Unit 4

Text study: Automatic Control in Industry.

Additional Text: Types of Automation

Grammar: revision of grammar

I.  Pre-reading Exercises

1. Repeat the words in chorus:

muscle; roughly; drastic; pneumatic; alternative; deviation; technique; error; petroleum; overall; through; well-established; hydraulic; measurement.

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

instrument, automation, control, check, muscle, operation, to organize, to correct, combination, to mark, part, to integrate, to select, alternative, action, routine, to base, logic, technique, correction, to coordinate, active, cement, textile, total.

3. Pay attention to some grammatical points:

1). The development in automatic operation while extending their application, were not revolutionary but part of a well-established trend. 2). The electronic devices rapidly gained in importance and industrial enterprises widely used them to plan and control the operations of machines. 3). Rapid technological advance reduced the part played by human labour to skilled supervision and maintenance.

II. Reading

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

·         What was mechanization limited to in the nineteenth century?

·         What devices marked the new stage in the development of automatic control?

·         What is modern automation based on?

Automatic Control in Industry

Any technical development that enables a machine or instrument to dispense with labour is a step toward automation. Wherever two or more automatic machines are tied together with overriding automatic control to create a self-feeding, self-initiating and self-checking process, an automated system is created. The real distribution is between automation that displaces muscle and automation that displaces brain, and it is roughly the same distinction as that between automatic operation and automatic control. The industrial development of the nineteenth century was a change towards automatic operation. But mechanization was limited to individual processes, and only in a few trades it was possible to provide automatic links between processes and organized production as a continuous flow. In the twentieth century the idea was widely applied of producing goods in a continuous flow rather than in batches. The control was obtained by a human operator who noted faults and deviations and corrected them either directly or through instruments. Control may be simply mechanical, electrical, electronic or a combination.

The development in automatic operation while extending their application, were not revolutionary but part of a well-established trend. Those in automatic control have been considerably more drastic, and arose largely from the recent and sudden application of electronic methods of control. Electromechanical, pneumatic and hydraulic devices also contributed, but the introduction of electronic computers marked the new stage in the development of automatic control. The electronic devices rapidly gained in importance and industrial enterprises widely used them to plan and control the operations of machines. These devices can detect faults in a processed part, communicate the error to the machine and adjust its operation so as to correct the fault. They can integrate the work of industrial machines and the more complex devices can select alternative courses of action according to the instructions fed into them, considerably extending the possibilities of remote control. Now electronic devices greatly reduced the amount of routine brainwork performed at factories. Rapid technological advance reduced the part played by human labour to skilled supervision and maintenance. Electronic computers have shown that man can rely on them for the performance of operations based on formal logic.

Automatic systems take several forms and are based on several different techniques, but in each case the measurement and correction of errors are performed and coordinated by electronic devices and the human operator does not take an active part in it.

First of all automatic control was widely established in such industries as chemicals, petroleum, iron and steel, cement, paper, textile, printing, food and others. The overall trend now is toward a total automatic control in industry with the help of new generations of electronic devices with their rapidity, accurateness, reliability, flexibility, and compactness. The present day stage of automation is based on the revolution in computer technology, in computerization of the whole national economy.

Vocabulary Notes

to dispense with (labour) [dI'spens] — обходитися без (робітника);

overriding automatic control ["qVvq'raIdIN] — головне (загальне) автоматичне управління;

self-feeding — автоматична подача (завантаження);

self-checking — самоконтроль, автоматичний контроль;

distribution ["dIstrI'bjHS(q)n] — розподілення;

automatic links — автоматичні зв'язки;

continuous flow [qn'tInjVqs] — безперервний потік ;

in batches [bxC] — циклічний (періодичний);

fault — помилка;

through instruments — за допомогою приладів;

developments — події, розробки;

well-established trend — стала тенденція;

to arise (from) [q'raIz] — походити, випливати (з);

processed part — оброблювана (деталь);

to communicate an error to the machine — передавати машині помилку;

to adjust [q'dZAst] — регулювати, пристосовувати, налагоджувати;

alternative courses of action [Ll'tWnqtIv] — можлива послідовність дій;

to feed — постачати, живити;

remote control [I'mqVt] — дистанційне управління;

routine brainwork ["rH'tJn] — нудна розумова робота;

maintenance ['meInt(q)nqns] — догляд, ремонт, обслуговування, експлуатація;

skilled — кваліфікований;

to rely (on) — покладатися (на).

