Abstract:

Modern production techniques for medium to large series products or mass production usually involve assembly conveyor lines. They still use hand labor more or less automated. The aim is to have monotonous and similar in type operations or such causing fatigue, stress and production traumas, gradually replaced by automated assembly cycles, means and techniques. This usually Widely involves industrial robots and handlers. Higher productivity, lower coat and higher quality of assembled products are usually required. Latest assembly techniques for simpler or more complicated products in engineering, device manufacturing and electronics involve computer-aided automated assembly means in Flexible Automated Production Lines or other types of automated conveyor lines, which provide full automation human labor replacement.
Introduction:

Automation and robotics are two closelt related technologies in an industrial context, we can define automation as a technology that is concerned with the use of mechanical, electronics and computer based systems in the operation and control of production. Examples of this technology include transfer lines, mechanized assembly machines, feedback control system, numerically controlled machine tools and robotics.
Definition of Automation:

It is a technology dealing with application of Control system Information technology for production of goods and services. Automation is broadly classified into: Manufacturing automation Service automation
Types of Automation:

Fixed automation Custom-engineered,special-purpose equipment to automate a fixed sequence of operations. High production rate, inflexible product design Programmable automation Equipment designed to accommodate a specific class of product changes Batch production, medium volume Flexible automation Designed to manufacture a variety of products or parts Low production rates, varying product design and demand

Advantages

Replacing human operators in tasks that involve hard physical or monotonous work. Replacing humans in tasks done in dangerous environments (i.e. fire, space, volcanoes, nuclear facilities, underwater, etc.) Performing tasks that are beyond human capabilities of size, weight, speed, endurance, etc. Economy improvement. Reduces operation time and work handling time significantly

Disadvantages Security Threats/Vulnerability: An automated system may have a limited level of intelligence, and is

therefore more susceptible to committing an error. Unpredictable development costs: The research and development cost of automating a process may exceed the cost saved by the automation itself. High initial cost: The automation of a new product or plant requires a huge initial investment in comparison with the unit cost of the product, although the cost of automation is spread among many products. As a process becomes increasingly automated, there is less and less labor to be saved or quality improvement to be gained. As more and more processes become automated, there are fewer remaining non-automated processes.

Evolution of automation and robotics Early developments

Each new development in the history of powered machines has brought with it an increased requirement for control devices to harness the power of the machine. The steam engine represented a major advance in the development of powered machines and marked the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

Another important development in the history of automation was the Jacquard loom , which

demonstrated concept of a programmable machine. The concept of programming a machine was further developed later in the 19th century when Charles Babbage, an English mathematician, proposed a complex, mechanical analytical engine that could perform arithmetic and data processing. Although Babbage was never able to complete it, this device was the precursor of the modern digital computer. See computers, history of. A number of significant developments in various fields have occurred during the 20th century: the digital computer, improvements in data-storage technology and software to write computer programs, advances in sensor technology, and the derivation of a mathematical control theory. All these developments have contributed to progress in automation technology. Development of the electronic digital computer (the ENIAC [Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer] in 1946 and UNIVAC I [Universal Automatic Computer] in 1951) has permitted the control function in automation to become much more sophisticated and the associated calculations to be executed much faster than previously possible. The development of integrated circuits in the 1960s propelled a trend toward miniaturization in computer technology that has led to machines that are much smaller and less expensive than their predecessors yet are capable of performing calculations at much greater speeds. This trend is represented today by the microprocessor, a miniature multicircuited device capable of performing all the logic and arithmetic functions of a large digital computer. Along with the advances in computer technology, there have been parallel improvements in program storage technology for containing the programming commands. Modern storage media include magnetic tapes and disks, magnetic bubble memories, optical data storage read by lasers, videodisks, and electron beam-addressable memory systems. Improvements have been made in the methods of programming computers (and other programmable machines). Modern programming languages are easier to use and are more powerful in their dataprocessing and logic capabilities. Advances in sensor technology have provided a vast array of measuring devices that can be used as components in automatic feedback control systems. These devices include highly sensitive electromechanical probes, scanning laser beams, electrical field techniques, and machine vision. Some of these sensor systems require computer technology for their implementation.This technology is proving to be a versatile sensory capability for various industrial tasks, such as part identification, quality inspection, and robot guidance.

Modern developments

Reasons for Automation

Shortage of labor The ratio of the number of workers to the number of retirees in the U.S. is expected to be 2 to 1 in 2000. High cost of labor May not always make sense to establish plants in countries with low labor costs.

Increase productivity Value of output per person per hour increases Lower costs Reduced scrap rate Lower in process inventory Superior quality Shorter (compact) lines Reducing manufacturing lead time Respond to the consumers needs Rapid response to change in design

Automation tools

Engineers now can have numerical control over automated devices. The result has been a rapidly expanding range of applications and human activities. Computer-aided technologies now serve the basis for mathematical and organizational tools used to create complex systems. Notable examples include Computer-aided design (CAD software) Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM software). Information technology, together with industrial machinery and processes, can assist in the design, implementation, and monitoring of control systems. example of an industrial control system is a programmable logic controller (PLC). Different types of automation tools exist: ANN - Artificial neural network DCS - Distributed Control System HMI - Human Machine Interface SCADA - Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition PLC - Programmable Logic Controller PAC - Programmable automation controller Instrumentation Motion control Robotics.

