INTRODUCTION

General definition of sensor & actuator

The main components of industrial automation are sensor, actuator and
controller. Our main discussion here is limited to sensor and actuator only. What
is exactly sensor and actuator? As the name implies, sensors are devices that
sense the presence or absence of objects.

Figure 1 Sensor (Source : ?????)

From the figure above we know that sensor is a device that receive input signal,
process it and generates output. While American National Standards Institute
says that sensor is a device which provides a usable output in response to a
specified measure.
So we can say that sensor is sophisticated device that are frequently used
to detect and respond to electrical or optical signals by converts the physical
parameter (for example: temperature, blood pressure, humidity, speed, etc.) into
a signal which can be measured electrically. Sensor capable of converting any
physical quantity to be measured into a signal which can be read, displayed,
stored or used to control some other quantity. This signal produced by the sensor
is equivalent to the quantity to be measured. Sensors are used to measure a
particular characteristic of any object or device. For example a thermocouple, a
thermocouple will sense heat energy (temperature) at one of its junction and
produce equivalent output voltage which can be measured by a voltmeter. More
the temperature rise, higher the voltage read by the voltmeter. All sensors need
to be calibrated with respect with some reference value or standard device for
accurate measurement.
Meanwhile, actuator is a type of motor for moving or controlling a
mechanism or system. It is operated by a source of energy, typically electric
current, hydraulic fluid pressure, or pneumatic pressure, and converts that
energy into motion. An actuator is the mechanism by which a control system acts
upon an environment. An actuator is something that converts energy into motion.
It also can be used to apply a force. An actuator typically is a mechanical device
that takes energy usually energy that is created by air, electricity or liquid
and converts it into some kind of motion. That motion can be in virtually any
form, such as blocking, clamping or ejecting. Actuators typically are used in
manufacturing or industrial applications and might be used in devices such as
motors, pumps, switches and valves.
Explain the types of sensor & actuator + examples
Based on the properties here are several types of sensor as listed below.
Proximity sensor
This type of sensor uses an electronic field to detect when an object
is near. There is no physical contact between the object and the sensor.
Inductive proximity sensors detect only metal objects. Capacitive proximity
sensors can sense both metallic and non-metallic objects. Think of a

manufacturing process where the alignment of a part is critical. A proximity

sensor can be used to make sure the part is aligned within a certain
tolerance. If the part is not properly aligned, the proximity sensor will be
triggered. This type of sensor is generally used to sense at distances less
than one inch.
Proximity sensors are used in a variety of applications. Consider
these: Proximity sensors can be used to detect the end of travel on a
positioning table, to determine speed by counting a gears teeth, or be
used to check if a valve is fully opened or closed. Proximity sensors can be
used to detect the presence or absence of a metallic work piece or metallic
pallets on conveyor lines. When a robot arm swings around for a pick and
place operation, a proximity sensor makes sure the arm actually has a part
in its grippers.
Photoelectric sensor
This type of sensor uses light to detect the presence or absence of
an object. A Thru-Beam photoelectric sensor uses two devices (a light
source and a detector) facing each other. Detection occurs when an object
blocks or breaks the beam of light passing between them. A RetroReflective (Reflex) sensor emits a light beam that is reflected back to the
sensor from a retro reflector as shown in figure 4. When an object blocks
the beam between the sensor and the retro reflector, detection occurs. A
Diffuse Reflective sensor emits a light beam that must be reflected back to
it by the target object itself for detection to occur (figure 6).
Most electric garage door openers include a photoelectric sensor for
safety reasons. If the photoelectric sensors beam is broken as the door is
going down, the sensor signals the door opener to reverse the direction of
the door. While environmental factors can affect photoelectric sensors,
these devices have a long sensing range. The objects they detect can be of
any material.

Figure 2 Photoelectric sensor mechanism (source : ????)

