The concept of automation is a dynamic development process. In the past, people's understanding of automation or functional goal of automation is to replace human operation with mechanical action to automatically complete specific tasks. This is essentially the view that automation replaces human manual labor. Later, with the development of electronic and information technology, especially with the emergence and wide application of computers, the concept of automation has expanded to use machines (including computers) not only to replace human physical labor, but also to replace or assist mental labor, in order to automatically complete specific tasks.

The broad connotation of automation at least includes the following points: in terms of form, manufacturing automation has three meanings: replacing human physical labor, replacing or assisting human mental labor, and the coordination, management, control and optimization of human-machine and the whole system in the manufacturing system. In terms of functions, the replacement of human physical or mental labor by automation is only part of the goal system of automation functions. The functional objectives of automation are multifaceted and have formed an organic system. In terms of scope, manufacturing automation involves not only specific production and manufacturing processes, but also all processes in the product life cycle.