3 Actuators and Their Applications in Industrial Automation

In the previous chapter, we related the way humans function to automation. The eyes, touch, and smell were likened to switches and sensors while the controller was likened to the brain. In this chapter, we will be looking at actuators, which can be likened to the hands. In our bodily system, the hands do what the brain tells them to do. Similarly, in automation, the actuator does what the controller tells it to do. An actuator is simply a mover. It can move, carry, or perform other similar functions just like the hand. It requires a control signal from a controller to carry out its actions. The control signal is the result of the processing done by the controller through the program (set of instructions) written into it. Industrial automation is not complete without an actuator.

This chapter will explain various actuators used in industrial automation. You will learn their basic principle of operation and about their application...