Automation is a comprehensive science and technology that involves many disciplines and has wide applications. As a systems engineering field, it consists of five units: ① Program unit – determines what to do and how to do it. ② Action unit – applies energy and positioning. ③ Sensing unit – detects the performance and status of the process. ④ Decision-making unit – compares the information sent by the sensing unit, formulates and issues command signals. ⑤ Control unit – performs decision-making and regulates the action unit. The research content of automation mainly includes two aspects: automatic control and information processing, encompassing theories, methods, hardware, software, etc. From an application perspective, the research content includes process automation, manufacturing automation, and management automation.

Process Automation

This refers to the chemical processing automation of fluids or powders in industries such as petroleum refining and chemical engineering. Process control systems composed of measuring instruments, regulators, and computers are generally used to perform optimal control on equipment such as heating furnaces and distillation towers, or on entire factories. The main control methods employed include feedback control, feedforward control, and optimal control.

Mechanical Automation

This is the result of the combination of mechanization, electrification, and automatic control, and it deals with discrete workpieces. Early mechanical manufacturing automation involved single-machine automation using mechanical or electrical components, or simple automatic production lines. After the 1960s, with the application of electronic computers, CNC machine tools, machining centers, robots, computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), automated warehouses, etc., emerged. Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS) suitable for multi-variety, small-batch production were developed. Automated workshops based on FMS, combined with automated information management and production management, led to the emergence of factory automation using Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems (CIMS). Since the 21st century, especially in recent years, mechanical automation in inspection, sorting, production, packaging, and printing has been widely applied in factories. It has significantly improved industrial efficiency, reduced costs, and made great contributions to the development of modern industry in China.

Management Automation

This refers to the automation of business management involving personnel, finance, materials, production, office work, etc., in factories or institutions. It is a comprehensive technology centered on information processing, involving disciplines such as electronic computers, communication systems, and control. Local area networks composed of multiple high-speed, large-capacity information processing computers and various terminals are commonly used. Nowadays, Decision Support Systems (DSS) have been developed on the basis of management information systems to provide alternative solutions for senior managers' decision-making.

Impact on Society

Automation is an important aspect of the new technological revolution. The research, application, and promotion of automation technology will have profound impacts on human production, lifestyle, and other areas. Process automation and office automation can greatly improve social productivity and work efficiency, save energy and raw material consumption, ensure product quality, improve working conditions, enhance production processes and management systems, accelerate the transformation of social industrial structures, and advance the process of social informatization.