Introduction of Automation Engineering
What Is Automation?
The dictionary defines automation as “the technique of making an apparatus, a process, or a system operate automatically.”
We define automation as "the creation and application of technology to monitor and control the production and delivery of products and services.”
Using our definition, the automation profession includes “everyone involved in the creation and application of technology to monitor and control the production and delivery of products and services”; and the automation professional is “any individual involved in the creation and application of technology to monitor and control the production and delivery of products and services.”
Automation encompasses many vital elements, systems, and job functions.
Automation provides benefits to virtually all of industry. Here are some examples:
§ Manufacturing, including food and pharmaceutical, chemical and petroleum, pulp and paper
§ Transportation, including automotive, aerospace, and rail
§ Utilities, including water and wastewater, oil and gas, electric power, and telecommunications
§ Défense
§ Facility operations, including security, environmental control, energy management, safety, and other building automation
§ And many others
Automation crosses all functions within industry from installation, integration, and maintenance to design, procurement, and management. Automation even reaches into the marketing and sales functions of these industries.
Automation involves a very broad range of technologies including robotics and expert systems, telemetry and communications, electro-optics, Cybersecurity, process measurement and control, sensors, wireless applications, systems integration, test measurement, and many, many more.
Automation as a field involves creating and applying technologies that control or monitor production and delivery. There are automation opportunities in both product- and service-oriented industries. Two professional associations, the International Society of Automation and the Automation Federation, are involved in promoting and supporting the field of automation.
The duties of an automation engineer include designing, programming, simulating, and testing automated machinery or processes that are intended to complete precise tasks — for example, robots used in packaging, food processing, or vehicle manufacturing. Automation engineers work with automated machinery from concept to prototype, and are responsible for providing detailed documentation including design specifications that enable the production or application of their products.
In the United States, there are not many degree programs specifically offered for automation engineering. Most automation engineers start out with a bachelor’s degree in either electrical or mechanical engineering, which may include courses in relevant subjects such as robotics, fluid dynamics, statistics, and databases. Some automation engineers continue to earn master’s degrees before entering the job market. The bulk of relevant automation engineering training is then gained through hands-on career experience.
As with most IT fields, licensing or certification can enhance your prospects for landing a career in automation engineering. One of the most popular certifications in this category is the control system engineer license, which demonstrates an understanding of instrumentation and automated controls.
Obtaining status as a certified control systems technician can also qualify you for a wider range of career opportunities, as more than 40 organizations that use automated systems recognize this title. The top-level certification for automation engineers is certified automation professional — a title held by only around 400 professionals in the world.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the following qualities are required for automation engineers:
· A firm understanding of software development and computer programming
· Equipment troubleshooting skills
· The ability to perform complex system tests
· Creative thinking and detail oriented
· Excellent manual dexterity
· Strong communication skills to support interactions with other members of the development team
Why is the automation professional so important?
Think about the cell phone and computer you use every day to do your job. Think about the car you drive to take to work. Think about the food you eat; water you drink; clothes you wear; and appliances you use to store, prepare, and clean them. Think about the television you watch, video games you play, or music system you listen to. Think about the buildings you visit. Think about any modern convenience or necessity. Just about anything you can think of is the result of complex processes. Without talented individuals to design, build, improve, and maintain these processes, these technological advances would never have occurred, and future innovations would be impossible. Without automation professionals, our world and our future would be very different.
Automation professionals are responsible for solving complex problems in many vital aspects of industry and its processes. The work of automation professionals is critically important to the preservation of the health, safety, and welfare of the public and to the sustainability and enhancement of our quality of life.
The U.S. government, among many others, recognizes the unsung value of automation professionals. Support for the importance of automation to industry comes from the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations. On 30 June 2009, the committee submitted report language (including the excerpt shown below) to accompany the bill: H. R. 2847 (Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010) emphasizing the importance of automation to industry:
“Supporting the Nation's manufacturers, especially small businesses, is critical to keeping America innovative in a global marketplace…MEP, NIST, and its partners are directed to consider the importance automation plays in accelerating and integrating manufacturing processes. The topic of automation cuts across all levels of industry, rather than serving as a stand-alone technology, and particularly affects the fields of control systems cyber security, industrial wireless sensors, systems interoperability, and other basic automation technologies necessary for the success of industrial enterprises. NIST is encouraged to consult and collaborate with independent experts in the field of automation to support the agency's efforts in working with industry to increase innovation, trade, security, and jobs."
Automation professionals do and will continue to play a crucial role in protecting us from cyber-attack; enhancing our quality of life; and ensuring the reliability, efficiency, safety, constant improvement, and competitiveness of our electric power systems, transportation systems, manufacturing operations, and industry as a whole. Without these individuals, we cannot advance into the future.
What is control and automation engineering?
General Description
In the most general sense, control and automation engineering endeavours the problem which compels a system to the desired situation via appropriate software and hardware. Several problems that occurs as a result of rapid increase in production with the rapidly developing technology after the industrial revolution impel people to seek new ways from which more rendement can be obtained. The utilization of the information resulting from the research in industry and other production systems has led to emerge a new branch of engineering, “Control and Automation Engineering”. Control and Automation engineering is a branch of engineering which develops and implements information and technology providing electrical, electronic, mechanical and computer-based all industrial systems to work intended and planned manner. Control Engineering Program provides training and conducts research in the subjects "automatic control theory and its applications, industrial automation, measurement and instrumentation, robotics, design and implementation of computer-based industrial information systems".
Research Areas
Today, expectations from industry are more economic, quality and flawless products. Since supplying this requirement cannot be accomplished via conventional production methods based on human, automation cannot be considered separately from industrial applications at the present time. The control and automation engineers who are experienced and knowledgeable in the fields of control system design, process control and problem solving are frequently needed. In addition, intelligent buildings have become a significant part of our lives thanks to the developing construction sector and technology. Building automation is a common work area of control and automation engineers. The design of automatic pilot to provide the unmanned ground and air vehicles to follow the desired trajectory is an example of a control and automation engineering applications. It has been beginning to be sent satellites into orbit depending on progress in aviation and aerospace industry. Thus, autonomy has stood out. These developments in the aviation and aerospace sectors as well as in other areas of control has started to take its place. For instance, position, velocity and acceleration control of avionic systems in 3D; utilization of measurements such as the cabin pressure, distance to destination and motor velocity to design autopilot system are various application areas of control engineering. Today’s medical and technological advances have begun to meet in a common framework and create new working sites. Bionic arms and surgical robots are prime examples of these developments. The feedback mechanism in human body and mechanical systems subrogating in place of human organ are very similar in that both are feedback control systems.
Basic Education and Research Areas of Control Engineering
· Control and System Theory
· Modelling, Simulation and System Identification
· Industrial Automation and Robotic
· Process Control, Measurement and Instrumentation
· Motion Control Systems (Servo Systems, Electrical Transportation Systems etc.)
· Driver Systems (Electrical, Electronics, Pneumatic and Hydraulic)
· Intelligent systems (Fuzzy Control, Artificial Neural Networks and Genetic Algorithms etc.)
· Industrial Data Communications Systems
· Computer-based real time control systems (PC, DSP, PLC, mC etc.)