6.1 Automated Systems

Basic structure of an automated system

Sensor → Microprocessor → Actuator

Advantages of Automated Systems

Fewer people need to be employed

Repetitive tasks carried out with high accuracy and no breaks so workers can use their time on other tasks

Able to work in dangerous environments so employees don’t have to go their to do dangerous tasks, increasing safety

Disadvantages of Automated Systems

People may loose their jobs or have fewer jobs to apply for

Automation can be very dangerous if something goes wrong

Initially expensive to buy machinery so company need to find a lot of money to pay for it

Deskills the workforce so employees will no longer have some of the skills needed in case the machinery breaks

How do microprocessors and actuators and sensors work in collaboration to create automated systems

Uses a ( ) sensor

Sensor used to continuously send digitalized value to the microprocessor

Microprocessor compares the data to stored value

If data is ( ) then ( ) happens
Actuator used to make the robot ( )

Whole process repeats continuously until turned off