To discuss automation of discrete manufacturing we need to breakdown production into its components:
a. Design: Buzz words - CAD, computer assisted design; CAE, computer assisted engineering
b. Parts manufacture: The buzz word here is flexible manufacturing systems, FMS. It is very important for the student to realize that a FMS is really a computer controlled machine shop and is not a complete automated manufacturing plant.
c. Parts coordination: To assemble a durable good you must get the right part to the right place at the right time. When you consider that auto production, etc, involves tens of thousands of parts this is no easy matter.
d. Quality control To reduce waste, inventory of parts and work-in-progress, it is necessary to greatly improve quality in all aspects of the manufacturing process. The result is a high quality product.
e. Assembly: Here we are talking about the assembly line. To automate assembly requires much more than replacing people with robots. Efficient use of robots usually requires a complete reorganization of production.
f. Integration: Buzz word - CIM, computer integrated manufacturing. Currently automation is proceeding piecemeal in each area. Advances in computation and communications provide the building blocks. Integration of the steps into fully automated production will take time. The various steps have incompatible standards so communication is difficult.
g. Reorganization Innovation in manufacturing is much more than simply substituting machines and software for humans in the production process. As automation advances, firms must also constantly innovate by reorganizing their human-machine production process to achieve an edge in international competition.
Now let us consider each step of discrete manufacturing automation in detail.