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Unit 1

Text Study: Automation.

Additional Text: At an Automatic Plant.

Grammar: noun

I. Pre-reading Exercises

1. Repeat the words in chorus:

Manufacturing, simplification, environment, dangerous, numerically, especially, signaling, agriculture, though, nevertheless, workpiece, feedback, computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacture.

2. While reading the text you will come across a number of international words. Try to guess what Ukrainian words they remind of you:

Machine, operation, control, system, automobile, product, pilot, telephone, mechanization, robot, to manipulate, function, method, principle, thermostat, magnetic, microprocessor, computer, centre.

3. Pay attention to some grammatical points:

1) The simplification of work made it possible to design and build machines that resembled the motions of the worker. 2) Industrial robots, originally designed only to perform simple tasks in environments dangerous to human workers, are now widely used to transfer, manipulate, and position both light and heavy workpieces performing all the functions of a transfer machine. 3) When using these systems a designer draws a part and indicates its dimensions with the help of a mouse, light pen, or other input device. 4) After the drawing has been completed the computer automatically gives the instructions that direct a machining centre to machine the part.

II. Reading

Read the text and be ready to find in the text the answers to the following questions:

  • What were industrial robots originally designed?
  • What principle is used in all automatic-control mechanisms?
  • What enabled the development of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacture technologies?

 

Automation

Automation is performing certain tasks, previously done by people, by machines only. The sequences of operations are controlled automatically. The most familiar example of a highly automated system is an assembly plant for automobiles or other complex products.

The term automation is also used to describe nonmanufacturing systems in which automatic devices can operate independently of human control. Such devices as automatic pilots, automatic telephone equipment and automated control systems are used to perform various operations much faster and better than could be done by people.

Automated manufacturing had several steps in its development. Mechanization was the first step necessary in the development of automation. The simplification of work made it possible to design and build machines that resembled the motions of the worker. These specialized machines were motorized and they had better production efficiency.

Industrial robots, originally designed only to perform simple tasks in environments dangerous to human workers, are now widely used to transfer, manipulate, and position both light and heavy workpieces performing all the functions of a transfer machine.

In the 1920s the automobile industry for the first time used an integrated system of production. This method of production was adopted by most car manufacturers and became known as Detroit automation.

The feedback principle is used in all automatic-control mechanisms when machines have ability to correct themselves. The feedback principle has been used for centuries. An outstanding early example is the flyball governor, invented in 1788 by James Watt to control the speed of the steam engine. The common household thermostat is another example of a feedback device.

Using feedback devices, machines can start, stop, speed up, slow down, count, inspect, test, compare, and measure. These operations are commonly applied to a wide variety of production operations.

Computers have greatly facilitated the use of feedback in manufacturing processes. Computers gave rise to the development of numerically controlled machines. The motions of these machines are controlled by punched paper or magnetic tapes. In numerically controlled machining centres machine tools can perform several different machining operations.

More recently, the introduction of microprocessors and computers has made possible the development of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacture (CAD and CAM) technologies. When using these systems a designer draws a part and indicates its dimensions with the help of a mouse, light pen, or other input device. After the drawing has been completed the computer automatically gives the instructions that direct a machining centre to machine the part.

Another development using automation are the flexible manufacturing systems (FMS). A computer in FMS can be used to monitor and control the operation of the whole factory.

Automation has also had an influence on the areas of the economy other than manufacturing.

Many industries are highly automated or use automation technology in some part of their operation. In communications and especially in the telephone industry dialing and transmission are all done automatically. Railways are also controlled by automatic signaling devices, which have sensors that detect carriages passing a particular point. In this way the movement and location of trains can be monitored.

