Systems and control

Enterprise resource planning systems (ERP) disadvantages

- Cost of infrastructure. - Cost of workforce training. - Resistance to change from a workforce. - Success depends on all departments being strong / no weak links. - Takes time / effort to implement. - Potential software failure/ reliability or user/human error. - System compatibility issues may need considering before implementation.

Tasks performed within CIM

- Design of the product using CAM. - Planning the most cost-effective workflow. - Controlling the operations of machines and equipment needed to manufacture the product. - Performing business functions such as ordering stock and materials and invoicing customers.

Flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) disadvantages

- Expensive to set up. - Substantial planning required. - Complex/sophisticated manufacturing systems required. - Loss of manual skilled work. - Needs in-house technical support. - Set up of FMS may not be justified for simple tasks. - May have decreased productivity due to set up and machine set up downtime. - Maintenance 'down time' interrupts production. - High skilled technical jobs are a cost to the company.

Computer-aided manufacture (CAM) disadvantages

- Extremely high set-up costs, as expensive machinery and installation are required. - Negative effects on employment as CAM requires less human involvement in its operation. - Worker morale may be affected due to 'machine minding' job roles.

Types of manufacturing cells

- Functional cells: Perform a specific function for example a factory may have a bank of lathes in a 'turning cell'. - Group technology or mixed cells: Perform a series of operations for several different product lines with similar manufacturing operations. - Product focused cells: Product focused and typically manufacture one type of product through a series of operations.

Computer-aided manufacture (CAM) advantages

- Greater control of the production process enabling fully automated production. - Safer working environment due to the removal of risks to humans. - Scale of production can be directly linked to customer demand, responding quickly to changes in quantities. - Improved productivity as production rates are consistent, less waste is generated and production costs are reduced. - Reduced manufacturing times as efficient cutting paths are are generated by software. - Increased operational reliability and consistency in repetitive tasks, maintaining the high quality of products produced.

Robots for manufacturing advantages

- Ideal for repetitive, monotonous, mundane tasks requiring extreme precision. - Can be used in hazardous environments not suitable for human operators. - Able to carry extremely heavy loads. - Highly flexible when responding to change as they are reprogrammable. - Can be programmed once and then repeat the exact same task for years. - Do no tire or suffer from lack of concentration and stress during repetitive tasks over long periods. - Cost effective as robots can operate continuously resulting in increased productivity. - Produce high-repeatably, high quality products using highly accurate inspection and measurement sensors.

Flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) advantages

- Increased productivity due to automation. - Shorter lead times for new products due flexibility. - Lower labour costs due to automation. - Improved production quality due to automation. - Less wastage. - Flexibility in structure allows for quick changes in product production. - Savings when compared to manual production due to little faults/reworking/rejects. - Machine flexibility. - Routing flexibility. - Production system can respond to market demand

Disadvantages to manufacturers of using quick response manufacturing (QRM)

- Increased reliance on suppliers in order to react to demand and quickly accommodate production schedules. - Large variations in demand could cause problems if manufacturer cannot react to the high production volume efficiently. - Managing and implementing the change required can be very difficult. - To successfully implement, a manufacturer must have representation and backing from all disciplines including production, planning, purchasing, engineering, manufacturing, quality, finance and human resources to facilitate the implementation.

Enterprise resource planning systems (ERP) advantages

- Integrates all departments across a company. - Same software used across all departments - Easy / fast communication speeds up development. - Automation /increased speed. - Increases worker moral / customer satisfaction. - quicker to market / reduced lead time.

Just in time (JIT) manufacturing advantages

- Parts are ordered when needed automatically. - Less money tied up in raw materials/stock. - Less storage space needed. - Resources in the right place at the right time. - Higher returns/profit margins for the company. - More efficient/reduced production times - Reacts to market and trends. - Higher levels of quality. - Increased job satisfaction. - Reduced labour costs.

Quality function deployment (QFD) advantages

- Reduced time to market. - Reduction in design modifications. - Decreased design and manufacturing costs. - Improved product quality. - Enhanced customer satisfaction.

Product data management systems (PDM) advantages

- Reduced time-to-market/lead time. - Improved quality control. - Increased flexibility. - Fewer bottlenecks. - Faster production rate. - Higher profit. - Real time editing. - Improved productivity. - Improved control due to efficient management systems.

Advantages to manufacturers of using quick response manufacturing (QRM)

- Reduces time to market/lead times. - Keeps up with market trends. - Reduces retooling costs. - Increased market share. - Recoup money quickly. - Storage costs reduced. - Highly automated, reduced labour. - Reduced human error. - Customer satisfaction

Robots for manufacturing disadvantages

- Robots do not have as impressive an array of sensors as humans. - Robots do not have the ability to learn and make decisions when the required data does not exist. - Robots are not as flexible as humans and are harder to program to perform specific tasks. - Robotics technology is extremely expensive to purchase and install in automated manufacturing. - Human operators have to be excluded from robot working areas due to safety issues. - High cost of making robot cells safe, including collision sensors. - Maintenance issues as different brands of robots use different control systems, so maintenance crews need different specialist training. - No standard robot programming language implemented, which can cause operating problems between different brands.

