Automation (industrial series)

Automation at a car factory on an assembly line

Automation is the use of Control systems to control/operate machinery, processes, boilers, networks, aircraft, and other applications operated mainly without the help of humans. Automation is used when accuracy and quality is crucial because human labor is not as precise and error-free as robots and computers. However, the main reason why automation is used is because it lowers the cost of labor significantly and increases the efficiency of production, making the cost of the product lower and the CEO's getting more money. For example, in 1905, the first commercial automated bottle blowing machine made 720 bottles per hour compared to a crew of 12 which made 120 bottles per hour. Ultimately, this lowered the cost  from 1.80 to 10-12 cents per gross (144 bottles). This can negatively impact the economy because unemployment can increase. Nevertheless automation is used to great degrees in many factories and industries and the term lights out manufacturing refers to when 100% of labor is automated.

Pro's: Increased quality, higher output of products, less expenses, increase in speed of production, dangerous tasks for humans can be replaced (Nuclear power stations, fire, underwater), tasks beyond human ability can be addressed can be accomplished.

Con's: Initial high cost (tons of money in purchasing machinery), environmental issues in production (pollution from steel factories, uses resources). Automation can be  dangerous (the use of machines can jeopardize a workers life if they get hit by a robotic arm).  

These robotic arms are enclosed  in "CAGES" to prevent "accidents".