Automation in daily life

In addition to the manufacturing applications of automation technology, there have been significant achievements in such areas as communications, transportation, service industries, and consumer products. Some of the more significant applications are described below:

Communications :

One of the earliest practical applications of automation was in telephone switching. The first switching machines, invented near the end of the 19th century.Other applications of automation in communications systems include local area networks, communications satellites, and automated mail-sorting machines
Transportation : - Automation has been applied in various ways in the transportation industries. Applications include airline

reservation systems, automatic pilots in aircraft and locomotives, and urban mass-transit systems -Nearly all commercial aircraft are equipped with instruments called automatic pilots. Automatic navigation systems and instrument landing systems operate by using radio signals from ground beacons that provide the aircraft with course directions for guidance. -Examples of automated rail transportation include American urban mass-transit systems such as BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) in San Francisco; MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) in Atlanta, Ga.; and the Metrorail in Washington, D.C.
Service industries :

-Automation of service industries includes an assortment of applications as diverse as the services themselves, which include health care, banking and other financial services, government, and retail trade. -In health care the use of automation in the form of computer systems has increased dramatically to improve services and relieve the burden on medical staffs. -Robotics is likely to play a role in future health care delivery systems. These robots would respond to voice commands and would be able to interpret statements in natural language (e.g., everyday English) from patients requesting service. -Banking and financial institutions have embraced automation in their operations. Major banks have established electronic banking systems, including automatic teller machines. -The stock exchanges rely on computer-automated systems to report transactions by ticker tape or closed circuit television. -Brokerage houses use a computerized record-keeping system to track their customers accounts. -Credit card transactions have also become highly automated. Restaurants, retailers, and other organizations are using systems that automatically check the validity of a credit card. -Many government services are automated by means of computers and computerized databases.
Consumer products:

-Consumer products ranging from automobiles to small appliances have been automated for the benefit of the user. Microwave ovens, washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, video recorders, and other modern household appliances typically contain a microprocessor that works as the computer controller for the device. -The automobile is an example of a highly automated consumer product. The modern automobile is typically equipped with several microprocessors that operate a variety of functions, including engine control (fuelair ratio, for example), the clock, the radio, and cruise control.

Robotics

Robotics is one of the main automation tool. It is branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots.[1] Robotics is related to the sciences of electronics, engineering, mechanics, and software.[2] The word "robot" was introduced to the public by Czech writer Karel apek in his play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots), published in 1920. The term "robotics" was coined by Isaac Asimov in his 1941 science fiction short-story "Liar!"
History of robot:

The history of robotics is one that is highlighted by a fantasy world that has provided the inspiration to convert fantasy into reality. The beginning of robots are traceable back to the ancient Greek engineer named Ctesibius. Hewas the father of pneumatics in which he used the science of compressed air in his automatedinventions.The sketch design of humanoid robot (a robot which has limbs alike to human) started withLeonardo da Vinci in year around 1495. The robot is a warrior, clad in German-Italian medievalarmour. There were many developments before the first truly modern robot, digitally operated andprogrammable was introduced in 1954. It was an industrial robot named Unimate which is usedto lift hot pieces of metal from a diecasting machine and stack them. In 1927 the Maschinenmensch ("machine-human") gynoid humanoid robot (also called "Parody", "Futura", "Robotrix", or the "Maria impersonator") was the first and perhaps the most memorable depiction of a robot ever to appear on film was played by German actress Brigitte Helm in Fritz Lang's film Metropolis. In 1948 Norbert Wiener formulated the principles of cybernetics, the basis of practical robotics. Fully autonomous robots only appeared in the second half of the 20th century. The first digitally operated and programmable robot, theUnimate, was installed in 1961 to lift hot pieces of metal from a die casting machine and stack them.
Laws of robotics:

Law Zero: A robot may not injure humanity, or, through inaction, allow humanity to come to harm. Law One: A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm, unless this would violate a higher order law. Law Two: A robot must obey orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with a higher order law. Law Three: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with a higher order law.
Advantages:

Robots can work in Hazardous environment without theneed for life support and comfort. Robots can work continuously 24 hours in a day, 7 days ina week without any boredom. Robot can process multiple stimuli or tasks simultaneously. Robots are machines which is influenced by programmingtechniques, if there is some wrong in programmingthen they behaves absurd. They have no emotions, hence they turned out to be ddangerous if not programmed properly. Robot replaced human workers creating economicproblems.

