Mechanization and automation of production processes

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.

History reference

Self-operating devices - prototypes of modern automatic systems - began to appear in antiquity. However, until the 18th century, artisanal and semi-artisanal 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 created the prerequisites for the improvement of techniques and tools, the adaptation of equipment to replace people.

Mechanization and automation of production processes

The changes caused by the industrial revolution affected primarily wood and metal processing, spinning, weaving mills and factories. Mechanization and automation of production processes were actively studied by K. Marx. He saw in them 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 conscious functions of control and management should be assigned to a person. The worker becomes next to the production process and regulates it. The main achievements of that time were the invention of the Russian scientist Polzunov and the English innovator Watt. The first created an automatic controller to power the steam boiler, and the second a centrifugal speed controller for the steam engine. For a sufficiently 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 basic processes.

Situation today

At the present stage of human development, production process automation systems are based on the use of computers and various software. They help reduce the degree of people's participation in activities or completely eliminate it. The tasks of automating production processes include improving the quality of operations, reducing the time it takes, reducing costs, increasing accuracy and stability of operations.

Basic principles

Today, automation of production processes has been implemented in many industries. Regardless of the scope and scope of companies, almost all of them use software devices. There are various levels of automation of production processes. However, for any of them, uniform principles apply. They provide conditions for the effective performance of operations and formulate general rules for their management. The principles in accordance with which automation of production processes is carried out include:

1. Coherence. All actions within the operation should be combined with each other, go in a certain sequence. In case of inconsistency, a disturbance in the course of the process is likely.
2. Integration. Automated operation should fit into the general 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 operations with the external environment.
3. Independence of execution. Automated operation should be carried out independently. The participation of a person in it is not provided, or it should be minimal (only control). An employee should not intervene in an operation if it is carried out in accordance with established requirements.

These principles are specified in accordance with the level of automation of a process. For operations, additional principles of continuity, proportionality, specialization and so on are established.

Automation levels

They are usually classified in accordance with the nature of company management. It, in turn, can be:

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

Accordingly, there is:

1. Lower level of automation (performing). Here, management deals with regularly performed operations. Automation of production processes is focused on the execution of operational functions, maintaining established parameters, maintaining specified 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 forecasting and analytical issues. It is necessary to support the activities of senior management. 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 them are divided into three main types:

1. Immutable. 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 may change the sequence depending on the configuration of the process and the specified program. The choice of a chain of actions is carried out through a special set of tools. They are read and interpreted by the system.
3. Self-adjusting (flexible). Such systems can carry out the selection of the necessary actions in the course of work. Changes to the configuration of an operation occur in accordance with information about the operation.

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

Types of operations

In each 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. Mining or producing - agricultural, oil and gas producing enterprises, for example.
2. Natural raw materials processing organizations. In the manufacture of products, they use materials extracted or created by companies from the first category. These, for example, include enterprises in the electronic and automotive industries, power plants, and so on.
3. Service companies. Among them are banks, medical, educational institutions, catering enterprises, etc.

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

1. Management. These processes provide interaction within the enterprise and contribute to the formation of the company's relations with interested participants in the turnover. The latter, in particular, include supervisory authorities, suppliers, consumers. The group of business processes 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 synthesis of information about the performance of operations. In particular, such processes include operational management, quality control, inventory valuation, etc.
3. Design and development. These operations are associated with the collection and preparation of baseline information, project implementation, monitoring and analysis of results.
4. Production. This group includes operations related to the direct release of products. These include, inter alia, demand and capacity planning, logistics, and maintenance.

Most of these processes are automated today.

Strategy

It should be noted that the automation of production processes is difficult and time-consuming. To achieve your goals, you must be guided by a specific strategy. It helps to improve the quality of the operations performed and to obtain the desired results from the activity. Of particular importance today is the competent automation of production processes in mechanical engineering. The strategic plan can be summarized as follows:

1. Understanding of the operation. In order for automation of production processes in mechanical engineering or other other economic sectors 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. Simplification of the process. After a complete analysis, it is necessary to optimize the operation. Unnecessary actions that do not bring results or do not have significant value must be reduced. Some operations can be combined or carried out in parallel. Actions can be improved by proposing a different way of doing it.
3. Process automation. It can be carried out only when the operation is as unloaded as possible. The simpler the order of actions, the less time-consuming automation will become, and, accordingly, the process will be more efficient.
   

Benefits

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

1. Increase the speed of repetitive operations. By reducing the degree of human participation, the same actions can be carried out faster. Automated systems provide greater accuracy and maintain performance regardless of the duration of the shift.
2. Improving the quality of work. With a decrease in the degree of participation of people, the influence of the human factor is reduced or eliminated. This significantly limits the variation 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 greater amount of information about the operation than with manual control.
4. Faster decision making in typical situations. This helps to improve the performance of the operation and prevents inconsistencies in the following steps.
5. Concurrency of actions. Automated systems make it possible to carry out several operations at the same time without compromising accuracy and quality of work. This speeds up activities and improves the quality of results.

disadvantages

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

1. Operations are too complex to automate them technologically or economically.
2. The product life cycle is very short. If the product is to be developed and implemented within a short 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. Single 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 products can only be produced using manual labor.
4. Sharp changes in market demand. Changes in consumer activity have an impact on production volumes. Restructuring of production in such situations can be carried out faster if the products are manufactured using manual labor.

Conclusion

Mechanization and automation are undoubtedly of great importance for the manufacturing sector. In today's world, 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 where products for the mass consumer are manufactured. So, for example, at automobile plants in the operations involved a minimum number of people. Moreover, they, as a rule, exercise control over the course of the process, and do not participate directly in it. Modernization of industry is currently very active. Automation of production processes and production is considered today the most effective way to improve product quality and increase its output.