Mechanization and automation of production processes

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Automation of production and technological processes is a procedure in which the control and management functions performed by a person are transferred to instruments and devices. Due to this, labor productivity and product quality are significantly increased. In addition, a reduction in the share of workers involved in various industrial sectors is ensured. Let us further consider what automation and automation of production processes are.

Historical background

Independently functioning devices - the prototypes of modern automatic systems - began to appear in antiquity. However, until the 18th century, handicraft and semi-handicraft activities were widespread. In this regard, such "self-acting" devices have not received practical application. At the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th centuries. there was a sharp jump in volumes and levels of production. The Industrial Revolution createdprerequisites for improving methods and tools of labor, adapting equipment to replace a person.

Mechanization and automation of production processes

The changes that the industrial revolution caused affected primarily wood and metalworking, spinning, weaving mills and factories. The mechanization and automation of production processes were actively studied by K. Marx. He saw them as fundamentally new directions of progress. He pointed to the transition from the use of individual machines to the automation of their complex. Marx said that the conscious functions of control and management should be assigned to a person. The worker stands next to the production process and regulates it. The main achievements of that time were the inventions of the Russian scientist Polzunov and the English innovator Watt. The first created an automatic regulator for feeding a steam boiler, and the second created a centrifugal speed controller for a steam engine. For quite a long time, intellectual activity remained manual. Before the introduction of automation, the replacement of physical labor was carried out through the mechanization of auxiliary and main processes.

The situation today

At the present stage of human development, automation systems for production processes are based on the use of computers and various software. They contribute to reducing the degree of participation of people in activities or completely exclude it. To automation tasksproduction processes include improving the quality of operations, reducing the time required for them, reducing costs, increasing the accuracy and stability of actions.

Guidelines

Today, automation of production processes has been introduced into many industries. Regardless of the scope and volume of activities of companies, almost every company uses software devices. There are various levels of automation of production processes. However, the same principles apply to any of them. They provide conditions for the efficient execution of operations and formulate general rules for managing them. The principles in accordance with which the automation of production processes is carried out include:

1. Consistency. All actions within the operation must be combined with each other, go in a certain sequence. In the event of a mismatch, a violation of the process is likely.
2. Integration. The automated operation must fit into the overall environment of the enterprise. At one stage or another, integration is carried out in different ways, but the essence of this principle is unchanged. Automation of production processes in enterprises should ensure the interaction of the operation with the external environment.
3. Independence of execution. An automated operation must be carried out independently. Human participation in it is not provided, or it should be minimal (only control). The worker must not interfere with the operation if it is carried out according to the established requirements.

The above principles are specified in accordance with the level of automation of a particular process. Additional principles of continuity, proportionality, specialization, and so on are established for operations.

Automation levels

They are usually classified according to the nature of the company's management. It, in turn, can be:

1. Strategic.
2. Tactical.
3. Operational.

Accordingly, there is:

1. Lower level of automation (executive). Here management refers to regularly performed operations. Automation of production processes is focused on the execution of operational functions, maintaining the set parameters, maintaining the set operating modes.
2. Tactical level. This provides a distribution of functions between operations. Examples include production or service planning, document or resource management, and so on.
3. Strategic level. It manages the entire company. Automation of production processes for strategic purposes provides a solution to predictive and analytical issues. It is necessary to maintain the activities of the highest administrative level. This level of automation provides strategic and financial management.

Classification

Automation is provided through the use of a variety of systems (OLAP, CRM, ERP, etc.). All of themare divided into three main types:

1. Unchangeable. In these systems, the sequence of actions is set in accordance with the configuration of the equipment or process conditions. It cannot be changed during the operation.
2. Programmable. They can change the sequence depending on the configuration of the process and the given program. The choice of this or that chain of actions is carried out by means of a special set of tools. They are read and interpreted by the system.
3. Self-configurable (flexible). Such systems can select the desired actions in the course of work. Changes to the configuration of the operation occur in accordance with the information about the course of the operation.

All these types can be used at all levels separately or in combination.