Disadvantages:

Components of ROBOTS: Structure: The structure of a robot is usuallymostly mechanical and can becalled a kinematic chain. The chain is formed of links (itsbones), actuators (its muscles), andjoints which can allow one or moredegrees of freedom. Power source: Suitable power supply is needed to run themotors and associated circuitry. Typical power requirement ranges from 3V to24V. DC 220V AC supply must be modified to suit theneeds of our machine. Batteries can also be used to run robots. Robots aredriven by different motors

DC Motors Stepper Motors Servo Motors

Actuators are the "muscles of a robot, the parts which convert stored energy in to movement. The most popular actuators are electric motors. .
Actuation: Sensing: Manipulation: Robots which must work in the real world require some way to manipulate objects; pick up, modify, destroy, or

otherwise have an effect. Thus the 'hands' of a robot are often referred to a send effectors, while the arm is referred to as a manipulator. Some manipulators are: Mechanical Grippers Vacuum Grippers General purpose effectors
Locomotion: It is concerned with the motion of the robot. Robot contains different types of drives

Rolling robots: For simplicity most mobile robots have four wheels or a number of continuous tracks. Some researchers have tried to create more complex wheeled robots with only one or two wheels. These can have certain advantages such as greater efficiency and reduced parts. Types of rolling robots Two-wheeled balancing robots One-wheeled balancing robots Spherical orb robots Six-wheeled robots Tracked robots Walking applied to robots:

Walking is a difficult and dynamic problem to solve. Typically, robots on 2 legs can walk well on flat floors and can occasionally walk up stairs. None can walk over rocky, uneven terrain. Hybrids too have been proposed in movies such as I, Robot, where they walk on 2 legs and switch to 4 (arms+legs) when going to a sprint. Some of the methods which have been employed are: ZMP Technique Hopping Dynamic balancing (controlled falling) Passive dynamics

Other methods of locomotion Flying Snaking

Skating Climbing Swimming (like a fish)

Applications
Automotive industry: One of the most importantpartners in the developmentof robotic technologies

Welding robots Robustness and precision of the assembly of pieces very heavy loads Found in painting rooms Used for places that are hard to reach. Execute repetitive sequence of movement, boring, demodulating and dangerous tasks at constant performance. Many tools are attached at the extremity of a manipulator Use the optimal sequence of operations. Can monitor the quality assembly line with adapted enhance sensor technologies.

Assembly: Another strong partners is the assembly of manufactured products

Medical laboratories:

Medical laboratories are another place where repetitive tasks must be made. Handling a large quantity of samples Execution of analyses Automatic systems with measurement apparatus. Small mobile units can also take-charge of moving the samples between different parts of the room or services, thus eliminating the need for the technician to continuously have to walk.
Medicine: As a robot as getting more and more accurate and modern surgery tends to be less invasive,

robotic systems now start to be developed to assist surgeons in high precision manipulation of devices. The development of biomedical applications for robotics is becoming a very important field of research of development A social motivation to improve patient cares.

Nuclear energy: Nuclear generator installations are places where we can find a large number of robotic applications.

Used for maintenance of nuclear reactors. Used for the replacement of radioactive fuel tubes. Seal off radioactive leakages in contaminated zones. Cleaning and decontaminating radioactive areas without compromising the health of workers was also necessary. In Australia a robotic system has been developed for sheep shearing Robots for field sowing Raisin and apple gathering Like the Viking I and II probes sent to explore Mars in 1976, Telemanipulator used to collect samples of soil The famous Canadian spatial manipulator Canadarm mounted on American spaceships and the new space station remote manipulator system (SSRMS) that is used to assemble the international space station. Mars Rover in 1998 explored the neighbor planet while being elegized from the Earth. Provided an incredible amount of new information about this unknown environment.

Agriculture: Robots have also found some applications in agriculture

Spatial exploration: Spatial probes sent for many years to explore and discover our universe

Underwater inspection:

Submersible robots have been used for many years to explore sea beds. Rescuing ship-wrecked persons Retrieving black boxes of crashed planes. Exploring deep sea and old wrecks in order to find their secrets. Inspection of the flooded side of dams to detect the cracks Inspect and maintain oil digging platforms
Customer service: Various machines have been develop to serve customers in a semi-automatic or fully automatic

way.

Automatic banking Shell Smart Pump Robots that are supposed to do housecleaning AIBO, built by Sony, which has all the nice characteristics of a real dog but without its obvious disadvantages. Remotely controlled robots used to do fun painting Considered as a very positive and innovative way of evolution in robotics.

Arts and entertainment: Playing with sophisticated toys dedicated for funny applications.

Conclusion:

Today we find most robots working for people in industries, factories, warehouses, household works and laboratories. Robots are useful in many ways. For instance, it boosts economy because businesses need to be

efficient to keep up with the industry competition. Therefore, having robots helps business owners to be competitive, because robots can do jobs better, faster and accurate than humans can, e.g. robot can built, assemble a car. Yet robots cannot perform every job; today robots roles include assisting research and industry. Finally, as the technology improves, there will be new ways to use robots which will bring new hopes and new potentials. Employment Robotics is an essential component in many modern manufacturing environments. As factories increase their use of robots, the number of roboticsrelated jobs grow and have been observed to be steadily rising

Effects of unemployment:

Automation, Accelerating Technology and the Economy of the Future, argue that robots and other forms of automation will ultimately result in significant unemployment unless the economy is engineered to absorb them without displacing humans, as machines begin to match and exceed the capability of workers to perform most jobs. At present the negative impact is only on menial and repetitive jobs, and there is actually a positive impact on the number of jobs for highly skilled technicians, engineers, and specialists.

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