Types and applications of automated guided vehicles (AGVs)

- Towing vehicles: pull a variety of trailers. - Unit load vehicles: Have decks for unit load transportation and automatic load transfer. Decks can be a lifted or lowered type, powered or non-powered roller, chain, belt decks or custom decks with multiple compartments. - Pallet trucks: Designed to transport loads in pallets to and from floor level, eliminating the need for fixed load stands. - Fork truck: Service loads both at floor level and on stands. Can also stack loads in a racking system. - Light load: Used to transport small parts, baskets or other light loads through a light manufacturing environment and are designed to operate in areas with limited space. - Assembly line vehicles: For applications involving serial assembly processes such as manufacturing cells.

'House of Quality' matrix

1. Customer requirements: requirements taken from market surveys. 2. Technical requirements: set of relevant and measurable product characteristics. 3. Includes relative importance of the customer requirements and the company and competitor performance in meeting those requirements. 4. Interrelationship matrix: explores the strength of relationship between the customer req and technical req. 5. Technical correlation: where technical requirements support or impede each other 6. Technical priorities: quality targets against each tech spec can be measured.

Flexible manufacturing cells

A group of workstations, machines or equipment are arranged such that a product can be processed progressively from one workstation to another without having to wait for a batch to be completed and without additional handling between operations.

Just in time (JIT) systems

A key feature of lean manufacturing. Ensures that the right materials, components and products arrive at the right time, at the right place and in in the exact amount.

Automated guided vehicles (AGV)

A materials-handling device that is used to move parts between machines or work-centres.

Closed loop

Advantages: - Feedback/QC checks are made/ used/carried out constantly (1) -Improved/maintained control/accuracy of stock/material/product levels/quality/right first time/less faults (1) - Improved tracking of performance (1) - Able to predict maintenance / failure points (1) - Early detection of faults (1) - Reduced waste (1) - Requires no human intervention (1) - Reduced labour costs (1) - Reduced human error / increased reliability (1) - Increased/faster/quicker productivity/checking /cost saving/less time to market (1) - Ability to adapt/make changes/decisions (1) - More flexibility/customisation possible within the system (1)

Open loop

Advantages: - Less time spent on Quality Control checks. Therefore the process will continue without interference - Basic system. - System is simple/low cost. - Suitable for simple tasks. - Suitable for processes where no decisions are necessary. Disadvantages: - There are no detection of errors/faults. - Errors/faults may be repeated. - There are is no performance tracking points just processes. - No quality control checks. - There is no feedback loops for improved quality. - Does not allow for changes to be made. - No opportunities for decisions.

Enterprise resource planning systems (ERP)

Attempt to integrate all departments and data across a single company onto a single computer system that can serve all those different department's needs using a unified database.

Automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS)

Automatic robotic system for sorting, storing and retrieving items in a warehouse. Within CIM a computer controls the transportation of materials and components to the required points. An ASRS will retrieve a component from a rack by using a crane and place it on a conveyor or an AGV.

Computer-aided quality control systems

Can be controlled in a manufacturing cell using a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) for extremely accurate dimensional measurement. CMMs can provide data to analyse extremely small tolerances and control the quality of components as well as produce a 3D image of the product. Other systems can provide automatic identification such as optical character recognition and barcode readers which prevents product mixing and wrongly labelled products reaching customers.

Perfection tools - Kaizen

Continuous improvement, where small changes are made to the production process resulting in small improvements being made. Changes tend to be low cost, and improvements small.

Automated materials-handling systems

Ensure that the materials, components and assemblies are delivered to the production line when required without significant manual intervention.

Flexible manufacturing systems (FMS)

Flexible automation in which several machines are linked together by a material-handling system, with all aspects of the system controlled by a central computer.

Product data management systems (PDM)

Information system used to manage the data for a product as it passes from design to manufacture. The data includes plans, 3D models, CAD drawings, CNC programs as well as all related data and documents. Changes made to one database are highlighted in the others.

Lean manufacturing

Provide techniques that ensure minimum waste is incurred during production and to produce products only when they are needed.

Quality function deployment (QFD)

Quality assurance method that factors customer satisfaction into the development of a product before it is manufactured. Focuses on customer requirements, multi-disciplinary teamwork and a comprehensive 'House of Quality' matrix.

Concurrent manufacturing

Systematic approach to the integration of design, manufacture and related processes where all life cycle stages of the product are considered simultaneously.

Pull tools - Kanban

Uses cards, or containers, as simple visual signals to indicate when to pull materials, components or products through the production. Production Kanban: Includes details of the operations that need to be carried out at the workstation or manufacturing cell. Transportation Kanban: Only contains details regarding where the materials, components or products have come from and where they are going to.

Computer-integrated manufacture (CIM)

Uses computer networks to integrate the processing of production and business information with manufacturing operations to create cooperative and smooth-running production lines.