Scope of Computer-Integrated Manufacturing
While all of the activities of the modern manufacturing plants are considered as a whole, this is impossible to think that a small portion may be automated, let alone trying to envisage automation of the whole. In systems approach, a complex and large system having interacting components are analyzed and enhanced. Anyone vested with the responsibility of implementation of automation for complicated system is advised to implement a technique similar to the traditional systems approach.
Below described steps are involved in the systems approach:
1. Objectives of the system are determined.
2. Structuring the system & set definable system boundaries.
3. Important components for a system are determined.
4. A thorough study of the components is carried out keeping in view the total integration of the system.
5. Analyzed components are synthesized into the system.
6. On the basis of the performance criteria, preset system is evaluated.
7. For incessant improvement, Step 'b' to Step 'f' is constantly repeated.
No task, yet small, should be tackled without knowledge of the task objective. It is the key ingredient which, while lacking, causes members of the similar team to pull in different directions. In considering factory automation, there could be various possible objectives. One might be to develop the performance of a specific process. After that the boundary conditions would be restricted to that process (in addition to other processes that might be affected by increased output, such as material supply & assembly after production). Another objective may be to minimize cost in a segment of the operation, while a third may be profit maximization; clearly it is rare that such multiple objectives might all be optimized, even though politicians appear to think so when it comes close to election day. While considering moving to a computer integrated manufacturing operation, the objective would probably be related to being competitive, a difficulty that manufacturing plants are having at the micro level & a situation that is almost catastrophic for the nation at the macro level.