Vocabulary Notes

automation ["Ltq'meISqn] автоматизація

previously ['prJvjqslI] раніше, попередньо

sequence ['sJkwqns] послідовність

aid [eId] допомога

handling ['hxndlIN] робота, обробка; переміщення, транспортування

to substitute ['sAbstItjHt] — замінювати

to resemble [rI'zembl] — бути схожим, нагадувати (когось/щось)

simplification ["sImplIfI'keISqn] — спрощення

to monitor ['mOnItq] — контролювати

sensor ['sensq] — датчик, сенсор

assembly [q'semblI] plant — складальний завод

nonmanufacturing ['nOn"mxnju'fxkCqrIN] — невиробничий

efficiency [I'fISqnsI] — ефективність

steam engine — парова машина, паровий двигун

household thermostat ['TWmqstxt] — побутовий термостат

facilitate [fq'sIlIteIt] — сприяти, полегшувати

punched [pAnCqd] — перфорований

feedback зворотний зв’язок, зворотне живлення

Comprehension

1. Tell what sentences are true and what are false.

1). An assembly plant for automobiles is a well-known example of a highly automated system. 2). The term automation denotes manufacturing systems where automatic devices are controlled by people. 3). Mechanization was followed by the development of automation. 4). At the beginning of the XX century the automobile industry used an integrated system of production which was known as Detroit automation. 5) Mechanization has greatly facilitated the use of feedback in manufacturing processes. 6). Lately the introduction of microprocessors and computers has made possible the development of CAD and CAM technologies. 7). A computer in FMS can be used to calculate data and perform the operation of the whole factory. 8). Many factories are highly automated or apply automation technology in all manufacturing processes.

2. Choose the right answer:

1).What is automation?

a) performing certain tasks by people only;

b) performing certain tasks by machines only;

c) performing certain tasks by special mechanical devices.

2). What are automatic devices used for?

a) to perform various operations instead of people;

b) to control human work;

c) to compete with people.

3). What were industrial robots originally designed for?

a) to teach people;

b) to perform the most complicated operations in industry;

c) to perform simple tasks in environments dangerous to human workers.

4) What principle is used in all automatic-control mechanisms?

a) the flyball principle;

b) Detroit automation;

c) the feedback principle.

5). What has made possible the development of CAD and CAM technologies?

a) the introduction of automated systems;

b) the introduction of microprocessors;

c) the introduction of computers.

6). What is a computer in FMS used for?

a) to monitor and control the operation of the whole factory.

b) to operate in dangerous environments;

c) to give the instructions for people.

3. Complete the sentences:

1) Automated manufacturing had several …. . 2). The simplification of work made it possible to … . 3). Industrial robots are now widely used to … . 4). The feedback principle is used in … . 5). Using feedback devices, machines can … . 6). Computers gave rise to the development of … . 7). Automation has also had an influence on the areas of … .

4. Answer the questions:

1) How is the term automation defined in the text? 2) What is the most familiar example» of automation given in the text? 3) What was the first step in the development of automaton? 4) What were the first robots originally designed for? 5) What was the first industry to adopt the new integrated system of production? 6) What is feedback principle? 7) What do the abbreviations CAM and CAD stand for? 8) What is FMS? 9) What industries use automation technologies?

5. Find as quickly as possible and read out the sentences containing the following important information:

  • steps of the development of automated manufacturing;
  • the feedback principle;
  • computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacture technologies.

*6. Try to tell the gist of the text.

 

Word Study

1. Give Ukrainian equivalents of the following.

An assembly plant, independently of human control, telephone equipment, much faster and better, simplification of work, the motions of the worker, both light and heavy workpieces, household thermostat, to indicate the dimensions, input device, to have an influence.

2. Give English equivalents of the following.

Автоматичні пристрої, автоматизоване виробництво, виконувати прості задачі, інтегрована система виробництва, принцип зворотного зв’язку, пристрій може розганятися і гальмувати, комп’ютер автоматично посилає команди, високоавтоматизована система, невиробнича система.

3. Match the words in A with their synonyms in B:

A                                                        B

To perform                                         to begin

Manufacturing                                    way

Work                                                  to do

To design                                            to calculate

Method                                                           production

To use                                                to construct

To start                                                           job

To count                                             to apply

4. Make up sentences from the following words and word-groups:

Model: steps, manufacturing, development, several, had, in, automated, its. - Automated manufacturing had several steps in its development.