Some types of actuators are shown below:
Hydraulic (rotary) actuator

This type of actuator offers the benefit of a long life. Hydraulic actuators
consist of a cylinder or fluid motor that utilizes hydraulic power to facilitate
mechanical process. The mechanical motion gives an output in terms of linear,
rotary or oscillatory motion. The hydraulic actuator also allows for very precise
control of the movement produced. In linear hydraulic actuators, a typical set-up
is made up of a hollow cylinder that contains a liquid, usually oil, and a piston
that is inserted in it. When pressure is applied onto the piston, objects can be
moved by the force produced.
Hydraulic actuators can be operated manually, such as a hydraulic car
jack, or they can be operated through a hydraulic pump, which can be seen in
construction equipment such as cranes or excavators.
Pneumatic actuators
This actuator work on the same concept as hydraulic actuators except
compressed gas is used instead of liquid. Energy, in the form of compressed gas,
is converted into linear or rotary motion, depending on the type of actuator.
Pneumatic energy is more desirable for main engine controls because it can
quickly respond in starting and stopping as the power source does not need to be
stored in reserve for operation. Also, pneumatic actuators are preferred in places
where cleanliness is important, since the fluid in hydraulic actuators might leak
and contaminate the surroundings. However, pneumatic actuators are still likely
to leak, making them less efficient compared to mechanical actuators. Another
downside is that they take up a lot of space, create a lot of noise and are difficult
to transport once installed in a place.

Figure 3 Pneumatic actuator (source : www.marineinsight.com)

The most common example is main engine pneumatic actuator for changing of
roller position over cam shaft for reversing.
Electric actuators
Electric actuators are devices powered by motors that convert electrical
energy to mechanical torque. The electrical energy is used to create motion in
equipment that requires multi-turn valves like gate or globe valves. Since no oil is
involved, electrical actuators are considered to be one of the cleanest and readily
available forms of actuators. Electric actuators are typically installed in engines,
where they open and close different valves. There are many designs of electric
actuators and this depends on their function in the engine that they are installed
in. One of its application is in electrical motor operated valve and magnetic valve
actuator or solenoid valve.

Figure 4 Electric actuator (source : www.marineinsight.com)

Mechanical actuators
It functions through converting rotary motion to linear motion. Devices
such as gears, rails, pulley, chain and others are used to help convert the motion.
Some of the simple mechanisms used to convert motion are screws, where the
rotation of the actuator's nut causes the screw shaft to move in a straight line,
the wheel and axle, where the rotating motion of a wheel causes a belt or
something similar to move in a linear motion.

.
Figure 5 Mechanical actuator (source : www.marineinsight.com)
Basic example of mechanical actuator is chain block hoisting weight in which
mechanical motion of chain over the sprocket is utilized to lift a rated load.
Plunger actuator
A typical plunger actuator functions something like this: a cam or plate hits
the end of the plunger, which is pressed in and operates the contacts in the
switch. A plunger actuator is the best choice to monitor short, controlled machine
movements, or where space or mounting restrictions will not permit the use of a
lever actuator.

Figure 6 Plunger types (source : ?????)

But then we are wondering, how to choose an appropriate sensor? There are
some considerations that should be made. Table below show some factors that
we should consider.

Table 1 Choosing sensor (source :?????)

Basically, a good sensor should have the following characteristics:
1) High Sensitivity
Sensitivity indicates how much the output of the device changes with unit
change in input (quantity to be measured).
2) Linearity
The output should change linearly with the input.
3) High Resolution
Resolution is the smallest change in the input that the device can detect
4) Less Noise & Disturbance
5) Less power consumption
CONTENT
explain detail function of sensor & actuator

explain sensor & actuator roles in Industrial automation

In the industrial automation sector, sensors and actuators play a very
important role to make the products intelligent and highly automatic. As we know
that sensors and actuators are the main elements in automation system. Sensor
and actuator allow one to detect, analyze, measure and process various changes
like change in position, length, height, appearance and displacement that occurs
in the production sites. These sensors also play an important role in predicting
and preventing many future events, thus, catering to the needs of many sensing
applications.
Sensors perform a number of functions in automated manufacturing and
material handling systems. For example, sensors can determine if an object is
present, if tooling is broken, or if product is running down a conveyor line.
Besides, by using sensor and actuator, we can reduce production cost by
replacing human with that tools. And it is more effective and efficient when we
use sensor and actuator. They generates similar output all the time so that head
of production should not worry.
Sensors are pervasive. They are embedded in automobiles, airplanes, cellular
telephones, radios, chemical plants, industrial plants and countless other
applications. While actuators, we can find it in many plants. Such as industrial
robot. Without the use of sensors and actuators, there would be no automation.
give implementation of sensor & actuator in industry (study case is allowed)

