The roar of factories has never stopped, but the core force driving production has undergone a radical
transformation. From the bulky flywheel rotating in the steam, to the fiber optic cables silently transmitting
huge amounts of data in the clean room, the history of industrial automation is a magnificent epic of how
mankind has continuously injected wisdom into the steel shell, liberated hands, and reshaped the civilization
of manufacturing. This journey spanning hundreds of years has witnessed the leap in efficiency, the liberation
of productivity and the complete reconstruction of the manufacturing paradigm.
Germination and Foundation: The Awakening of Mechanical Power
(Late 18th Century - Early 20th Century)
The seeds of industrial automation are buried in the soil of the first industrial revolution:
The roar of the steam engine: Watt's improved steam engine was not only a source of power, but also an early
example of a centrifugal governor that automatically regulated the speed of rotation, sowing the first
seeds of “automation”.
Innovations in textile machinery: The perforated card control of the Jaccard loom, and the automatic stops and
bobbin-changing mechanisms that later appeared in all types of textile machinery, demonstrated the beginnings
of programmed control and simple feedback, and allowed machines to begin to have the ability to “judge”.
The first appearance of the assembly line: Although the large-scale application of the early 20th century, but the
complex production is broken down into simple processes of continuous operation of the concept for the
subsequent high degree of automation assembly line laid the foundation for the starting point of the efficiency
revolution. Automation in this period centered on the use of purely mechanical devices (cams, linkages, gears)
to achieve specific, repetitive sequences of movements.
Prelude to the Electrical Age: Relay Logic and Mass Production
(Early 1900s - 1950s)
The widespread use of electricity breathes a new soul into automation:
The Reign of the Relay: Hard-wired logic control systems based on electromagnetic relays become the norm.
Engineers realized sequential control, interlocking protection and other functions on production lines through
complex wiring. The automotive industry (especially the Ford production line) was the biggest beneficiary of this
technology, achieving standardized production on an unprecedented scale.
The rise of feedback control: the development of the theory of servo mechanism and the application of pneumatic,
hydraulic, electronic regulator, so that the speed, position, temperature, pressure and other process variables of
the closed-loop automatic control has become possible, and significantly improve the stability of the chemical
industry, refining and other process industries and product quality.
Limitations of single function: Relay systems are large, complex wiring, difficult to change, difficult to adapt to
the flexible and changing production needs, calling for smarter, more flexible solutions.
The electronic revolution: the rise of programmable controllers and
system integration (1950s - 1980s)
The leap in electronics, especially the birth of integrated circuits and microprocessors, triggered a revolution in automation:
The birth and popularization of PLCs: Programmable logic controllers were born to replace complex relay panels.
Its core strengths are: program changeable (no need to rewire), high reliability, anti-interference, PLC quickly became
the mainstay of automation in the discrete manufacturing industry (automotive, machinery).
DCS debut: in the process industry, the centralized control system came into being. It will control functions
decentralized to the field controller, and monitoring, operation, management functions centralized to the central
control room, to achieve the centralized management of complex processes and decentralized control, improve
safety and efficiency.
Extension of SCADA: For geographically dispersed systems (e.g., electric power, oil and gas pipelines), the data
acquisition and monitoring system realizes centralized monitoring and control of remote data, expanding the
boundaries of automation.
Germination and application of robotics: the first generation of industrial robots (mostly hydraulic drive, point control)
began in the dangerous, highly repetitive positions (such as welding, painting, handling) to replace manual labor,
opened the “machine for man” prelude. The keywords of this stage are digitalization, programmability, preliminary
system integration.
Information Wave: Computer Integration and Network Interconnection
(1980s - early 2010s)
The popularization of personal computers and the rise of network technology move automation systems from silos to interconnections:
PC Penetration: Personal computers enter the shop floor to run HMI, monitoring and data acquisition software, providing
more intuitive operation and richer data presentation.
