Industrial automation engineering is the process of designing, implementing and maintaining automated systems in an industrial plant. It involves the use of computers and software to control machines and procedures and design their architectures.

Industrial automation is the use of control systems, such as computers or robots, and information technologies for handling different processes and machineries in an industry to replace a human being. It is the second step beyond mechanization in the scope of industrialization.

There are four types of automation systems: fixed automation, programmable automation, flexible automation and integrated automation.