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1. A personal computer is a small relatively inexpensive device designed for an individual_________.

a) person; b) producer; c) user

2. One of the first and most popular personal computer was____________ in 1977.

a) interpreted; b) introduced; c) integrated

3. All personal computers are based on___________ technology, its CPU being called MPU.

a) microscopy; b) microprocessor; c) microelement

4. Very soon a microcomputer was______________ from a calculator into a PC for everyone.

a) transformed; b) transferred; c) transported

5. Input in PC is usually performed by means of a____________.

a) mouse; b) scanner; c) keyboard

6. A personal computer uses__________disks as input and output media.

a) hard; b) fixed; c) floppy

7. Personal computers have a lot of___________, scientific, engineering, educational being among them.

a) multiplication; b) application; c) investigation

 

8.Personal computers have a great__________upon pupils, educators, accountants, stock brokers and who not.

a) influence; b) information; c) environment

9. A word processing program called application____________ enables you to modify any document in a manner you wish.

a) hardware; b) software; c) firmware

10. Using a display you can mistakes,_________words and replace sentences.

a) delete; b) dial; c) correct

 

2. Найдите в предложениях неличные формы глагола и назовите их:

A. a) Gerund; b) Present Participle Active; с) Present Participle Passive; d) Past Participle Passive; e) Perfect Participle Active; J) Perfect Participle Passive.

1. When keyed the data are held in a small memory called buffer. 2. Data keyed into the memory of a computer by typing on a keyboard are readable by humans. 3. Keyboard enables inputting numerical and text data. 4. The mouse provides the cursor control simplifying user's orientation on the display. 5. Having been constructed recently a new electronic device has •important applications in space exploration. 6. Being supplied with a special appliance a television set may have a remote con­trol. 7. The control unit operates by reading one instruction at a time. 8. Improved methods of obtaining three-dimensional television pictures have been worked on the basis of holography.

 

B. a) Indefinite Infinitive Active; b) Indefinite Infinitive Passive; c) Continuous Infinitive Active; d) Perfect Infinitive Active; e) Perfect Infinitive Passive.

1. Input devices are used to enter data into primary storage.

2. These data appeared to have been investigated long ago.

3. We are glad to have obtained such valuable results. 4. You should have known wonderful features of computers long ago. 5. The problem to be solved is of great importance to the de­velopment of this branch of industry. 6. The first amplifying semiconductor devices (transistors) are known to have been developed in the USA in 1948. 7. He ordered these devices to be repaired as soon as possible.

 

3. Прочтите текст. Выберите основную мысль для каждо­го абзаца из предложенных ниже.

 

PERSONAL COMPUTERS

The personal computer can serve as a work station for the individual today. Moreover, as it has become financially feasi­ble to provide a computer for the individual worker, so also tech­nical developments have made the interface between man and machine increasingly "friendly", so that a wide array of com­puter functions are now accessible to people with no technical background.

A personal computer is a small computer based on a micro­processor; it is a microcomputer. Not all computers, however, are personal computers. A microcomputer can be dedicated to a single task such as controlling a machine tool or metering the injection of fuel into an automobile engine; it can be a word processor, a video game or a "pocket computer" that is not quite a computer. A personal computer is something different: a stand­alone computer that puts a wide array of capabilities at the dis­posal of an individual.

The first generation of true personal computers, which came on the market between 1977 and 1981, had eight-bit micropro­cessors; later introduced systems had 16-bits ones. Now 32-bit microprocessor chips are available, and soon they will be includ­ed in complete computer systems.

1. Performance of a wide array of computer functions;

Accessibility of PC for not professionals.

Friendly interface of a personal computer.

2. A microprocessor-based PC;

PC — a pocket computer;

Comparison of a microcomputer and a PC.

3. Microprocessor's capacity;

The growth of MPC's capacity;

The first generation of personal computers.

UNIT 9

AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS

«AUTOMATION»

Automation is the system of manufacture perform­ing certain tasks, previously done by people, by machines only. The sequences of operations are controlled auto­matically. The most familiar example of a highly auto­mated system is an assembly plant for automobiles or other complex products.

The term automation is also used to describe nonma-nufacturing systems in which automatic devices can op­erate independently of human control. Such devices as automatic pilots, automatic telephone equipment and automated control systems are used to perform various operations much faster and better than could be done by people.

Automated manufacturing had several steps in its development. Mechanization was the first step necessary in the development of automation. The simplification of work made it possible to design and build machines that resembled the motions of the worker. These specialized machines were motorized and they had better production efficiency.

Industrial robots, originally designed only to perform simple tasks in environments dangerous to human work­ers, are now widely used to transfer, manipulate, and position both light and heavy workpieces performing all the functions of a transfer machine.

In the 1920s the automobile industry for the first time used an integrated system of production. This method of production was adopted by most car manufacturers and became known as Detroit automation.