Prosperity of Fieldbus: The emergence of fieldbus standards (e.g. Profibus, Modbus, CAN, etc.) has enabled high-speed digital
communication between sensors, actuators, controllers, and other field devices, replacing traditional point-to-point analog
signals, dramatically simplifying wiring, and improving data accuracy and transmission efficiency.
The bridge role of MES: the rise of manufacturing execution systems, filling the gap between the upper enterprise resource
planning system and the lower shop floor control system, to achieve the production instructions, tracking the implementation
process, resource scheduling and performance analysis, optimize production management.
The evolution and popularization of robots: industrial robot technology has developed rapidly: motor drive has become
the mainstream, accuracy and speed have been greatly improved, and the schematic programming has moved to
offline programming, greatly expanding the application areas. The introduction of technologies such as vision guidance
enhanced its adaptability. The core of this stage is information integration, network interconnection and management
optimization.
Intelligent Convergence: Internet of Everything and Artificial Intelligence Empowerment (Early 2010s - Present)
The explosion of technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, big data, and artificial
intelligence has propelled industrial automation into a new era of intelligence:
Cornerstone of IoT: Ubiquitous smart sensors, embedded systems, high-speed networks (5G, TSN) connect physical
devices in depth, and massive real-time data can be collected and transmitted, providing the “blood” for intelligence.
Collaboration between edge computing and cloud platform: Edge computing handles tasks with high real-time
requirements (such as equipment control and real-time analysis) on the device side, while the industrial cloud platform
is responsible for massive data storage, in-depth analysis, model training, and global optimization, forming an
intelligent architecture of “edge + cloud”.
Deep penetration of AI: Artificial intelligence, especially machine learning and deep learning technology, is widely
used in all aspects of automation systems:
Predictive maintenance: analyze equipment operation data, predict failures, and avoid unplanned downtime.
Machine vision quality inspection: Realize complex, high-speed, high-precision automatic detection of product
defects, far beyond the ability of manual labor.
Process Parameter Optimization: Analyze historical data to dynamically adjust production parameters in real time to
improve yield and efficiency.
Intelligent scheduling and production scheduling: Considering complex constraints, realize better production resource allocation.
Rise of collaborative robots: Safe, easy-to-use, and flexible collaborative robots can share workspace with workers
without safety fences, playing a huge role in small and medium-lot, flexible production and expanding the
boundaries of automation applications.
The application of digital twins: build virtual mapping of physical entities to achieve design simulation, operation
monitoring, prediction and optimization, remote operation and maintenance, and other full life cycle management.
The current stage is marked by data-driven, intelligent decision-making, flexible adaptation, and virtual integration.
Conclusion: The Never-ending Road of Evolution
From steam-driven gear bite to data-driven intelligent decision-making, the history of industrial automation is a
history of struggle in the continuous pursuit of higher efficiency, higher quality, greater flexibility and lower cost. The
impact of each technological wave has profoundly reshaped the face of manufacturing and unleashed tremendous
productivity.
Looking back at history, we see that human wisdom continues to push the connotation of “automation” to a deeper
and broader dimension. From replacing manual labor, to assist and even partially replace mental decision-making;
from single-machine automation, to the whole line, the whole plant and even the global supply chain of collaborative
optimization; from rigid production, to meet the personalized needs of flexible manufacturing. Automation technology
has become the indispensable “nervous system” and “intelligent engine” of modern industry.
Looking ahead, with the continuous breakthroughs and deep integration of artificial intelligence, edge computing,
5G/6G, advanced robotics and other technologies, industrial automation will evolve in the direction of more autonomy,
self-adaptation and self-optimization. Understanding this dramatic history of development is not only a tribute to
the evolution of technology, but also to grasp the core driving force in the new wave of intelligent manufacturing, gain
insight into future trends, proactively embrace change, and forge new competitive advantages. The road to automation
is never-ending, and the story of human beings harnessing machines and building the future will continue
to be a fascinating one.