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The dictionary defines automation as “the technique of making an apparatus, a process or a system operate automatically.”
ISA defines automation as "the creation and application of technology to monitor and control the production and delivery of products and services.”
Using our definition, the automation profession includes everyone involved in the creation and application of technology to monitor and control the production and delivery of products and services; and the automation professional is any individual involved in the creation and application of technology to monitor and control the production and delivery of products and services.
Automation encompasses many vital elements, systems and job functions.
Automation provides benefits to virtually all of industry. Here are some examples:
Manufacturing, including food and pharmaceutical, chemical and petroleum, pulp and paper
Transportation, including automotive, aerospace and rail
Utilities, including water and wastewater, oil and gas, electric power and telecommunications
Defense
Facility operations, including security, environmental control, energy management, safety and other building automation
Automation crosses all functions within industry from installation, integration and maintenance to design, procurement and management. Automation even reaches into the marketing and sales functions of these industries.
Automation involves a very broad range of technologies including robotics and expert systems, telemetry and communications, electro-optics, cybersecurity, process measurement and control, sensors, wireless applications, systems integration, test measurement and many more.
Why is the automation professional so important?
Think about the cell phone and computer you use every day. Think about the car you drive. Think about the food you eat, water you drink, clothes you wear and appliances you use to store, prepare and clean them. Think about the television you watch, video games you play or music system you listen to. Think about the buildings you visit. Think about any modern convenience or necessity. Just about anything you can think of is the result of complex processes. Without talented individuals to design, build, improve and maintain these processes, these technological advances would never have occurred and future innovations would be impossible. Without automation professionals, our world and our future would be very different.
Automation professionals are responsible for solving complex problems in many vital aspects of industry and its processes. The work of automation professionals is critically important to the preservation of the health, safety and welfare of the public and to the sustainability and enhancement of our quality of life.
Automation professionals do and will continue to play a crucial role in protecting us from cyber-attack; enhancing our quality of life; and ensuring the reliability, efficiency, safety, constant improvement and competitiveness of our electric power systems, transportation systems, manufacturing operations and industry as a whole. Without these individuals, we cannot advance into the future.
International Automation Professionals Day
International Automation Professionals Day – IAPD – is celebrated each year on 28 April to honor the contributions of those who work in automation to improve the lives of others around the world.
ISA helps its members and the automation community advance technical competence by delivering standards-based technical resources to engineers, technicians and management engaged in industrial automation.
Standards: ISA is recognized globally for the development of consensus industry standards for automation technologies and applications.
Certification:Certification provides objective, third-party assessment, and confirmation of an individual’s skill set on specific areas within the field of automation.
Training: Developed by real-world experts in the automation and control field, ISA training covers relevant topics and vital technologies to improve efficiency, reduce downtime, and maximize safety and security.
Events and Conferences: ISA’s conferences offer virtual and in-person events that include expert technical presentations, social functions and exhibit opportunities.
Publications: ISA is a source for books and other technical resources covering the automation profession.
Membership: ISA is the professional home for engineers, technicians, leaders and students engaged in industrial automation.
