Here is everything you need to know about Automation Vs Robotics
Is there a difference between robotics and automation? Many people are unsure whether automation is suitable for them. Should you invest in robotics or should you invest in automation are two questions that company owners commonly ask. But what is the difference between them? Are robotics and automation the same?
Automation is currently a popular issue in many sectors. It can refer to a variety of things outside of robotics. In this article, let’s discuss the differences between automation and robotics.
Which is Good for Your Company: Automation or Robotics?
First and foremost, if you work in a fast-growing firm, you’re undoubtedly thinking if automation or robotics is suitable for you and, if so, how you might use it. The short answer is that it relies entirely on your present business structure and requirements.
Take this into consideration to see if it’s the correct move for you:
• Are there any jobs in your firm that are now performed by humans and are monotonous, repetitive, and reflect the same process logic?
• Are these tasks physical or virtual?
• Are there any duties in your company that stifle productivity?
What are Automation and Robotics?
The following definitions show the fundamental distinction between automation and robotics:
• Automation: Automation refers to the use of computer software, machinery, or other technology to do tasks that would ordinarily be performed by a human. There are various types of automation, varying from totally mechanical to wholly virtual, and from simple to complex.
• Robotics: Mechanical engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, and other engineering and science disciplines are all part of robotics. Robotics is the study of the design, building, operation, and use of bots, and also the computer systems that control them, provide sensory input, and analyze data. You program them to execute physical activities (such as lifting, machine maintenance, painting, and so on), and they complete them on their own.
What is Automation?
Many industries are debating whether or not to automate their various sections. In conferences and discussions, terms like Robotic Process Automation, Adaptive Automation, Business Process Automation, and Test Automation are all often used. Automation may be divided into two categories: Industrial Automation and Software Automation.
Software Automation
If you’ve read anything at all about automation on the internet, it’s almost certainly been about software automation. A computer program that is programmed to perform repetitive activities using the same reasoning that humans use when using computer applications.
GUI test automation, for example, is a method of testing computer applications. It entails capturing a person’s activities while engaging with a graphical user interface. These activities are then repeated to test the program independently after modifications to the core software have been implemented.
Among the other forms of software automation are:
• Business Process Automation (BPA): It is the digitization of business operations facilitated by technology. It is carried out in order to accomplish digital transformation, enhance service quality, improve service quality, or keep expenses in check. It entails integrating applications, reorganizing human resources, and deploying software across the organization.
• Robotic Process Automation (RPA): RPA has little to do with real robots, despite its name. It relates to “software robots” or “bots,” which are pre-programmed scripts that use computer programs, in the same manner, a person would. They may not always accomplish jobs in the most efficient manner, but they are far easier to incorporate into current business processes and may be deployed in phases, yielding immediate results.
• Intelligent Process Automation (IPA): This is a branch of RPA that employs artificial intelligence (AI) to understand how humans execute jobs while using a computer program and, like humans, make judgments based on logic, sentiment, or previous occurrences. As a result, the “software robots” can act more smartly than RPA’s fairly rigid regulations.
The distinction between BPA and RPA is subtle. BPA is like taking out your whole human-operated manufacturing process and replacing it with a totally automated one, using a robotic manufacturing comparison. RPA is similar to attaching a collaborative robot to one of the manufacturing line’s workstations. Boston Dynamics, one of the most well-known manufacturers of sophisticated industrial robots, is shown here demonstrating their SpotMini robot.
Industrial Automation
When people speak about “automation and robotics,” they’re typically talking about industrial automation. Managing and controlling physical processes is at the heart of industrial automation. It entails automating activities inside an industrial process utilizing physical equipment and control systems. Amazon’s completely automated manufacturing is an extreme example:
Robots in Amazon’s warehouse: That’s how FBA shipping times may be so quick!
In industrial automation, there are several different types of machines. CNC machines, for instance, are widely used in the industrial industry. Only one sort of machine is a robot.
What is Robotics?
Robots, as previously said, are programmed devices capable of performing a sequence of tasks independently or semi-autonomously. Sensors and actuators allow them to interact with the physical environment. They are far more versatile than single-function devices because they can be reprogrammed. As a result, everything involving physical robots is referred to as robotics.
Participatory robots are programmed to perform tasks in the same way that humans do. Even though robots are usually immobile, they are nevertheless at risk of colliding with objects or humans that walk into their workplaces. If a possible impediment is detected, robots can utilize machine vision or motion detectors to halt what they’re doing. That’s why there’s a growing need for true collaborative robots (cobots) that can collaborate effectively with humans. They may now take orders from people, including ones that the robot’s initial programming did not foresee. Robots and humans will require a common vocabulary for this, which may increasingly be simple speech.
Conclusion
To make things a bit more complicated, some robots are “autonomous,” which means they can function without direct human supervision in real-time, but they aren’t utilized in automation. A miniature line-following bot, for example, can trace a line drawn on the ground automatically. It isn’t automation, though, because it isn’t carrying out a specified duty. Instead of delivering drugs throughout a hospital, the line-following bot would be considered automation.
