automation

Word family

• automate
  verbB2
• automatic
  adjectiveB1
• automatically
  adverbB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Automation, mechanization, computerization, and robotization all describe the use of technology to do work, but they differ in scope. Mechanization is the oldest term — it means replacing human or animal muscle power with machines, such as using a tractor instead of a horse. Computerization means moving from paper-based or manual methods to digital systems, like keeping patient records on a computer instead of in paper files. Robotization refers specifically to the use of programmable machines (robots) that can perform a sequence of actions. Automation is the broadest concept: it covers any system that operates with little or no human input, whether through mechanical, electronic, or software control. A factory that uses conveyor belts (mechanization) is not fully automated unless a computer decides when the belts start and stop. A clinic that puts files on a server (computerization) has not automated its workflow unless the system makes decisions or sends reminders without staff action.

Common collocations

Etymology

Coined in the 1940s from 'automatic' (from Greek 'automatos', meaning 'self-acting' or 'self-moving') and the noun suffix '-ation'. The term was first used in the manufacturing industry, particularly by an engineer at the Ford Motor Company, to describe the automatic movement of materials between production steps. It became widely used in the 1950s and 1960s as computers and electronic controls entered factories and offices.