Types of transactions

In every economic sector there are organizations that produce products or provide services. They can be divided into three categories according to "remoteness" in the resource processing chain:

1. Extracting or manufacturing - agricultural, oil and gas companies, for example.
2. Organizations processing natural raw materials. In the manufacture of products, they use materials mined or created by companies from the first category. These include, for example, electronics, automotive, power plants, and so on.
3. Service companies. Among them are banks, medical, educationalinstitutions, catering establishments, etc.

For each group, operations related to the provision of services or the release of products can be distinguished. These include processes:

1. Control. These processes provide interaction within the enterprise and contribute to the formation of company relations with interested participants in the turnover. The latter, in particular, include supervisory authorities, suppliers, consumers. The business process group includes, for example, marketing and sales, interaction with customers, financial, personnel, material planning, and so on.
2. Analysis and control. This category is associated with the collection and generalization of information about the execution of operations. In particular, such processes include operational management, quality control, stock assessment, etc.
3. Design and development. These operations are related to the collection and preparation of initial information, project implementation, control and analysis of results.
4. Production. This group includes operations related to the direct release of products. These include, among others, demand and capacity planning, logistics, service.

Most of these processes are automated today.

Strategy

It should be noted that the automation of production processes is complex and labor intensive. To achieve your goals, you need to be guided by a certain strategy. It contributes to improving the quality of operations performed and obtaining fromdesired results. Competent automation of production processes in mechanical engineering is of particular importance today. The strategic plan can be summarized as follows:

1. Understanding the operation. In order for the automation of production processes in mechanical engineering or another economic industry to bring the desired effect, it is necessary to fully analyze all stages. In particular, it is necessary to determine the input and output of the operation, the sequence of actions, the composition of resources, the relationship of links, etc.
2. Simplifying the process. After a complete analysis, it is necessary to optimize the operation. Extra activities that do not bring results or have no significant value should be reduced. Some operations may be combined or run in parallel. You can improve the action by suggesting a different way to do it.
3. Automation of the process. It can be carried out only when the operation is maximally unloaded. The simpler the procedure, the less time-consuming the automation will become, and, accordingly, the more efficient the process will be.

Benefits

Mechanization and automation of various processes can significantly improve the quality of goods and production management. Other benefits include:

1. Increasing the speed of repetitive operations. By reducing the degree of human involvement, the same actions can be carried out faster. Automated systemsprovide greater accuracy and maintain performance regardless of the length of the shift.
2. Improve the quality of work. By reducing the degree of participation of people, the influence of the human factor is reduced or eliminated. This significantly limits the variations in the execution of operations, which, in turn, prevents many errors and improves the quality and stability of work.
3. Increased control accuracy. The use of information technology allows you to save and take into account in the future a larger amount of information about the operation than with manual control.
4. Speed up decision making in typical situations. This improves the performance of the operation and prevents inconsistencies in the next steps.
5. Parallel execution of actions. Automated systems make it possible to carry out several operations at the same time without compromising the accuracy and quality of work. This speeds up the activity and improves the quality of the results.

Flaws

Despite the obvious benefits, automation may not always be the best solution. That is why a comprehensive analysis and optimization is necessary before its implementation. After that, it may turn out that automation is not required or will be unprofitable in an economic sense. Manual control and execution of processes may become more preferable in the following cases:

1. Operations are too complex to be automated technologically or economically.
2. Product life cycle is very short. If a product is to be developed andbe introduced within a short period of time, the duration of its stay on the market will be short. In this case, automation may become impractical. Manual operations will be faster and less costly.



3. One-of-a-kind or unique products are produced. For the manufacture of products of this type, certain parameters and requirements are established. In this case, the human factor can have a beneficial effect on the process. Some unique items can only be produced using manual labor.
4. Sharp fluctuations in market demand. Changes in consumer activity have an impact on production volumes. Reorganization of production in such situations can be carried out faster if the products are produced using manual labor.

Conclusion

Mechanization and automation are undoubtedly of great importance for the manufacturing sector. In the modern world, fewer and fewer operations are performed manually. However, even today in a number of industries one cannot do without such labor. Automation is especially effective in large enterprises that manufacture products for the mass consumer. So, for example, in automobile factories, a minimum number of people participate in operations. At the same time, they, as a rule, exercise control over the course of the process, without participating directly in it. Modernization of the industry is currently very active. Automation of production processes and production is considered today the mostan effective way to improve product quality and increase output.