Bize Ulaşın
Automation, which can be defined as the automation of routine and repetitive tasks with the help of different technological systems in a much safer and more efficient way without requiring human intervention, is an indispensable part of our modern lives. Our alarms that ring in the morning and wake us up in the best part of our sleep with a small adjustment, our machines that prepare our hot coffee with a single button, our smart home technologies that can adjust the temperature and light values of indoor spaces with hand gestures are just a few of the reflections of automation in our daily lives.
The contributions of this system to our lives are not limited to daily life. Automation accelerates and improves our production processes in many areas, especially in the industrial sectors. It can even be said that thanks to it, it is now possible to perform the same job in a much shorter time and in a much safer way.
So how does automation, which we feel its support in every field like a savior, work?
What are the types of automation and what exactly does it cover?
In this blog post, we will take a look at the mysterious world behind this technology, which is considered the miracle of the new age, and closely examine automation, which makes our lives easier by improving our production processes much faster and safer.
What is Automation?
The word automation was coined in 1946 by an engineering manager at the Ford Motor Company, D.S. Harder, to describe the increasing use of automated devices and control systems on production lines in the automotive industry. The word has its roots in the Modern Latin word Automaticus, which means “self-moving”. Automation, in English, is the general name for systems that, with the help of machines or other technological systems, can handle routine and repetitive tasks much more safely and quickly without the need for human intervention.
Examples of automation include automatic coffee machines and doors, smart home systems, curtains and blinds that open and close on their own, production line robots and CNC machines.
Why Automation is Important?
Automation, which enables businesses to perform their routine work and processes that require repetition of a certain process in a much more cost-effective, safe and fast way, is very important for many institutions and organizations in different sectors.
Thanks to this system, businesses can position their employees in more strategic areas by taking them from heavy work that worsens their living conditions and threatens their lives. In this way, in addition to ensuring the safety of their employees, they can protect themselves from extra costs such as tax burden and ensure that much more work is done per unit time with the help of machines.
Automation also leads to an increase in the quality of the products produced as a result of production processes. In processes involving humans, the margin for error is always high and quality varies. In processes with machines, on the other hand, a certain quality will always be maintained consistently.
What are the Benefits of Automation?
These systems, which make our lives easier in every field, have many different benefits. Let’s take a brief look at these benefits.
Rising Productivity and Increased Employee Satisfaction
Repetitive tasks reduce employees’ enthusiasm for their work and cause them to be much less satisfied with their work.
In a study conducted by Salesforce in 2021 among 773 people in the United States who benefit from automation systems, it was found that 89% of the audience who benefit from automation systems in their workplaces are much more satisfied with their work. 74% said that these automated systems helped them finish their work much faster. In the same study, it was also observed that these systems significantly reduced the stress levels of employees.
Continuous Operation
These systems perform their work much faster than humans. They produce many more products in the same unit of time.
High Speed
These systems perform their work much faster than humans. They produce much more products in the same unit of time.
Consistent Quality
These systems, which rely on machines as opposed to humans, save time and costs by consistently achieving the same quality, and pave the way for the production of high quality products in series.
End the Yield Paradox
With machines, a concept called the efficiency paradox entered the business world. Since the people who will use the machines need to be trained on how to use them, workplaces have faced increased cost and time loss in the face of efficiency. But thanks to Robotic Process Automation (or RPA), it has been possible to put an end to this efficiency paradox.
Cost Savings
Thanks to these systems, it is possible to have machines perform routine or repetitive tasks by transferring the employees who used to perform those tasks to more strategic and value-added tasks. Thus, it is possible to reduce the salary burden and indirect expenditures of enterprises in heavy and boring jobs.
What Can Be Done With Automation?
The areas where automation can be used from industrial production to the automotive industry, from information technologies to health services are as follows:
- Energy Sector
- Industrial Production
- Logistics Sector
- Information Technology
- Health Services
- Home Affairs
- Robot Technolog
- Flexible Production
What are the Types of Automation?
There are four different types of automation: fixed, programmable, flexible and integrated. There are also different sub-fields such as industrial, electrical, software, warehouse, control, web and smart.
