What Is Automation?

Automation is becoming increasingly important in today’s industrial processes to enhance efficiency and reduce costs. So, what is automation and how is it used in industry?

Automation refers to the use of systems that automatically perform repetitive tasks without human intervention. These systems utilize technologies such as sensors, control devices, SCADA systems, and computers to monitor, evaluate, and control processes. Automation makes a process faster, more precise, and more reliable while reducing errors and costs associated with human intervention.

Here’s how automation is utilized in various industries:

In Production Processes

Robots on the Production Line: One of the most common automation tools in industrial production is robots used on production lines. Robots can automate tasks such as assembly, packaging, transportation, and even quality control, speeding up production processes, reducing human errors, and increasing overall efficiency.

• Automated Assembly and Manufacturing: Robots on the production line can automate assembly and manufacturing processes, performing repetitive tasks flawlessly and faster than humans. They can handle various tasks such as part placement, welding, screwing, gluing, and painting.
• Flexibility and Variety: Robots can be programmed to adapt to the production of various products, making the production line more flexible and versatile. The same robot can handle the assembly or processing of different products, making it easier for the production line to respond to changing demands.
• Human-Machine Collaboration: Advancements in technology have led to the development of collaborative environments where humans and robots work together. Humans and robots can share the same workspace safely and interact with each other, allowing humans to take on complex tasks while robots handle repetitive ones.
• Productivity and Quality: Robots increase productivity on production lines due to their high precision and repeatability. Additionally, they can improve product quality by ensuring consistency and reducing errors.

Automatic Data Collection and Analysis: In industrial production facilities, automation systems can automatically collect and analyze production data. This data helps monitor production processes, evaluate performance, and identify improvement opportunities. Moreover, with the ability to predict future production trends using big data analysis and artificial intelligence, decision-making processes become more informed.

Flexible Manufacturing Capability: Automation can make industrial production processes more flexible. Automation systems can easily reconfigure and adjust the production line to respond quickly to changing market demands, allowing production facilities to be more responsive and offer greater variety.

Automation in Quality Control: Automation plays a significant role in quality control processes. Advanced imaging systems, sensors, and AI algorithms can automatically monitor and evaluate product quality. This enables the detection and rejection of faulty products, thereby improving product quality and ensuring customer satisfaction.

Energy and Material Savings: Automation systems optimize energy and material usage, playing a crucial role in sustainability. Smart sensors and control systems monitor and regulate energy consumption, preventing excessive energy use. Similarly, automatic material management systems reduce waste and improve inventory management.

• Energy Management: As energy costs rise, companies and industrial facilities turn to automation technologies to increase energy efficiency and reduce costs. Automation systems monitor and regulate energy consumption through smart sensors and measurements, optimizing energy usage.
• Automatic Adjustments and Controls: Automation systems can automatically adjust and control energy consumption to optimize efficiency. For example, in smart buildings, heating and lighting systems can be automatically adjusted based on detected indoor conditions. Similarly, in industrial facilities, equipment can be automatically controlled based on production process energy requirements.
• Energy Efficiency Analysis and Prediction: Automation systems can analyze energy efficiency and predict future energy consumption using big data analysis and AI. This allows businesses to understand energy consumption trends and manage energy costs more effectively. Additionally, it helps identify opportunities to improve the energy efficiency of specific processes or equipment.
• Automatic Reporting and Alerts: Automation in energy management facilitates automatic reporting and alerts, making it easier to monitor and evaluate energy efficiency programs. When energy consumption goals are reached or specific threshold values are exceeded, the system can automatically send alerts and provide reports to relevant personnel, making the energy management process more proactive.
• Integration of Renewable Energy: Automation systems can be used to effectively manage renewable energy sources (such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric) for maximum efficiency. Efficient integration and management of renewable energy systems can further reduce energy costs and environmental impact.
• Automatic Storage Systems: Automatic storage systems optimize storage areas and automate material movements. These systems typically include high-rack systems, automatic shelving systems, and transportation systems. Automation technologies such as sensors, control software, and robots automate the storage, retrieval, and transportation of materials.
• Space Efficiency: Automatic storage systems maximize the use of storage space. High-rack systems and automatic transportation systems increase storage capacity, while stacker crane technology utilizes vertical space, saving floor space.
• Quick Access: Automatic storage systems provide fast and efficient access to materials. Automatic transportation systems and robots can directly retrieve and deliver materials, reducing processing times and increasing efficiency.
• Error Reduction: By minimizing human errors, automatic storage and retrieval systems reduce errors in storage and retrieval processes. Automatic systems ensure the correct material is stored in the right place, reducing inventory errors and damages.
• Process Automation: Automatic storage systems fully automate storage processes. Sensors and control software monitor and manage material movements, minimizing human intervention.
• Data Analysis and Prediction: Automation enables businesses to utilize data analysis and prediction more effectively. For example, automation systems can automatically adjust production processes or replenish stock levels based on analytical results. This allows businesses to respond faster and increase operational efficiency.
• Enhanced Decision Making: Data analysis, prediction, and automation enable businesses to make more informed decisions. Accurate data analysis and effective predictions empower businesses to strengthen their strategic decisions, while automation allows for quick implementation of these decisions. Therefore, businesses can gain a competitive advantage by combining data analysis, prediction, and automation.
• Building Management: Building management automation integrates various systems (boiler room, heating, ventilation, HVAC, lighting, security, etc.) in a building and automatically controls these systems. Using sensors, control devices, computers, SCADA systems, and software, the aim is to optimize the indoor environment and increase energy efficiency.