Comprehension

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

1). Mechanization was limited to individual processes, and  in a lot of trades it was possible to provide automatic links between manufacturing and organized production as a continuous flow. 2). The control was obtained by an automatic operator which noted faults and deviations and corrected them either directly or through instruments. 3). Electronic devices can detect faults in a processed part, communicate the error to the machine and adjust its operation so as to correct the fault. 4). Now electronic devices minimalized the amount of routine brainwork performed at factories. 5). First of all human control was widely established in industries and manufacturies. 6). The present day stage of automation is based on the revolution in computer technology, in computerization of the whole national economy.

2. Choose the right answer:

1) What was the industrial development of the nineteenth century?

a) a change towards human labour;

b) a change towards automatic operation;

c) a change towards computerized work.

2) How was the industrial control obtained in the twentieth century?

a) by a human operator;

b) by an electric device;

c) by FMS.

3) What kind of work did electronic devices reduce at factories?

a) mechanized work;

b) self-checking work;

c) routine brainwork.

4) How are the measurement and correction of errors performed and coordinated?

a) by electronic devices;

b) by skilled workers;

c) by technical know-how.

5) What is the present day stage of automation based on?

a) on the overriding automatic control;

b) on the revolution in computer technology;

c) on the self-feeding automated system.

3. Complete the sentences:

1). Wherever two or more … machines are tied together with … automatic control to create a self-feeding, self-initiating and self-checking …, an automated system is created. 2). But mechanization was limited to … processes, and only in a few trades it was … to provide automatic … between processes and … production as a continuous … . 3). Electromechanical, … and … devices also contributed, but the … of electronic computers marked the new stage in the … of automatic control. 4). Now electronic … greatly reduced the … of routine … performed at factories. 5). Electronic … have shown that man can … on them for the … of … based on formal … . 6). The present day … of … is based on the … in computer technology, in … of the whole … economy.

4. Answer the questions:

1) What do you call a step toward automation? 2) What was the industrial development of the nineteenth century? 3) What was the role of a human operator while obtaining the control? 4) What marked the new stage in the development of automatic control? 5) What devices can detect faults in a processed part, communicate the error to the machine and adjust its operation so as to correct the fault? 6) What can these devices do? 7) What is the role of electronic devices nowadays? 8) Where was automatic control widely established? 9) What is stage of automation  based on nowadays?

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

• Creation of the automated system;
• the development in automatic operation;
• introduction of electronic computers into industrial processes;
• the establishment of the automatic control at enterprises.

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

 

Word Study

1. Give Ukrainian equivalents of the following.

automatic control, suitable trade, continuous flow, human operator, electronic devices, processed part, alternative courses, routine brainwork. skilled supervision, different techniques, widely established, overall trend, computer technology.

2. Give English equivalents of the following.

Обходитися без робітника, забезпечувати автоматичні зв’язки, помічати помилки та відхилення, пневматичні та гідравлічні пристрої, промислове підприємство, регулювати роботу машини, швидкий технологічний прогрес, кваліфіковане обслуговування, покладатися на прилади, точність, комп’ютерні технології.

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

A                                 B

to control                    way

to create                      to tie

the same                      several

a few                           thought

to link                         to get

idea                             equal

to obtain                      to make

simply                         to check

method                                    easily

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

Model: take, forms, several, systems, automatic. - Automatic systems take several forms.

