Automation, system of manufacture designed to extend the capacity of machines

to perform certain tasks formerly done by humans, and to control sequences of

operations without human intervention. The term automation has also been used
to describe nonmanufacturing systems in which programmed or automatic
devices can operate independently or nearly independently of human control. In
the fields of communications, aviation, and astronautics, for example, such
devices as automatic telephone switching equipment, automatic pilots, and
automated guidance and control systems are used to perform various operations
much faster or better than could be accomplished by humans. (Microsoft
Encarta 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.)
Many industries are highly automated or use automation technology in some
part of their operation. In communications and especially in the telephone
industry, dialing, transmission, and billing are all done automatically. Railroads
too are controlled by automatic signaling devices, which have sensors that
detect cars passing a particular point. In this way the movement and location of
trains can be monitored. (Microsoft Encarta 1993-2008 Microsoft
Corporation. All rights reserved.)
Not all industries require the same degree of automation. Agriculture, sales, and
some service industries are difficult to automate. The agriculture industry may
become more mechanized, especially in the processing and packaging of foods;
however, in many service industries such as supermarkets, for example, a
checkout counter may be automated and the shelves or supply bins must still be
stocked by hand. Similarly, doctors may consult a computer to assist in
diagnosis, but they must make the final decision and prescribe therapy.
(Microsoft Encarta 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.)
The concept of automation is evolving rapidly, partly because the applications of
automation techniques vary both within a plant or industry and also between
industries. The oil and chemical industries, for example, have developed the
continuous-flow method of production, owing to the nature of the raw materials
used. In a refinery, crude oil enters at one point and flows continuously through
pipes in cracking, distillation, and reaction devices as it is being processed into
such products as gasoline and fuel oil. An array of automatic-control devices
governed by microprocessors and coordinated by a central computer is used to
control valves, heaters, and other equipment, thereby regulating both the flow
and reaction rates. (Microsoft Encarta 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation.
All rights reserved.)
Each of these industries uses automated machines in all or part of its
manufacturing processes. As a result, each industry has a concept of automation
that fits its particular production needs. More examples can be found in almost
every phase of commerce. The widespread use of automation and its influence
on daily life provides the basis for the concern expressed by many about the
influence of automation on society and the individual. (Microsoft Encarta

2009. 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.)

Advantages and disadvantages of automation

Advantages commonly attributed to automation include higher production rates
and increased productivity, more efficient use of materials, better product
quality, improved safety, shorter workweeks for labour, and reduced factory lead
times. Higher output and increased productivity have been two of the biggest
reasons in justifying the use of automation. Despite the claims of high quality
from good workmanship by humans, automated systems typically perform the
manufacturing process with less variability than human workers, resulting in
greater control and consistency of product quality. Also, increased process
control makes more efficient use of materials, resulting in less scrap. 2012
Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.
Worker safety is an important reason for automating an industrial operation.
Automated systems often remove workers from the workplace, thus safeguarding
them against the hazards of the factory environment. In the United States the
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA) was enacted with the
national objective of making work safer and protecting the physical well-being of
the worker. OSHA has had the effect of promoting the use of automation and
robotics in the factory. 2012 Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.
Another benefit of automation is the reduction in the number of hours worked on
average per week by factory workers. About 1900 the average workweek was
approximately 70 hours. This has gradually been reduced to a standard
workweek in the United States of about 40 hours. Mechanization and automation
have played a significant role in this reduction. Finally, the time required to
process a typical production order through the factory is generally reduced with
automation. 2012 Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.
A main disadvantage often associated with automation, worker displacement,
has been discussed above. Despite the social benefits that might result from
retraining displaced workers for other jobs, in almost all cases the worker whose
job has been taken over by a machine undergoes a period of emotional stress. In
addition to displacement from work, the worker may be displaced geographically.
In order to find other work, an individual may have to relocate, which is another
source of stress. 2012 Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.

Other disadvantages of automated equipment include the high capital

expenditure required to invest in automation (an automated system can cost
millions of dollars to design, fabricate, and install), a higher level of maintenance
needed than with a manually operated machine, and a generally lower degree of
flexibility in terms of the possible products as compared with a manual system
(even flexible automation is less flexible than humans, the most versatile
machines of all). 2012 Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.
Also there are potential risks that automation technology will ultimately
subjugate rather than serve humankind. The risks include the possibility that
workers will become slaves to automated machines, that the privacy of humans
will be invaded by vast computer data networks, that human error in the
management of technology will somehow endanger civilization, and that society
will become dependent on automation for its economic well-being. 2012
Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.
These dangers aside, automation technology, if used wisely and effectively, can
yield substantial opportunities for the future. There is an opportunity to relieve
humans from repetitive, hazardous, and unpleasant labour in all forms. And there
is an opportunity for future automation technologies to provide a growing social
and economic environment in which humans can enjoy a higher standard of
living and a better way of life. 2012 Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.