Fixed Automation
This type, as the name suggests, is designed to do a specific job in a specific way, with no variation required. This type is often used in cases where the same product is produced with the same process, but in cases where a change is desired in the system, difficulties may arise and extra modifications may be required.
The main areas where this type is utilized are as follows:
- Automated Assembly Machines
- Chemical Production Processes
- Paint and Coating Processes
- Web Conversion Systems
- Flexible Automation
Thanks to this type, which allows production with industrial robots without shutting down the production line while reprogramming the system, the personnel using the system have the opportunity to make the changes they want through the control panel and have the opportunity to save the changes they make for the next times.
The main areas where this type is utilized are as follows:
- Automatic Packaging
- Source Tagging
- Automatic Banderole Printing
- Programmable Automation
This type of production system can be reprogrammed by means of electronic tools, especially for assembly and machining tasks. Although requiring high initial capital, this type can lead to a significant increase in productivity in the medium and long term.
The main areas where this type is utilized are as follows:
- Industrial Robots
- Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC)
- Intelligent Numerical Control Tools
- Integrated Automation
This type differs from other types in that it requires no human intervention at all. Thanks to this type, it is possible to control the production process under a single roof by integrating all machines and data with each other.
The main areas that benefit from this type are as follows:
- Flexible Processing Systems
- Warehouse Setup and Operations
- Computer Aided Manufacturing
- Computer Aided Design
What is Industrial Automation?
Industrial automation is the system that works by controlling industrial processes and the machines involved in these processes by smart devices without the need for a specific operator. Thanks to this type, it is possible to increase production and save costs while saving time. The tasks of robot systems used in industrial automation are determined by robot programming.
What is Electrical Automation?
The system that includes the control and management of the processes in which electrical devices and machines take place is called electrical automation. This type is used in energy production facilities and all kinds of electricity-based applications.
What is Software Automation?
Software automation is a system that you can assign to handle repetitive tasks and processes that have become routine while developing software. These systems require minimal human involvement and can be used in many different sectors.
What is Warehouse Automation?
Warehouse automation enables the controlled entry and exit of materials to and from warehouses. In this way, it is ensured that stocks can be tracked properly and warehouses can be managed in a much more optimized way with computer-aided applications.
What is Web Automation?
Web automation is a system that allows users to perform the operations they specify on web applications and web browsers. With the help of this system, it is possible for users to easily perform operations such as filling in form fields and copying systematically repetitive operations.
Things to Avoid in Automation Systems
It is very important not to rush when integrating automated systems that offer customized solutions for many different sectors into production or corporate processes. There are many points to consider in this process. The things you should avoid when integrating these systems into your business can be roughly listed as follows:
Utilizing the Wrong Parameters
It is very important to utilize the right parameters when evaluating the efficiency of a particular system. When it comes to automated systems, it is necessary to analyze values such as the purpose for which these systems are installed, how much efficiency they are expected to bring, how much efficiency has been achieved before, and make calculations by looking at the general corporate goals related to them.
Evaluating systems using the wrong parameters will lead to wrong conclusions, which will cause business owners or managers to draw a wrong road map and take the wrong measures.
Forcing Changes in Work Culture
It is an undeniable fact that employees have certain prejudices against automated systems. It is of great importance that businesses and business owners approach these prejudices, which are caused by the fear of unemployment, in a caring and careful manner in order to ensure work culture and peace within the business. Suddenly implementing changes in production processes without consulting the staff or integrating these systems into production processes by firing teams can damage the work culture, cause the remaining employees to perform their duties with much less efficiency and reduce trust in business owners.
Rushing the Testing Phase
The proper functioning of automation systems depends entirely on the proper definition of algorithms and rules. If there is a defect in the defined rules or algorithms, it is possible that these systems, which utilize corporate data, may disrupt the structure of corporate data or cause it to be lost. It is very important to take the testing phase of these systems seriously to avoid the risk of data deletion and to avoid long-term problems in corporate functioning.
Utilizing the Wrong Tool
Using the wrong tool can lead to the wrong results. In the process of integrating automation systems into businesses, business owners need to determine exactly what they are aiming for and make sure that they choose the right tools for their goals.