1). the nineteenth, industrial, operation, of, century, the, development, automatic, change, was, a, towards. 2). to dispense, with, labour, any, development, technical, that enables, instrument, a machine, or, is, automation, toward, a step. 3). part of, trend, their, application, the development, operation, but, well-established, a, automatic, while, in, extending, were not, revolutionary. 4). in batches, in the twentieth, rather than, idea, century, flow, the, continuous, in, of producing goods,  widely, a, applied, was. 5). maintenance, rapid, and, technological, supervision, advance, skilled, reduced, to, the part, human labour, played by.

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

1). Розвиток сучасного автоматизованого контролю дозволяє швидко виявляти та виправляти помилки на виробництві. 2). Контроль якості продукції здійснюється за допомогою спеціальних приладів. 3). Автоматичні системи контролю можуть базуватись на різних технологіях. 4). Сучасні тенденції розвитку підприємства спрямовані на абсолютний автоматичний контроль ліній виробництва. 5). Зараз автоматизація базується на новітніх комп’ютерних технологіях та повній комп’ютерізації національної економіки.

Grammar in Use

1. Write out from the text all the adjectives and adverbs in comparative and superlative degree.

2. Make up questions to which the underlined words are the answers:

1). The control has been obtained by a human operator. 2) The operator has noted faults and deviations and corrected them by means of special instruments. 3). The development in automatic operation has been a part of a well-established trend. 4). The changes in automatic control have been considerably more drastic. 5). The devices have detected faults in a processed part. 6). Electronic computers have shown that man can rely on them.

3. Fill in the gaps in the following sentences using the appropriate form of the verb in brackets.

1) Manufacturing already (to become) one of the most important application area for automation technology. 2). Assembly operations (to be) lately performed manually, either at single assembly workstations or on assembly lines with multiple stations. 3). Programmable automation (to be) a form of automation for producing products in large quantities. 4) Loading and unloading operations (to carry) out on a special transfer sector. 5). The work modules recently(to be) designed and built with standard features for special machining operations.

4. Translate the following sentences and define the tense-forms which are used in the next sentences.

1) The Internet has already entered our ordinary life. 2) Because of this, any two computers on the net will be able to stay in touch with each other as long as there is a single route between them. 3) This technology was called packet switching. 4) The data is constantly being directed towards its destination by special computers along the route, intercept and even change the data being sent over the Internet.

 

Additional Text

(for individual work)

Read and translate the text.

Types of Automation

Manufacturing is one of the most important application area for automation technology. There are several types of automation in manufacturing. The examples of automated systems used in manufacturing are described below.

1. Fixed automation, sometimes called «hard automation» refers to automated machines in which the equip­ment configuration allows fixed sequence of processing operations. These machines are programmed by their design to make only certain processing operations. They are not easily changed over from one product style to another. This form of automation needs high initial investments and high production rates. That is why it is suitable for products that are made in large volumes. Examples of fixed automation are machining transfer lines found in the automobile industry, automatic assem­bly machines and certain chemical processes.

2. Programmable automation is a form of automation for producing products in large quantities, ranging from several dozen to several thousand units at a time. For each new product the production equipment must be reprogrammed and changed over. This reprogramming and changeover take a period of non-productive time. Production rates in programmable automation are generally lower than in fixed automation, because the equipment is designed to facilitate product changeover rather than for product specialization. A numerical-control machine-tool is a good example of programmable automation. The program is coded in computer memory for each different product style and the machine-tool is controlled by the computer programme.

3. Flexible automation is a kind of programmable automation. Programmable automation requires time to re-program and change over the production equipment for each series of new product. This is lost production time, which is expensive. In flexible automation the number of products is limited so that the changeover of the equip­ment can be done very quickly and automatically. The reprogramming of the equipment in flexible automation is done at a computer terminal without using the production equipment itself. Flexible automation allows a mixture of different products to be produced one right after another.

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.