the first completely automated industrial process.
Similar first ever inventions were seen in the following years. Notably, these innovative
technologies are:
*Centrifugal Governor- Created by Christian Huygens, it was used to adjust the gaps
between millstones.
*Electronic Amplifier- Around 1920‟s, there was an increased requirement of
higher noise ratio. It was solved by negative feedback noise cancellation.
*Control theory
*Theory of discontinuous automatic systems
*Fire control systems- Second World War
*Airplanes navigation system- Second World War

Twentieth Century

Factory electrification leads to the introduction of relay logic between the years 1900 and
1920, relay logic underwent radio adaption, similar to Central Electrical Power Station.
By the year 1920, central adaption rooms became very common. But, it gradually decreased
.by the year 1930, as it was not into much use. They used some signals like colour coded
lights to inform any changes made to their workers, and these lights were used to send
signals for workers working in plants to make the changes decided by them.in the year
1930. Thecontrollers were able tomake changes with respect to the deviation from a particular
point rather than on-off control product. Consequently, these controllers were introduced
in the year 1930. Showing of the producer‟s productivity gains with inclining or
declining influence made by electrification made in factory was allowed by the
controllers. In the year 1920, its production was increased tremendously.
The Second World War followed by First World War saw major changes in the field of signal
processing as well as mass communication. Some other major changes of automation
technology include Differential Equation, Stability Theory, Frequency Domain Analysis,
Ship Control, System Theory, and Sophisticated Analysis.
Noteworthy Applications

Dial and automatic telephones were introduced in the year 1982. One-third of the bell
systems were automatic by the year 1939, thereby, this was a great move in the digital
system. It was an inspiration to the digital computer.in the year 1905, an automatic model
called glass bottle blowing machine was introduced.

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Advantages of Automation

1. Lower Operating costs

Automated devices can perform the work of many people at once, depending upon the work
given to the robot. The automated operations result in lower heating requirements, which are
otherwise large in the case of manual operations. Also, robots increase accuracy and decrease
errors, which mean minimal material waste for the operation.

Once a company has invested in automation of its services, and that investment pays back the
company for a long time. The robots that are installed can last for the next 100-150 years,
whereas the manual labour will only last from 30 to 40 years maximum. So, eventually the
company saves money, through investing only once instead of multiple investments on manual
labour

2. Improved Worker Safety

Automated devices can save workers from dangerous tasks. A large percentage of manual labour
gets killed every year due to workplace hazards. Most of these happen in places like nuclear
power plants and hazardous factories. These people die due to hazardous work conditions, but if
automation is practised, and robots are employed to do the job that a manual labour does, then a
lot of lives will be saved. This is an advantage to our economy, because this way the lives that
are saved can be put to use in ways in which there are no hazardous effects.

3. Reduced Factory Lead Times

Automation of services keeps your process in-house, improves process control and reduces lead
times. Robots reduce the space of work too, they only acquire a certain amount of space to get
the work done, subsequently, cost saving is done through that too. On the other hand, if all the
services are done under one roof, then the management of these services also becomes easy. It
increases the control a company has over a process, and it can regularly and very easily keep a
check on the processes that are going on. This process control reduces a lot of lead time and
saves the company a lot of time and money.

4. Ability to be more competitive

Automated devices allow you to decrease time taken to do the process, and also improve cost-
per-piece and quality, hence, in this way companies can compete better on a global scale. If the
company delivers more output in a given time period than another company, obviously at some
point of time the company which has a greater output will prevail in the market, and the other
company would go into losses. Use of automation improves cost-per-piece, and also gives a
boost to the product quality. If the company achieves this, then the company can achieve a better
position in the global market.

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5. Increased production Output

Automated devices and robots have the ability to work at constant speed all day, even when left
unattended. Thus, this means that the companies which adopt the practice of using automated
devices have the potential to do more. Due to this, new products can be introduced into the
market. Once the robots are employed to different parts of the manufacturing process, then the
process time can be decreased to a large extent. Accordingly, the same product can be
manufactured in a lesser amount of time than before. This improves the company's performance
and efficiency, and therefore makes it more powerful in the market. If majority of all companies
present in the market right now adopt this practice of automation, then the markets will flourish.

6. Consistent and improved part production and quality

Robots can perform their tasks without a lot variability and difference in their individual tasks.
Henceforth, using robots also decreases the chance of difference between the same products and
defects too. If we use robots, there will be a lot of consistency in the work that they do, in
contrast to the manual labour. The manual labour doesn‟t show consistency in its work. Two
models of the same product, which have been manufactured manually, have the possibility of
being different; whereas the products made by automated robots and devices have almost zero
probability of being different. Using robots to some extent increases even accuracy, which isn‟t
always present in manual manufacturing.

