Automation is going to be one of the top skills in the coming years. On one hand, it will displace about half the jobs but on the other hand, it will also create new opportunities. If you are confused as to what exactly is automation and where to start, keep reading. We are here to discuss the most fundamental question: what is automation and what it means for your business? This is a super simple primer into the definition of automation, examples and latest developments.
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What is automation?
Automation is defined as an application of technology to minimize or eliminates human effort. It comes from the Greek word auto which means ‘self’ and matos which means ‘moving.’ Humans are not necessary to control the machines. Earlier automation represented the replacement of human controls. However, nowadays it is a very broad term.
Automation has been elemental in the increase in productivity in the last two centuries. It helps in the reduction of labor costs. It has also helped in increasing the speed of production and reduce the rate of errors. Also, even though automation eliminates the jobs of the laborers, it also creates some advantage in terms of higher productivity and indirect creation of technology jobs that offset the job losses overall. You may read this publication from world bank for more information on this topic.
Why automation is important?
- Reduction of dependence on human labor
- Reduction of cost
- Increased accuracy of tasks
- Reducing human presence in places that are risky or unhealthy
- Increases the output or productivity
- Provides more operational data for analysis
History of automation
The origin of the word automation comes from Ford Motor Company. DS Harder possibly coined this term. It was the first company to start an ‘automation department’. Firms also realized that machines could replace humans in controlling the production lines. Additionally, mechanized controllers could do some repetitive tasks. This reduced the burden on laborers.
Some of the tasks that were repetitive and required controlling the machines could simply be achieved by using mechanized controllers.
This progress initially meant transposing the agrarian workers into factory workers and eventually transposition of factory workers to service workers. However, the mechanization of factories gave the highest increase in productivity. Mechanization refers to replacing human physical work with machine-generated work. Eventually, the need for human control of mechanized machines was also overcome. Control systems’ could automate the production and manufacturing processes.
Examples of automation in everyday life
One of the simplest forms of automation is a ‘control system’. Imagine a light bulb that needs to be switched on after sunset. The simplest approach is to have a person operate the light switch. The person switches it on after they observe a sunset and switch the light back on after sunrise.
It may not be worthwhile for a person to be put to such a menial and boring task. It could also be prone to human errors like forgetting to switch the light. Automation can solve this problem. Such a system must comprise of three parts: a sensor that receives a value from a machine or environment. A processor that calculates the right output for the given input. Output in the form of a controller that controls the machine under consideration. In the simplest of the case, the output can have an off or on the state. This type of discrete choice requires an open-loop system.
The light bulb
Coming to our lightbulb example, let us install a light sensor, which senses the amount of ambient light. This can be used as an input for a micro-controller(an electronic chip that can process this information of presence or absence of light). When evening falls, the microcontroller ‘knows’ that it is evening time and automatically switches the light bulb on. In the morning, when the sensor senses daylight, the microcontroller switches the light bulb off.
Now, let us say that we need to have the light bulb switch on ‘slowly’. Initially, it is dim and as the sunlight reduces, it becomes brighter and brighter until it is fully at its maximum brightness. In order to achieve this, the controller also processes the ‘error value’ in the control system and corrects for the same automatically. Say the light bulb controller which makes sure that the light receives enough voltage to compensate only for the decrease in ambient light and not be any brighter. This is called a feedback controller or closed-loop controllers.
Flexible automation example
Modern controllers go a step beyond this type of feedback-based controller. In addition to the feedback received from the machine, there could be additional feedback about any errors in the control process itself. This is called the second feedback loop. Let us take an example of a smartphone display screen and how we need it to have flexible automation. It has an ambient light sensor that provides the controller with information about the amount of light. However, it also has an advanced ‘learning’ system which questions ‘why’ should it regulate the brightness of the screen. This reasoning is built into the controller which regulates the brightness to the desired level based on the ambient light as well as the context in which the phone is being used.
Examples of automation-based business models
Agriculture : Grofit
Initial applications were in manufacturing but now many different industries benefit from automated systems. One of the upcoming startups that have used automation as a business model is Grofit. Grofit is an Israel based startup that has developed smart devices to help the farmers. The company makes interconnected devices that include sensors for soil and environment monitoring which helps to improve the crop yield. This has been quite helpful for farmers who don’t just save on manual effort but also tap on to the insights from experts who optimize the farming based on the sensor data.
Control system security:Yokogawa
Yokogawa is a Japanese company that specializes in automation systems. One of their innovative product is a security system for Industrial Control systems. One of the infamous malware that targets control systems is Stuxnet. It was a particularly nasty virus as it could steal sensitive data from large establishments like a power plant and in the worst case, it would cause physical damage or risk lives of millions of people by taking control over vital installations. Yokogawa has developed B2B solutions in the form of continuous monitoring, updation, and security for the clients of its control systems products.
Mayonnaise plant:Omron
One of the Japanese companies operating in the United States wanted to upgrade its mayonnaise plant as a part of the upgradation exercise. A critical step in the production of mayonnaise is the mixing of the ingredients. Incidentally, Omron is also a Japanese company. They designed and installed the automated system for the mixers and the handling of raw materials for the plant. This helped in an increase in production by 35%.
