FAQs About Industrial Automation Engineering Technology

If you are involved in the manufacturing business or are simply curious about the modern state of automation in industry, you may have questions about industrial automation engineering technology. Here are answers to three of the most frequently asked questions.

Q: Where is automation best used?

A: Automation is best used in processes that are repeatable and identical, such as on a factory assembly line. Purchasing a robot is a somewhat expensive proposition, but it functions as part of an economy of scale; one robot for a handful of products is not cost-effective, but for a factory that churns out many thousands of large items, choosing to automate is a wise investment. It is also an excellent idea for environments that are hazardous to humans, such as in toxic fumes or intense heat.

Q: Who uses automation?

A: Factories all over the world use automation, particularly in Japan, but the best example is the automotive industry. Because cars cost tens of thousands of dollars, and the automotive industry produces many hundreds of thousands of them every year, industrial robots that weld and build these vehicles are commonplace. The computers controlling these robots are also reprogrammable, meaning that next year's model of a vehicle is produced with a few adjustments to the blueprints used to create it.

Q: Should a particular business use automation?

A: If you are considering using automation in your business, consider the total cost of ownership of automation versus the labor you would otherwise require. Also, automation is not an all-or-nothing proposition; you may choose to use hand labor for parts that are not cost-effective for which to use machines, but use robots on other parts. Partially-automated factories are commonplace and often reflect good business sense.