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

Describing mechanically operated switches

A mechanically operated switch is controlled automatically by factors such as pressure, position, or temperature. This differs from a manually operated switch, which is operated by hand or by a human operator. They are used in situations where automatic control is required. The switch operates automatically by pressure, temperature, or position via a mechanism in the switch. They can also be referred to as sensors.

A mechanically operated switch takes the place of a human operator. Some examples of this type of switch are as follows:

  • Limit switch
  • Level switch
  • Pressure switch
  • Temperature switch

Let’s have a look at each.

Limit switches

This is a switch that is operated by the motion of a machine part. It operates when a predetermined limit is reached. The standard limit switch is a mechanical device that uses physical contact to detect the presence or absence of an object. It consists of a switch body, an actuator, and an operating head...