7. Higher volume production

Investments in automated equipment also create a valuable resource which is higher volume
production. The automated devices and robots produce large volumes of the same products in a
certain time slot, in which human labour cannot. If the production amount is high, then the
profitability factor will also eventually increase, and so the company and economy will prosper.

Disadvantages of Automation

1. Possible security threats/vulnerability due to increased relative susceptibility for

committing errors
Due to some technical faults, security threat or simply vulnerability is there for committing
errors due to increased relative quality of being likely or liable to be influenced or harmed by
a particular threat. Since it is just a machine, it can cause errors. We cannot trust it fully;
at least not right now. Machines also have drawbacks; subsequently automation too has its
disadvantages.

2. Unpredictable or excessive development costs

When the costs and prices of raw materials used for making a machine suddenly go up, and
then a big loss is followed by these road bumpers. They create a major impact on the future
and the upcoming creations.

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3. Fear of losing the jobs

(i) The fear of losing the job comes in the minds of the employees once they start
feeling that the machines will work almost every part that a plan needs. Once they
get to know that they can be treated as an alternative now, their worth becomes a
question mark to them in front of us.
(ii) Workforce can be reduced to almost negligible amount further, which creates a
benefit for the businessman, but it becomes a bad news for us.

A main disadvantage often associated with automation is worker displacement, which has
been discussed above. Despite the social benefits that might result from retraining displaced
workers for other jobs, in almost all cases the worker whose job has been taken over by a
machine undergoes a period of emotional stress. In addition to displacement from work, the
worker may be displaced geographically. In order to find other work, an individual may have to
relocate, which is another source of stress. Of course, it displaces workers due to job
replacement. Sometimes, this also happens which becomes a major reason for unemployment,
reason being no need of the workers, as the machines can lead, and play their roles despite the
person required or despite the necessity.

4. Costs for investment

High initial cost is the major problem here, a considerable amount of initial investment is
needed for the process of implementation of a process. However, this factor should be
contrasted to the benefits in terms of productivity and compliance. Apart from all this, we
also get to know that implementation of Cloud solutions generate significantly lower
costs than non-automated solutions.

Other disadvantages of automated equipment include the high capital expenditure

required to invest in automation (an automated system can cost millions of dollars to
design, fabricate, and install), a higher level of maintenance needed than with a manually
operated machine, and a generally lower degree of flexibility in terms of the possible
products as compared with a manual system (even flexible automation is less flexible
than humans, the most versatile machines of all).

5. Loss of flexibility

Automation modifies workflows, tasks and processes may involve certain rigidity.
Counteraction can be done with a previous process of consulting and planning, and your
vendor must offer it. An intelligent choice of automation product should always be
made: Take a close look on versatility and scalability in relation to the transformation that
will take the company in the future.

Control

1) Discrete Control:
Discrete control is one of the major subsystems in the industrial automation and needs of

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the manufacturing sectors are the primary drivers for the growth and maturity. The discrete
control and automation have started the journey with the sensors and relays wired to realize the
logic. A basic type of control is the on and off control. An example of discrete control is a
thermostat which either opens or closes or opens when it is in contact with electricity.

In discrete control the variables and parameter are discrete. The changes are executed either
because the state of the system has changed or because a certain amount of time has elapsed.
These two changes can be distinguished as 1) event driven changes and 2) time driven changes.
i) Event Driven Changes: An event driven change is executed by the controller in response to
some event that has caused the state of the system to be altered. This change can be to start or
stop an operation, open a system or close it etc.

ii) Time Driven Changes: These are executed by the control system either at a specific point in
time or after a certain time lapse has occurred. As before, the change usually consists of starting
something or stopping something, and the time when the change occurs is important.

2) Computer Control
Computers can perform feedback control as well as sequential control which are big advantages
to save time and work. Programmable logic controllers are a type of special microprocessor that
have replaced many hardware components such as timers and drum sequencers used in relay
logic type systems. Common purpose process control computers have increasingly replaced
single controllers, with a single computer able to perform the operations of several single
controllers.

Process control computers can process data from a network of PLCs, instruments, and
controllers. They can also analyze data and make graphical displays for operators and run reports
for engineers, operators etc.