The feedback principle is used in all automatic-con­trol mechanisms when machines have ability to correct themselves. The feedback principle has been used for centuries. An outstanding early example is the flyball governor, invented in 1788 by James Watt to control the speed of the steam engine. The common household ther­mostat is another example of a feedback device.

Using feedback devices, machines can start, stop, speed up, slow down, count, inspect, test, compare, and measure. These operations are commonly applied to a wide variety of production operations.

Computers have greatly facilitated the use of feedback in manufacturing processes. Computers gave rise to the development of numerically controlled machines. The motions of these machines are controlled by punched paper or magnetic tapes. In numerically controlled ma­chining centres machine tools can perform several dif­ferent machining operations.

More recently, the introduction of microprocessors and computers have made possible the development of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacture (CAD and CAM) technologies. When using these systems a designer draws a part and indicates its dimensions with the help of a mouse, light pen, or other input device. Af­ter the drawing has been completed the computer automatically gives the instructions that direct a machining centre to machine the part.

Another development using automation are the flex­ible manufacturing systems (FMS). A computer in FMS can be used to monitor and control the operation of the whole factory.

Automation has also had an influence on the areas of the economy other than manufacturing. Small comput­ers are used in systems called word processors, which are rapidly becoming a standard part of the modern office. They are used to edit texts, to type letters and so on. Automation in Industry

Many industries are highly automated or use automa­tion technology in some part of their operation. In com­munications and especially in the telephone industry di­alling and transmission are all done automatically. Rail­ways are also controlled by automatic signalling devices, which have sensors that detect carriages passing a par­ticular point. In this way the movement and location of trains can be monitored.

Not all industries require the same degree of automa­tion. Sales, agriculture, and some service industries are difficult to automate, though agriculture industry may become more mechanized, especially in the processing and packaging of foods.

The automation technology in manufacturing and as­sembly is widely used in car and other consumer product industries.

Nevertheless, each industry has its own concept of automation that answers its particular production needs.

Vocabulary:

automation — автоматизация

previously — ранее

sequence — последовательность

assembly plant — сборочный завод

nonmanufacturing — непроизводственный

device — устройство, прибор

resemble — походить

efficiency — эффективность

flyball governor — центробежный регулятор

steam engine — паровоз

household thermostat — бытовой термостат

facilitate — способствовать

punched — перфорированный

aid — помощь

dimension — измерение, размеры

General understanding:

1. How is the term automation defined in the text?

2. What is the most «familiar example» of automation given in the text?

3. What was the first step in the development of тautomaton?

4. What were the first robots originally designed for?

5. What was the first industry to adopt the new integrated system of production?

6. What is feedback principle?

7. What do the abbreviations CAM and CAD stand for?

8. What is FMS?

9. What industries use automation technologies?

Exercise. Find the following words and word combinations in the text:

1. автоматические устройства

2. автоматизированное производство

3. выполнять простые задачи

4. как легкие, так и тяжелые детали

5. интегрированная система производства

6. принцип обратной связи

7. механизм может разгоняться и тормозить

8. компьютер автоматически посылает команды

9. высокоавтоматизированная система
10. непроизводственная система

"TYPES OF AUTOMATION»

Applications of Automation and Robotics in Industry

Manufacturing is one of the most important applica­tion area for automation technology. There are several types of automation in manufacturing. The examples of automated systems used in manufacturing are described below.

1. Fixed automation, sometimes called «hard automa­tion» refers to automated machines in which the equip­ment configuration allows fixed sequence of processing operations. These machines are programmed by their design to make only certain processing operations. They are not easily changed over from one product style to another. This form of automation needs high initial in­ vestments and high production rates. That is why it is suitable for products that are made in large volumes. Examples of fixed, automation are machining transfer
lines found in the automobile industry, automatic assem­bly machines and certain chemical processes.

2. Programmable automation is a form of automation for producing products in large quantities, ranging from several dozen to several thousand units at a time. For each new product the production equipment must be reprogrammed and changed over. This reprogramming and changeover take a period of non-productive time. Pro­duction rates in programmable automation are generally lower than in fixed automation, because the equipment is designed to facilitate product changeover rather than for product specialization. A numerical-control machine-tool is a good example of programmable automation. The program is coded in computer memory for each differ­ent product style and the machine-tool is controlled by the computer programme.

3. Flexible automation is a kind of programmable au­tomation. Programmable automation requires time to re-program and change over the production equipment for each series of new product. This is lost production time, which is expensive. In flexible automation the number of products is limited so that the changeover of the equip­ment can be done very quickly and automatically. The reprogramming of the equipment in flexible automation is done at a computer terminal without using the pro­duction equipment itself. Flexible automation allows a mixture of different products to be produced one right after another.

