Automation is the use of information technology and control systems (computers and set of devices) by replacing the human operator with these systems in order to control and regulate various industrial processes. In the current scenario, it is hard to imagine any industrial landscape without automated systems. The demand for automation is expected to continue to increase due to the increased requirement for better production control mechanism, performance, reduced downtime, and better safety systems. The growing demand for automated systems has increasingly shifted focus towards optimization in the areas of efficiency, low power consumption, and security features.
The automation market can be broadly segregated into process automation and factory automation. Various products, software, and services include supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), distributed control system (DCS), programmable logic controller (PLC), manufacturing execution system (MES), remote terminal unit (RTU), human machine interface (HMI), advanced process control (APC), simulation software, security software, plant and asset management software, and communication networks. Apart from these, the automation market also includes various types of instrumentation which would help automate the manufacturing process. Some of the major products with regard to process instrumentation include pressure, temperature, level & flow transmitters; liquid & gas analyzers; control valves; and flow computers. Big data and analytics, along with industrial internet of thing (IoT), are expected to revolutionize the way automation is carried out currently in the industries. Some of the major industries require automation include automotive, chemical, food & beverages, material handlings, oil & gas, packaging, pharmaceutical, power, and water & wastewater.
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