1). in, step, mechanization, necessary, the, was, automation, of, first, the, development. 2). have, the, manufacturing, of, facilitated, computers, in, feedback, greatly, processes, use. 3). the, gives, direct, computer, to, instructions, automatically, the, that, machine, a, machining, part, centre, the. 4). automation, many, of, industries, their, use, some, technology, part, in, operation. 5). are, some, to, service, automate, difficult, industries. 6). own, concept, each, has, of, its, automation, industry. 7). application, manufacturing, most, for, area, is, automation, of, the, important, one, technology.

5. Translate sentences into English using words and word combinations from the Vocabulary Notes.

1). Автоматизація широко використовується на заводах по складанню кузовів автомобілів. 2). Обробка важких деталей може виконуватись роботами. 3). Спрощення конструкції призвело до зниження вартості продукції. 4). Комп’ютери можна використовувати щоб контролювати роботу станків. 5). Гнучка автоматизація дозволяє перепрограмовувати обладнання. 6). Прилади із зворотнім живленням використовуються у багатьох видах виробничих процесів.

Grammar in Use

1. Make the following nouns plural

A person, a machine, an operation, an example, the plant, the product, a system, the equipment, the work, a robot, a workpiece, the industry, a method, the manufacture, a century, an engine, a thermostat, a tool, a microprocessor, the technology, a mouse, a device.

2. Transform the following sentences into plural

1) This operation is controlled automatically. 2) The most familiar example of a highly automated system is an assembly plant. 3) An automated control system is used to perform this operation much faster and better than could be done by a man. 4) This specialized machine was motorized and it had better production efficiency. 5) The automobile industry for the first time used an integrated system of production. 6) The feedback principle is used in the automatic-control mechanism when a machine has ability to correct itself. 7) A computer in a flexible manufacturing system can be used to monitor and control the operation of the whole factory.

Additional Text

(for individual work)

Read and translate the text.

At an Automatic Plant

The future plant may well be situated tight in the centre of the residential district. The walls will be of metal and glass; there will be no smoke, soot or dust.

In a huge, light and busy plant machines produce a slight humming. No workers moving about among machines, only in a small control room two men are on duty. But in the main the factory runs itself.

The factory is fashioning machine tools from raw steel ingots. Huge rollers set to exact thickness flatten the ingots into sheets. Three-dimensional sensing devices "read" patterns for parts, then transducers convert this information into electrical energy. Amplifiers build up that energy so that it can ran machines to shape, drill, and fasten together the parts.

Thousands of different individual machining operations are all done mechanically, and supervised by machines. While amplifiers can sense and correct tiny changes in speed or voltage which could cause errors, photo tubes can convert light into signals which count, sort, check, detect and judge quality. All operations man did in the past machines do now automatically.

You may say, this has been done for a long time on assembly lines in many factories and most of the individual steps are familiar. That is true, but the new thing is the size and completeness of the system. Not a single stage or a sequence of operations, but a whole plant is completely automated. These systems are described by the term "a closed loop", where a completely automatic, controlling device replaces the operator, and the whole process із carried out without human intervention. The computers keep track of supplies on hand, use of parts, tell how much to produce and check the output. The final information closes the loop of automation, and the kind of control is called feed-back.

But still much research work is to be done to perfect the system. It is essential to improve the quality of automation equipment as well as the programmes of the computers. A major problem is to better automate inspection, quality control, information system. For solid parts and automatic three-dimensional recognition system (size, shape and colour) tie problem still remains of greatest concern. With the increase of automation the scientist must solve the problem of complex interaction groups of sensors tied together by a single system of computer network. The development of new flexible technologies and sociological problems involved need, of course, a new approach too.

So in the ultimate automated factory there will be few, if any, operators or quality control inspectors. Instead, sensors attached to the machines, materials handling systems and package equipment will consider the conditions within their range and send data to programmable controllers, computers or self-contained microprocessors. These units will process the data and send commands back through the system — all without human intervention.

1. Divide the text into the logical parts and give a title to each one.

2. Put questions to the text.

3. Discuss it with your groupmates