Automation engineering is the provision of
automated
Automation describes a wide range of technologies that reduce human intervention in processes, mainly by predetermining decision criteria, subprocess relationships, and related actions, as well as embodying those predeterminations in machine ...
solutions to physical activities and industries.
Automation engineer
Automation engineers are experts who have the knowledge and ability to design, create, develop and manage machines and systems, for example,
factory automation,
process automation and
warehouse automation.
Automation technicians are also involved.
Scope
Automation engineering is the integration of standard engineering fields. Automatic control of various
control systems
A control system manages, commands, directs, or regulates the behavior of other devices or systems using control loops. It can range from a single home heating controller using a thermostat controlling a domestic boiler to large industrial co ...
for operating various systems or machines to reduce human efforts & time to increase accuracy. Automation engineers design and service electromechanical devices and systems for high-speed robotics and
programmable logic controllers
A programmable logic controller (PLC) or programmable controller is an industrial computer that has been ruggedized and adapted for the control of manufacturing processes, such as assembly lines, machines, robotic devices, or any activity that ...
(PLCs).
Work and career after graduation
Graduates can work for both government and
private sector
The private sector is the part of the economy which is owned by private groups, usually as a means of establishment for profit or non profit, rather than being owned by the government.
Employment
The private sector employs most of the workfo ...
entities such as
industrial production
Industrial production is a measure of output of the industrial sector of the economy. The industrial sector includes manufacturing, mining, and utilities. Although these sectors contribute only a small portion of gross domestic product (GDP), they ...
,
and companies that create and use automation systems, for example, the paper industry,
automotive industry
The automotive industry comprises a wide range of company, companies and organizations involved in the design, Business development, development, manufacturing, marketing, selling, Maintenance, repairing, and Custom car, modification of motor ve ...
, metallurgical industry, food and agricultural industry, water treatment, and oil & gas sectors such as refineries, rolling mills, and power plants.
Job description
Automation engineers can design, program, simulate and test automated machinery and processes, and are usually employed in industries such as the energy sector in plants, car manufacturing facilities, food processing plants, and robots. Automation engineers are responsible for creating detailed design specifications and other documents, developing automation based on specific requirements for the process involved, and conforming to international standards like IEC-61508, local standards, and other process-specific guidelines and specifications, simulating, testing, and commissioning electronic equipment for automation.
[O'Dell, Thomas H. ''Circuits for Electronic Instrumentation''. Cambridge University Press 1 Edition, 2005.]
See also
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Automation
Automation describes a wide range of technologies that reduce human intervention in processes, mainly by predetermining decision criteria, subprocess relationships, and related actions, as well as embodying those predeterminations in machine ...
*
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computer, computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of re ...
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Control engineering
Control engineering, also known as control systems engineering and, in some European countries, automation engineering, is an engineering discipline that deals with control systems, applying control theory to design equipment and systems with d ...
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Mechatronics engineering
References
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Engineering disciplines
Knowledge economy
Automation software