Automation refers to the machine equipment, system or process (production, management process) under the direct participation of no one or fewer people, in accordance with the requirements of the people, through the automatic detection, information processing, analysis and judgment, manipulation control, to achieve the expected The goal of the process. Automation technology is widely used in industry, agriculture, military, scientific research, transportation, commerce, healthcare, services and home. Using automation technology can not only free people from heavy manual labor, part of mental work and harsh and dangerous work environment, but also expand human organ function, greatly improve labor productivity and enhance mankind's ability to understand and transform the world . Therefore, automation is an important and significant indicator of the modernization of industry, agriculture, national defense and science and technology.

The concept of automation is a dynamic process of development. In the past, people's understanding of automation or automation of the functional goal is to use mechanical actions instead of manual operation, automatically to complete a specific homework. This is essentially the automated point of view of replacing human physical labor. Later, with the development of electronics and information technology, especially with the emergence and widespread use of computers, the concept of automation has been extended to using machines (including computers) not only to replace human physical labor but also to replace or assist mental work in order to automatically Complete a specific assignment.

The general meaning of automation includes at least the following:

In terms of form, manufacturing automation has three meanings:

Instead of manpower manual labor, instead of or in addition to supporting people's mental work, the man-machine and the entire system in the manufacturing system are coordinated, managed, controlled and optimized.

In terms of functionality, manual labor or mental work that automates human beings is only part of the automated functional target system. The functional goal of automation is multifaceted and has formed an organic system.

In terms of scope, manufacturing automation involves not only a specific manufacturing process, but all the processes of a product's life cycle.