One application of sensor and actuator such as in the dairy product

manufacturing. Milk, cheese and fermented products, such as yoghurt, all
require precise production control parameters. The cultures used in cheese and
fermented products make temperature control exceedingly important. Pure
cultures must be produced very carefully according to hygienic principles. A poor
or mismatched culture can lead to substantial product deficits. Tight control over
storage times for cheese is essential. Cheese can last from several weeks to
many months depending on temperature and humidity, both of which must be
monitored precisely and adapted to each brand.
Whether it is milk, cream, butter, soured milk, yogurt, and cheese, a large
number of processes are required to get finished product. Start from milk
reception, testing and sorting raw milk by undergoes a gentle treatment and an
equally gentle transport process, emptying and cleaning milk trucks, recording
exact quantities for invoice control and production planning, or interim raw milk
storage. Only a seamless exchange of data from the laboratory system,
production, and ERP system will ensure the highest level of product quality and
invoicing transparency at milk reception. Then milk is prepared for possible
further processing. And of course, quality is guaranteed at every stage.

Figure 7 Cheese and milk production line (source : ????)

Figure 8 Delivery process of raw milk (source : ????)

The primary goal in processing milk is to successfully process raw milk into
standardized milk with a fixed fat content. The process steps range from cleaning
and separating skimmed milk and cream; through setting the fat content,
pasteurization, homogenization and sterilization; to the cooling process. The
challenges during these processes are always the same: Raw milk has to be
processed quickly and the process quality has to be guaranteed.
As we can see in figure 8 above the milk is delivered from the farm by
using truck or container. Then by using pipes the milk will be transferred from the
truck to the tank. To make sure that the milk flows in a good speed, flow sensor is
used there.

Figure 9 Flow sensor in delivery process (source : ????)

Before come into the milk tanks, the raw milk will flow through a cooler. In
this step, the process pressure will be monitored. Precisely monitoring the
pressure is a decisive factor in the milk production process. Measuring pressure
plays an important role in milk process. The level in the fermentation and storage
tanks is often recorded by measuring the pressure. The various filters are also
monitored by measuring differential pressures.

Figure 10 Pressure sensor in Raw milk tank (source : ????)

Hygiene and cleanliness are absolutely essential for ensuring dairy
products only contain what they should and this applies throughout the entire
production chain. The perfect answer to this challenge is Cleaning in Place (CIP)
system automation. Since CIP systems often vary greatly in practice, the
standard CIP system is a software solution that supports easy creation of
individual cleaning programs, automatic implementation, and flexible changes as
needed. With precise dosing and capability for continuous optimization, a flexible
CIP system will achieve optimal cleaning and disinfection while saving time and
minimizing consumption of cleaning materials.

Raw milk delivery and quality-controlled handling is significant for every

dairy. Raw milk is delivered by tanker, so the milk has to be stored to guarantee
continuous running of the plant. Accurate level measurement is crucial in
ensuring proper processing and the prevention of overspill. The filling process to
the tank creates turbulence and foam. The shape of the tank, the use of agitators
and the presence of Clean-In-Place (CIP) equipment makes measurement difficult.
Earlier measurement technologies were unreliable and tended to break down
completely during cleaning
cycles that made use of caustic soda and nitric acid at very high temperatures.
Besides, the milk tank always need to provide the correct quantity of milk with
the required characteristics. Therefore dairy-specific functions from milk tank
instrumentation with temperature and level measuring instruments are needed.
Here is the use of temperature sensor, and height sensor.

Figure 11 Temperature sensor in milk tank (source :????)

Temperature sensors role is to keep the raw milk in the sufficient
temperature so that the milk wont be busuk . While the height sensor make sure
that quantity of the flow in milk is sufficient.
A cost-effective dairy process relies on monitoring the milk fill level in the tanks
precisely and continuously, and avoiding overfilling. After that, the raw milk will
be flowed into the next process which is pasteurization.

Figure 12 Pasteurization process (source : ????)

