Industrial automation equipment refers to physical devices capable of automatically
executing specific tasks, responding to control commands, and sensing environmental
conditions within industrial processes such as manufacturing, process control, and material
handling. These devices form the hardware foundation for building automation systems,
designed to replace or assist manual operations while enhancing efficiency, precision, reliability, and safety.
Core Equipment Categories and Functions
Sensing and Detection Equipment:
Sensors: Proximity switches, photoelectric sensors, temperature sensors, pressure transmitters, flow
meters, encoders (measuring position/velocity), force sensors, vibration sensors.
Machine Vision Systems: Industrial cameras, lenses, lighting, and processing units (for positioning,
identification, measurement, defect detection).
Identification Equipment: RFID readers/writers, barcode/QR code scanners.
Function: Serves as the system's “senses,” converting physical quantities (position, distance, color,
temperature, pressure, flow, vibration, images, presence, etc.) into electrical signals recognizable by
the control system.
Typical Devices:
Control and Processing Devices:
Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs): Used for sequence, logic, and motion control in discrete manufacturing.
Distributed Control Systems/Process Control Systems: Used for continuous process monitoring and
regulation in process industries.
Motion Controllers: Specialized for high-precision control of motor motion (trajectory, speed, position).
Industrial Computers/Industrial Embedded Systems: Run more complex control programs, human-machine
interface software, or data acquisition software.
Programmable Automation Controllers: Hybrid controllers combining PLC and PC characteristics.
Edge Computing Devices: Perform real-time data processing and preliminary analysis near data sources
(Note: This concept refers to distributed computing nodes, not specifically to intelligence).
Function: Serves as the system's “brain” and “nerve center,” receiving sensor signals, executing predefined
logic or algorithms, performing computations and decision-making, issuing control commands to actuators,
and managing data communication.
Typical Equipment:
Actuators and Drives:
Industrial Robots:
Drive Systems:
Actuators:
Specialized Automated Workstations/Cells: Integrated equipment combinations for specific processes (e.g.,
automated screwdriving, automated dispensing, automated inspection stations).
Traditional Industrial Robots:
Multi-joint robots, SCARA robots, Cartesian robots used for welding, painting, material handling, assembly, palletizing, etc.
Collaborative Robots:
Designed with built-in force sensing and safety features to share workspaces with humans without physical barriers.
Motors:
Servo motors (high-precision positioning), stepper motors (open-loop control), variable-frequency motors
(speed regulation and energy efficiency).
Drivers: Servo drives, stepper drives, variable frequency drives (control motor operation).
Pneumatic components: Cylinders, pneumatic valves, pneumatic grippers.
Hydraulic components: Hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic valves, hydraulic power units.
Electric actuators: Electric linear actuators, electric valve actuators.
Relays, contactors (control high-current circuit switching).
Function: Serves as the system's “muscle” and “limbs,” receiving control commands to produce physical
actions or alter process states.
Typical Equipment:
Material Handling and Positioning Equipment:
Conveying Systems: Belt conveyors, roller conveyors, chain conveyors, overhead conveying systems.
Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs): Laser-guided, magnetic strip-guided, natural navigation-type
unmanned transport vehicles.
Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems: Multi-level warehouse systems comprising stacker cranes,
shuttles, and conveyor lines.
Automatic Sorting Systems: Cross-belt sorters, shuttle sorters, carousel sorters, etc.
Feeding and Loading Equipment: Vibratory feeders, hoppers, automatic feeders, robotic arm loading units.
Precision Positioning Equipment: Linear motor platforms, precision slides, rotary tables.
Function: Automatically performs material movement, storage, positioning, and feeding between workstations and processes.
Typical Equipment:
Connectivity and Communication Equipment:
Function: Ensures reliable, real-time data transmission between devices and between devices and control systems.
Typical Equipment: Industrial Ethernet switches, fieldbus couplers/modules, communication gateways,
industrial wireless access points/clients, fiber optic transceivers.
Human-Machine Interaction and Interface Equipment:
Function: Provide interfaces for operators to monitor system status, input commands, view data, and handle alarms.
Typical Equipment: Touchscreens, text displays, industrial tablets, operator panels, indicator lights, pushbutton switches.
Key Characteristics and Development Trends of Industrial Automation Equipment
High Reliability and Robustness: Capable of stable, long-term operation in harsh industrial environments
(high temperatures, dust, oil contamination, vibration, electromagnetic interference) with extended mean
time between failures.
High Precision and Repeatability: Actuators (e.g., robots, servo systems) achieve precise positioning or apply
accurate force/torque with high repeatability.
Modularity and Scalability: Equipment designs trend toward modularity, facilitating functional expansion, rapid
replacement, and maintenance.
Standardization and Openness: Supports mainstream industrial communication protocols and interface standards
(e.g., OPC UA, EtherCAT, PROFINET, Modbus), enabling seamless integration of devices from different manufacturers.
Usability and Maintainability:
More user-friendly configuration and programming tools.
Enhanced diagnostic capabilities for rapid fault localization.
Predictive maintenance support (trend analysis based on operational parameters to alert potential failures).
Enhanced Safety:
Integrated safety functions within the device (e.g., safe torque off, safe speed limit, safe stop).
Support for secure communication protocols.
Collaborative devices with built-in force sensing and collision detection.
Enhanced Data Capabilities:
Devices incorporate more sensors to provide richer operational status, process parameters, and diagnostic data.
Supports efficient data transmission via standard interfaces, laying the foundation for upper-level system
analysis and optimization (e.g., equipment efficiency analysis, process parameter optimization, energy management).
Flexible Design: Devices (especially robots and end effectors) feature more adaptable designs to meet rapid
changeover demands in small-batch, high-mix production.
In summary, industrial automation equipment forms the physical foundation of modern automated manufacturing
systems. Through precise sensing, efficient control, reliable execution, and seamless material flow, they collectively
enable automated production processes. Current equipment development emphasizes higher reliability, precision,
connectivity, data value extraction, and adaptability to flexible production demands, continuously advancing
industrial manufacturing capabilities.