Manufacturing is the production of merchandise for use or sale using labour

and machines, tools, chemical and biological processing, or formulation. The term may refer to
a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied
to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large
scale. Such finished goods may be used for manufacturing other, more complex products,
such as aircraft, household appliances or automobiles, or sold towholesalers, who in turn sell
them to retailers, who then sell them to end users and consumers.

Simple Definition of PROCESS

 : a series of actions that produce something or that lead to a
particular result
 : a series of changes that happen naturally

Automation or automatic control, is the use of various control systems for operating
equipment such as machinery, processes in factories, boilers and heat treating ovens,
switching on telephone networks, steering and stabilization of ships, aircraft and other
applications with minimal or reduced human intervention. Some processes have been
completely automated.

The biggest benefit of automation is that it saves labor; however, it is also used to save energy
and materials and to improve quality, accuracy and precision.

A programmable logic controller, PLC, or programmable controller is a digital

computer used for automation of typically industrialelectromechanical processes, such as
control of machinery on factory assembly lines, amusement rides, or light fixtures. PLCs are
used in many machines, in many industries. PLCs are designed for multiple arrangements of
digital and analog inputs and outputs, extended temperature ranges, immunity to electrical
noise, and resistance to vibration and impact. Programs to control machine operation are
typically stored in battery-backed-up or non-volatile memory. A PLC is an example of a
"hard" real-time system since output results must be produced in response to input conditions
within a limited time, otherwise unintended operation will result.