Book Image

Industrial Automation from Scratch

By : Olushola Akande
Book Image

Industrial Automation from Scratch

By: Olushola Akande

Overview of this book

Industrial automation has become a popular solution for various industries looking to reduce manual labor inputs and costs by automating processes. This book helps you discover the abilities necessary for excelling in this field. The book starts with the basics of industrial automation before progressing to the application of switches, sensors, actuators, and motors, and a direct on-line (DOL) starter and its components, such as circuit breakers, contactors, and overload relay. Next, you'll explore VFDs, their parameter settings, and how they can be wired and programmed for induction motor control. As you advance, you'll learn the wiring and programming of major industrial automation tools – PLCs, HMIs, and SCADA. You’ll also get to grips with process control and measurements (temperature, pressure, level, and flow), along with analog signal processing with hands-on experience in connecting a 4–20 mA transmitter to a PLC. The concluding chapters will help you grasp various industrial network protocols such as FOUNDATION Fieldbus, Modbus, PROFIBUS, PROFINET, and HART, as well as emerging trends in manufacturing (Industry 4.0) and its empowering technologies (such as IoT, AI, and robotics). By the end of this book, you’ll have gained a practical understanding of industrial automation concepts for machine automation and control.
Table of Contents (21 chapters)
1
Part 1: Learning the Concepts and Skills Required to Get Started
8
Part 2: Understanding PLC, HMI, and SCADA
14
Part 3: Process Control, Industrial Network, and Smart Factory

Basic steps for building a smart factory

The following points will help in developing a smart factory:

  • Know your needs and define your goals: Just like any other investment, you must first identify the reasons why you want to build a smart factory, define the goals, and prioritize them. A smart factory is usually created in phases. Understanding your needs and goals and prioritizing them will help you invest in the right equipment or tools at the right time in each phase.
  • Start with the areas that will be most beneficial: You don’t have to start with all areas of your facility at once. You can make your smart factory implementation a gradual process.
  • Train your personnel on the new technology: A smart factory involves new technologies that your existing staff might not be conversant with. It is important to get your staff equipped with the required skills to work with the new equipment and devices required in a smart factory.
  • Hire a skilled workforce: Besides...