In this process, the milk then will be pumped into the pasteurization place.
Precise flow metering is needed again here. It is not only a decisive factor for the

milk quality, it also helps reduce costs by making the operation of the dairy more
efficient and optimizing consumption. In the pasteurization process, the flow,
pressure and temperature sensor plays a great role. From pasteurization process
then, well get standardized milk.

Figure 13 Standardized milk storage (source : ????)

Standardized milk will be flowed again into milk storage. Almost the same
with the previous storage, here temperature, pressure and level or height sensor
is used. Storage, pumping, and dosing. All three activities lie at the heart of food
and beverage production and require highly accurate flow measurement.
Whether it is a strawberry ingredient added to yoghurt or the syrup, or other
ingredients injected into milk, flow measurement is vital to quality assurance and
product consistency.
Not only that, pressure sensor plays a vital role in food production plants.
Besides measuring pressure for process-control purposes or for safety reasons,
pressure-measuring instruments can be used to measure flow (orifice plate), level
(hydrostatics) and differential pressure (filtration and heating processes) to
determine parameters such as the extract content. Temperature is one of the
most important parameters of all in the food-manufacturing process, both from a
safety viewpoint and for process control and quality.

Figure 14 Cheese and yoghurt manufacturing (source :????)

The standardized milk from the storage will be divided into 3 pipes. For
cheese production, yoghurt production and for bottled milk. In the cheese and
yoghurt production, elements used are quite complex. As we can see from the
picture above, temperature sensor, level sensor, pressure sensor, flow sensor,
weight sensor and identification sensor are used. The temperature sensor of
course used to maintain the quality of the milk. Same role applies for the
pressure sensor. Weight sensor is used to make sure that the finished cheese will
be standardized into a specific weight. While the identification sensor such as
barcode reader, is used to determine which way the cheese will be going.
Weighing, blending and dosing actually are significantly important to the food
and beverage industry. The filling process and the packaging of the food products
require highly accurate and automated systems to ensure compliance with the
strict quality and hygiene regulations of a very competitive market.
While for the bottled milk production line, temperature, pressure and
identification sensors are used. The standardized milk first will flow into the buffer
tank and going to other process which is UHT process. Temperature and pressure
sensors are used there to maintain the milk into a certain temperature so that it
will ready to consumed. After the sensor sense the empty bottle, then actuator
will grab the bottle and the milk will be filled into the bottle. To control the filling
process, height sensor is used there. After putting bottle cap and labels then the
barcode will be stamped. Then packaging process will begin.

Figure 15 Bottled milk finishing process

The filling plant and packaging department represent high cost factors on
the path to ready-to-deliver dairy packaging. This results from heterogeneous and
isolated solutions. Automation in the packaging line, by integrates filling and
packaging systems in a common automation and communication standard. The
packaging standardization and integration of individual machines delivers cost
and energy savings throughout the entire production line.
The use of robot which involves sensor to detect and actuator for
movement in packaging results in increased efficiency, operational reliability, a
focus on work environment and, most important of all, uniformity. All forms of
dairy product packaging can be automated. Often, there will be several
operations and more than one robot being used in a packaging solution. This
results in a great number of fast-paced and precise operations being conducted
in a limited space. The robots tools can similarly be applied to several different
operations such as the processing of all types of pallets and separation sheets, as
well as the various kinds of packaging.
Integration risks are lower and allow the use of scalable production data
acquisition and evaluation systems from optimized packaging line like line
overview, diagnostics, tracking and tracing, and energy recording and
management. Additionally, dairy packaging line efficiency, productivity, and
availability during operation are all noticeably improved.

Figure 16 Packaging, labeling, packing process (source : ???/)

CONCLUSION
give relevance between intro & content
Automation improved plant performance, waste and energy minimization,
product safety, and quality consistency. The trend in automation has moved away
from the consideration of individual devices or machines and toward a fully

integrated automation solution. We are implementing this concept consistently

with Totally Integrated Automation. The unique and extensive range of hardware
and software ensures integrated automation along the whole production line from
the goods receiving area, through the processing and production areas to the
finished goods warehouse.
The integration is not restricted to the production process. With a uniform
engineering environment, integrated and open communication as well as
intelligent management systems and IT solutions, Totally Integrated Automation
includes all relevant areas, from building automation and energy management
via MES to maintenance and repair.
give related connclusion to the topic