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3) PID Controller
A PID controller is an instrument utilized in mechanical control applications to control
temperature, stream, weight, speed and other prepare factors. PID (corresponding necessarily
subordinate) controllers utilize a control circle criticism component to control prepare factors and
are the foremost precise and stable controller. PID control could be a well-established way of
driving a framework towards a target position or level. It's essentially omnipresent as it implies
of controlling temperature, and finds application in heap chemical and logical forms as well as
robotization. PID control services closed-loop control input to keep the genuine yield from
prepare factors as near to the target or set point yield as possible, and then to begin with the
advancement of the PID controller, which was created in 1911 by Elmer Sperry. In any case, it
wasn't until 1933 that the Taylor Instrumental Company (TIC) presented the primary pneumatic
controller with a completely tunable corresponding controller.
After a long time, control engineers went dispose of the unfaltering state mistake found in
relative controllers by resetting the point to a few manufactured esteems as long as the blunder
wasn‟t zero. This resetting “integrated” the mistake and got to be known as the proportional-
Integral controller. At that point, in 1940, TIC created the primary PID pneumatic controller with
a subsidiary activity, which decreased overshooting issues. Anyhow, it wasn‟t until 1942, when
Ziegler and Nichols tuning rules were presented that engineers were able to discover and set the
suitable parameters of PID controllers. By the mid-1950‟s, programmed PID controllers were
broadly received for mechanical use.

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4) Sequential control and logical sequence

Consecutive control may be either to a settled arrangement or to a coherent one that will perform
distinctive activities depending on different framework states. An illustration of a flexible, but
something else settled grouping could be a clock on a grass sprinkler.

States allude to the different conditions that can happen in utilization or arrangement situation of
the framework. A case is a lift, which services rationale based on the framework state to perform
certain activities in reaction to its state and administrator input.

For illustration, in the event that the administrator presses the floor n button, the framework will
react depending on whether the lift is ceased or moving, going up or down, or on the off chance
that the entryway is open or closed, and other conditions.

An early advancement of successive control was transfer rationale, by which electrical transfers
lock in electrical contacts which either begin or hinder control to a gadget. Transfers were to
begin with utilized in transmit systems some time recently being created for controlling other
gadgets, such as when beginning and ceasing industrial-sized electric engines or opening and
closing solenoid valves.

Utilizing transfers for control purposes permitted event-driven control, where activities might be
activated out of arrangement, in reaction to outside occasions. These were more adaptable in
their reactions than the unbending single-sequence cam clocks. More complicated cases included
keeping up secure arrangements for gadgets such as swing bridge controls, where a bolt needed
to be withdrawn some time recently, the bridge can be moved, and the bolt jolt seem not be
discharged until the security entryways had as of now been closed.

The whole number of transfers, camera clocks and drum sequencers can number into the
hundreds or indeed thousands in a few manufacturing plants. Early programming procedures and
dialects were required to create such frameworks sensible, one of the primary being step
rationales, where graphs of the interconnected transfers taken after the rungs of a step.

Extraordinary computers called programmable rationale controllers were afterward outlined to

supplant these collections of equipment with a single, more effortlessly re-programmed unit. In
an ordinary difficult wired engine, begin and halt circuit (called a control circuit), the engine is
begun by pushing a “Start” or “Run” button that enacts a combine of electrical transfers. The
“lock-in” hand-off locks in contacts that keep the control circuit energized when the thrust button
is discharged. (The begin button could be an ordinarily open contact and the halt button is
regularly closed contact.)

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Survey on Advantages and disadvantages of Automation follows:

No. of Responses: 54

Age group of Participants: 16-45

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Analysis:

From the answers we received:

Almost 85.2% of the people think automation increases accuracy.

Almost 60.3% of the people think automation increases employment productivity.

Conclusion
In the future, if over-reliance is placed on technology, people could become disconnected
from the process. They may cease to understand how things work (become de-skilled) or fail
to appreciate how bad things are when they go wrong. Whilst an AI system can present data
and recommendations, the decisions on what action to take is one for humans. However, if
humans blindly follow automated instructions, without knowing how to question them, this
could have negative implications for OSH.
In future where benefits and risks are „incalculable‟ will be how humans choose to use the
technology that decides whether it‟s good or bad. To harness the power and benefits of
machine learning, we need to decide what we want machines to „learn‟ and/or do, and what
questions we want them to answer. It is clearly important that controls and goals for AI are
set, and that a lot more empirical work needs to be done to gain a better understanding of
how goal systems (in AI) should be built, and what values the machines should have. Once
this is done, it will provide an idea of what sort of things should be put in a regulatory
framework, or whether existing regulatory frameworks are robust enough.
So, does AI present opportunity or danger? Will machines take all the jobs or create more
than they destroy? Opinions on this are divided, and the reality is likely to be somewhere in
between the two extremes. AI will continue to change the world of work, and workers will
need to engage in life-long learning, developing their skills and changing jobs more often
than they did in the past. In the future, as humans increasingly work together with AI, the
challenge for us in HSE‟s Foresight Centre is to ensure that we anticipate any negative
health and safety consequences, assess the risks, and share this knowledge to benefit the
future working world.

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References

1. www.wikipedia.com
2. www.britannica.com
3. www.productivity.com
4. www.sciencedirect.com
5. www.surveyheart.com

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