Personal computers were
introduced in the 1980s. That is when the industrial automation peaked.
Industrial automation is when you make use of automated control like
Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), Computer Numerical Control (CNC), Remote
Terminal Unit (RTU) etc. They help in calculating industrial processes and
machinery, replacing manual intervention and dangerous assembly operations,
which are automated.
Industrial Automation consists
of an array of elements, which are well coordinated with each other. It
performs functions such as controlling, sensing, supervision and monitoring of
industrial processes.
Functionally, industrial
automation includes Field-level (Sensors & Actuators), Control level,
Supervisory, production control level (SCADA) and Information &
enterprise level (MES & ERP)
At the bottom level, you will
find sensors and actuators that are installed in the field. Sensors are used to
collect physical process signals, which helps them measure pressure, flow,
temperature, etc. It then converts them into pneumatic and electrical. For instance,
LDR, thermocouple, strain gauge etc.
You can use these sensors that
are used for processing, then analyse it, which will help in decision making,
leading to produce the control output. Control systems such as Programmable
Logic controllers (PLCs), RTUs are connected to the sensors that will
help you produce the targeted output by providing the signals in accordance
with your program and set values.
This level consists of control
elements, microprocessor-based electronic or just simply use industrial
computers that will accept the signals from different sensors as well as
command signals that come from human operators. These controllers can be of two
types; one is analogue and the other, digital systems. All these can differ
based on the structure of control nature. The signals from the sensors are
processed by a controller, which produces the control output to different
devices, which also depends on the same.
The next is PLC (Programmable
logic controller) —which is a special form of microprocessor-based controller
that uses programmable memory to help store instructions and execute like
logical, sequencing, timing, counting and arithmetic—to control machines and
their processes. It contains CPU, digital I/O, analogue I/O and communication
modules, which can smoothly operate in an industrial environment—conditioned to
control different process parameters using the program, written in accordance
with the industrial processes.
The last
level of control is the SCADA systems, which controls the smaller
subsystems. It consists of two things: HMI (Human-Machine
Interface) and process computers. With the help of these personal
computers, you can perform elevated level control operations such as set point
computations, performance monitoring, diagnostics, start-up, shut down and
other emergency operations. Most of their systems contain Distribution Control
System (DCS) or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and HMI
software at this specific level.
In conclusion, these were some of the steps that PLC, SCADA and HMI
perform at industrial automation, and here Industrial Internet of
things plays a essential role as well.
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