Vocabulary

equipment — оборудование

sequence — последовательность

initial — первоначальный, начальный

investment — инвестиция, вклад

to facilitate — способствовать

rate — скорость, темп

assembly machines — сборочные машины

quantity — количество

non-productive — непроизводительный

changeover — переход, переналадка

General understanding:

1. What is the most important application of automa­tion?

2. What are the types of automation used in manu­facturing?

3. What is fixed automation?

4. What are the limitations of hard automation?

5. What is the best example of programmable auto­mation?

6. What are the limitations of programmable automa­tion?

7. What are the advantages of flexible automation?

8. Is it possible to produce different products one af­ter another using automation technology?

Find equivalents in English in the text:

1. сфера применения

2. фиксированная последовательность операций

3. автоматические сборочные машины

4. определенные химические процессы

5. станок с числовым программным управлением

6. потерянное производственное время

7. разнообразная продукция

Explain in English what does the following mean:

1. automation technology

2. fixed automation

3. assembly machines

4. non-productive time

5. programmable automation

6. computer terminal

7. numerical-control machine-tool

«ROBOTS IN MANUFACTURING»

Today most robots are used in manufacturing opera­tions. The applications of robots can be divided into three categories:

1. material handling

2. processing operations

3. assembly and inspection.

Material-handling is the transfer of material and load­ing and unloading of machines. Material-transfer appli­cations require the robot to move materials or work parts from one to another. Many of these tasks are relatively simple: robots pick up parts from one conveyor and place them on another. Other transfer operations are more complex, such as placing parts in an arrangement that can be calculated by the robot. Machine loading and un­loading operations utilize a robot to load and unload parts. This requires the robot to be equipped with a grip-per that can grasp parts. Usually the gripper must be designed specifically for the particular part geometry.

In robotic processing operations, the robot manipu­lates a tool to perform a process on the work part. Exam­ples of such applications include spot welding, continu­ous arc welding and spray painting. Spot welding of au­tomobile bodies is one of the most common applications of industrial robots. The robot positions a spot welder against the automobile panels and frames to join them. Arc welding is a continuous process in which robot moves the welding rod along the welding seam. Spray painting is the manipulation of a spray-painting gun over the sur­face of the object to be coated. Other operations in this category include grinding and polishing in which a ro­tating spindle serves as the robot's tool.

The third application area of industrial robots is as­sembly and inspection. The use of robots in assembly is expected to increase because of the high cost of manual labour. But the design of the product is an important aspect of robotic assembly. Assembly methods that are satisfactory for humans are not always suitable for ro­bots. Screws and nuts are widely used for fastening in manual assembly, but the same operations are extremely difficult for a one-armed robot.

Inspection is another area of factory operations in which the utilization of robots is growing. In a typical inspection job, the robot positions a sensor with respect to the work part and determines whether the part answers the quality specifications. In nearly all industrial robotic applications, the robot provides a substitute for human labour. There are certain characteristics of industrial jobs performed by humans that can be done by robots:

1. the operation is repetitive, involving the same ba­sic work motions every cycle,

2. the operation is hazardous or uncomfortable for the human worker (for example: spray painting, spot weld­ing, arc welding, and certain machine loading and un­loading tasks),

3. the workpiece or tool are too heavy and difficult to handle,

4. the operation allows the robot to be used on two or three shifts.

Vocabulary:

handling — обращение

transfer — передача, перенос

location — местонахождение

pick up — брать, подбирать

arrangement — расположение

to utilize — утилизировать, находить при­менение

gripper — захват

to grasp — схватывать

spot welding — точечная сварка

continuous — непрерывный

arc welding — электродуговая сварка

spray painting — окраска распылением

frame — рама

spray-painting gun — распылитель краски

grinding — шлифование

polishing — полирование

spindle — шпиндель

manual — ручной

labour — труд

hazardous — опасный

shift — смена

General understanding:

1. How are robots used in manufacturing?

2. What is «material handling»?

3. What does a robot need to be equipped with to do loading and unloading operations?

4. What does robot manipulate in robotic processing operation?

5. What is the most common application of robots in automobile manufacturing?

6. What operations could be done by robot in car manu­facturing industry?

7. What are the main reasons to use robots in produc­tion?

8. How can robots inspect the quality of production?

9. What operations could be done by robots in hazard­ ous or uncomfortable for the human workers conditions?

 

Translate into English:

1. Существует несколько различных сфер исполь­зования автоматизации в производстве.

2. Для использования жесткой автоматизации не­обходимы большие инвестиции.

3. Жесткая автоматизация широко используется в химической промышленности.

4. Станки с числовым программным управлением — хороший пример программируемой автоматизации.

5. Гибкая автоматизация делает возможным пере­программирование оборудования.

6. Время простоя оборудования оборачивается боль­шими убытками.

7. Использование гибкой автоматизации делает воз­можным производство разнообразной продукции.