What is automation? Discover an in-depth analysis of this discipline, between electronics, industrial computing, and mechanics, to understand how it drives our daily lives and the modern industry.
Definition: Automation Beyond the Dictionary
At first glance, the term automation often evokes repetitive mechanical movements. However, scientifically, automation represents the set of techniques and tools that allow human action to be replaced by machine execution. It's not just about moving a robotic arm, but about designing a system capable of making logical decisions based on its environment. It's the art of creating autonomous systems, capable of reacting to external stimuli to maintain a process in a desired state.
In industrial language, we often talk about the science of looped systems. Unlike a simple switch (manual), automation integrates a feedback loop: it observes (senses), it reflects (processes), and it acts (executes). This cross-disciplinary field draws its roots from electronics, mechanics, and especially industrial computing, forming the foundation of what we call Industry 4.0 today. To deepen these technical concepts, you can consult references like Schneider Electric.
The Three Pillars of a Functional Chain
To understand what lies behind this term, we must break down an automated system into three distinct parts. The first is the control part, the true brain of the installation. This is where intelligence resides, often embodied by an Industrial Programmable Automation Controller (PAC). This robust box executes a logical program to process received information and send orders. Without this software logic, the machine would be an inert structure.
The second part is the operational part, which corresponds to the body of the machine. It groups actuators such as motors, cylinders, or valves that perform physical work. Finally, the link between the two is ensured by sensors (or end-of-travel, temperature, pressure sensors). These are the eyes and ears of the system, sending real-time information to the automation controller to adjust its behavior. This perfect synergy defines the very essence of modern automation.
Combinatorial Logic vs Sequential Logic
Behind the generic term lie two major families of technical reasoning. Combinatorial logic is the simplest form: the output state depends solely on the input state at a given time T. For example, an alarm will only sound if the door is open AND the system is activated. It's an architecture without memory, direct and immediate, found in critical security circuits.
In contrast, sequential logic introduces the notion of time and stages. Here, the output state depends not only on the current inputs but also on the order of past events. This is what we often model using the GRAFCET (Functional Graph of Command Step Transition). To learn more about modeling standards, the site of Siemens offers valuable resources on standardizing these programming languages.
Evolution: From Mechanical Cam to AI
Automation was not born with the computer. Initially, systems were purely mechanical, using cams and gears to synchronize movements. Then came the era of electromagnetic relaying, where entire cabinets full of cables served as 'logical' memory. This era, although reliable, lacked flexibility: to modify a production cycle, one had to physically rewire the installation.
Today, automation is experiencing a software revolution. With the advent of IoT (Internet of Things) and artificial intelligence, systems are becoming 'Smart'. They no longer just execute; they predict failures (predictive maintenance) and optimize their energy consumption. Modern automation has thus become a connected discipline, where the cloud and big data enable the remote control of entire factories with surgical precision.
Why is Automation Everywhere?
If we talk about it so much, it's because automation has left the factory walls to invade our daily lives under the name of home automation. The management of your living room lighting, the thermal regulation of your home, or even the ABS braking systems of your vehicle are, by definition, automations. They all aim for the same purpose: to increase safety, improve comfort, and reduce human error.
In conclusion, automation is the silent engine of our technological civilization. Whether it's to produce medicines without human contamination or to stabilize a satellite in orbit, this science of command and control is indispensable. For those who wish to explore the history and academic foundations of this science, the page Wikipedia on Automation constitutes an excellent entry point.