Types of automation system
The three major types of automation are industrial automation, robotic automation, and cognitive automation. While the first two automation are related to the mechanical systems, the third type of automation is related to the information systems and is a relatively new concept.
Robotic automation
A robot is a mechanical or artificial arm does useful work. These robots use a mechanized arm. A numerical control(NC) guides these arms. Early NC machine tools were developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the early 1950s. Manual controls for robotic can be fed through a teleoperator which is a device that received inputs from human operators. There are advantages of semi-automated robotic systems in risky working environments. There are also fully automatic and programmable NC controlled robotic automation systems. An example of such robotic automation is in the automobile assembly line. The work of painting the vehicle chassis is done by such robots which both enhance the precision of work as well as reduce health hazards due to paints.
Industrial automation
Industrial automation is a type of automation where industrial processes are developed to run autonomously(without human intervention). There are several controllable variables that act as inputs to the industrial machines. These machines do many of the required processes. Some of the common variables that can be controlled are pressure, temperature, speed of the motor. A Programmable Logic Controller or PLC controls these inputs to the machines. PLCs are connected to computers and can be reprogrammed to suit changing requirements. Some of the plants are built to offer flexibility to change these controls every batch while some require fine-tuning only once in a while.
Industrial-Automation example : an ice making plant
Let us consider a case of an ice plant. On the most basic level, try to visualize the ice-making process at home. You take the tray out from the freezer. Make sure it is empty and clean. Fill it with water then put the tray back into the freezer. Ensure the refrigerator is running at correct settings. You wait for a time and then collect the tray once the ice is ready.
The professional ice block plant would have a similar set of operations. At the most basic level, to automate an ice making process, you shall need to install automation systems that feed water, cool it to ice and then have automatic or mechanized means of separating ice. Then you would need some way to ensure overall operation from feeding water to the collection of ice is continuously happening.
A floor manager governs all of these processes. Higher up the hierarchy, the plant needs an operations manager to ensure that the scheduling for the ice-making process takes place at the right time. One of the deciding factors could be ensuring that ice is ready right before the time of higher demand. Finally, at the plant management level, you would want the operations manager to see where you can improve on the individual processes as well as how you can ensure you satisfy the specific needs of your customers.
Cognitive automation
One of the simplest ways to understand cognitive automation is to consider this: while robotic automation is about replacing ‘hands’, cognitive automation is about replacing the ‘brain.’ We humans have been trying to create artificial working brains ever since computers were invented. However, with the recent advances in AI and allied technology, it has become easier than ever to realize the dream of ‘cognitive automation.’ Some of the building blocks of cognitive intelligence are Machine Learning(ML), Natural Language Processing(NLP), and Optical Character Recognition(OCR). ML is a technology that mimics human learning. Thereby ML is able to automate tasks and business processes. NLP is about using technologies to interpret human communication which is generally achieved through artificial neural networks. Finally, OCR is a technology that enables machines to read printed characters and interpret them.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages
Apart from the obvious economic advantages of reduced cost and increased productivity, there are some major plus points for automation:
It offers incredible amounts of process data. This data can bring in insights for process improvements at much granular level
The business side decision-makers can have access to integrated assembly lines and shop floors which can significantly reduce lead times for companies.
It allows for remote monitoring of the systems. Reduces human risks. One of the examples is oil drilling rig where remotely located humans operating the rig has saved many lives.
Disadvantages
Displacement of labor. All the companies are directly or indirectly liable to the society where they function. One of the goals and also a drawback is the replacement of workers with machines. It may cause a dip in employment and a reduction of earning potential for some skilled workers. It may also cause emotional and mental stress due to fear of job loss. In some cases, the employers reskill their workers. These workers can then work on other roles. This should be the goal for most organizations as it makes the lives of the workers much easier than just laying them off.
Security vulnerability : automation systems could be prone to cyber attacks as well as targeted physical attacks. Since automation also opens up the connectivity right up to the control valve level, it is important to ensure there are checks and measure to safeguard against the potential threats from the attackers.
Expensive to set up: this is a major challenge for smaller firms. The cost of automation makes it very difficult for smaller companies to achieve the same cost of scale that an automated plant can achieve. Developing countries do not have access to enough capital. Therefore, they find it difficult to enter the automation race. There is still a major barrier for African countries to do what China does and with time the barrier may become higher.
Latest developments
There are massive developments happening every day in the world of automation. It is not just manufacturing where automation would make a big impact. According to a Mckinsey report, some of the industries where there will be a major impact are Retail, Transportation and Logistics, Travel, Automotive, High Tech, and Consumer packaged goods. Additionally, they have highlighted that about 50% of the jobs may be at stake due to automation by 2030.
The predictions vary from dystopian to utopian futures. On one hand, automation could lead to a world where robots do all the boring work while humans receive a free pension every month. On the other hand, there are also skeptical viewpoints that point towards a rebellion and subsequent colonization of humans. Meanwhile, most of the researchers and futurists believe that we are very far away from even replacing half of the human labor and the probable future would lie somewhere between these two extreme predictions.
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