Automation

Automation (ancient Greek: = self dictated) or industrial automation is the use of computers to control industrial machinery and processes, replacing human operators. It is a step beyond mechanization, where human operators are provided with machinery to help them with manual work. The most visible part of automation can be said to be industrial robotics. Some advantages are repeatability, tighter quality control, waste reduction, integration with business systems, increased productivity and reduction of labour. Some disadvantages are high initial costs and increased dependence on maintenance.

Useful journals and books on automation

• International Journal of Automation and Control
• Automation Network Selection
• The Consumer Guide to Fieldbus Network Equipment for Process Control
• Wireless Networks for Industrial Automation 2nd Edition
• Jeremy Rifkin: The End of Work: The Decline of the Global Labor Force and the Dawn of the Post-Market Era