THE AUTOMATION SYSTEM

The earliest automated system consisted of an operator turning a switch on which would supply power to output,typically an electric motor.  At some point the operator will turn the switch off, reversing the effect and removing power these were the light switch days of automation . Maintenance soon advanced to relay panels which featured a series of switches that could be activated to bring power to some number of outputs,Relay panels functioned like switches but allow for more complex and precise control of operation with multiple outputs.However bank of relay panels generated significant amount of heat which were difficult to wired and upgrade and also were prone to failure and occupied a lots of space. These deficiencies led to invention of programmable controls. - an electronic device that essentially replaced banks of relay which are used in several forms in millions of today automated operations.In parallel, single  loop and analog controller were replaced by distributed controller system ( DCS) used in majority of contemporary process control applications.These new solid state devices offered greater reliability,required less maintenance and had a longer life than their mechanical counterparts . The programmable language that control the behavior of the programmable controls and distributed control system could be modified without the need to disconnect or reroute single wire.The new automation technology resulted inconsiderable cost saving due to reduced commissioning time and wiring expense, as well as greater flexibility in installation  and trouble shooting . At dawn of programmable controller and digital control systems (DCSs), plant floor operation was isolated from the rest of the enterprise- operating autonomously and out of sight from the company. Those days are almost over as company realized that to excel that they may tap into and analyze and exploit information located on the plant floor. whether the challenge is faster time to market,improve process yield, non stop operation, or a tighter supply chain, getting the right data at the right time is essential.to achieve these , many enterprises turned to contemporary automation controls and networking architecture, computer based control for maintenance,machinery , material handling, systems and related equipment costs can effectively generate wealth of information about productivity, product design, quality and delivery,
Presently automation is more important than ever as company retrieved to fine turn the processes and capture revenue and loyalty from consumers.The thesis will breakdown the major categories of hardware and software that drive industrial automation, define the various layer of automation, detail how to plan, implement, integrate, and maintain a system, to look at what technologies and practice impact maintenance (Andreas,2004)