Advantages

• Energy Efficiency: Building management automation monitors and regulates energy consumption, reducing energy costs and environmental impact. For example, automation systems can control motors used in building management systems to ensure the system operates at maximum efficiency with minimum energy consumption.
• Comfort and Improved Indoor Air Quality: Automation systems monitor and control indoor temperature, humidity, and air quality, increasing comfort and enhancing productivity. Automation systems and SCADA software developed for HVAC systems control air conditioning devices to maintain the desired indoor air quality and temperature with minimum energy consumption.
• Operational Efficiency: Automation systems automate maintenance tasks, facilitate fault diagnosis, and optimize operating processes, increasing operational efficiency. The early identification of faults and scenarios for troubleshooting and immediate alerting during a fault enables the fastest possible intervention in case of faults.
• Security and Monitoring: Automation systems monitor and control building security systems, enhancing security and providing fast response capabilities in emergencies.
• Remote Access and Management: Automation systems provide remote access and management capabilities, allowing building managers and engineers to control systems from anywhere.

Industrial Use

• Office Buildings: Building management automation is commonly used in large office buildings. Various systems such as HVAC, lighting, boiler room automation systems, and security systems are integrated to optimize the indoor environment.
• Shopping Malls: Building management automation is crucial in shopping malls due to the size and complexity of the buildings. Integrated systems including HVAC, lighting, security, and fire detection systems, and boiler room automation systems ensure comfort and safety.
• Campuses and Industrial Facilities: Building management automation is frequently used in large campuses and industrial facilities. In these facilities, automation systems play a critical role in monitoring energy consumption and optimizing factory operations. The control of the temperature and lighting of a factory’s facility according to the need with automation, has great importance for energy efficiency.

Conclusion: In this article, we’ve covered the topic of Automation. Automation is a powerful tool in industry for increasing efficiency, reducing costs, and gaining competitive advantage. With the use of advanced technology, automation is expected to become even more widespread in the future, accelerating the transformation of industrial processes. Understanding the importance of automation and its applications can help companies gain a competitive edge and achieve sustainable growth.

As Maytek Energy Industrial Automation Systems, since our inception in 2011, we have been continuously transferring our knowledge and experience in Industrial Automation systems, robotic systems, belt conveyor system automation, wastewater automation, building automation, factory automation, and energy automation to our new projects through various challenging and developing processes. Focusing on providing customized automation solutions tailored to customer needs in each project, we collaborate with solution partners such as SIEMENS, ABB, SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC, OMRON, SICK, DANFOSS, BANNER, FESTO, EAE, BEIJER ELECTRONICS, and KHRONE in our applications. With our growing team and business volume every day, we are becoming a valuable automation partner for many valuable companies in the field of automation. Thanks to our central office located in Ankara, we are among the top companies in the automation sector in Ankara, and with our Istanbul office, we are also prominent among automation companies in Istanbul.