Coined at Ford Motor Company in 1945 to describe a logical development in technical progress where automatic handling between machines

es is combined with continuous processing at machines

It is the technology concerned with the application of complex mechanical, electronic and computer based systems in the operation and control of production.

Examples are Automatic Materials Handling System Feedback Control Systems Computer Process Control Systems

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

To increase labor productivity To reduce labor cost To mitigate the effects of labor shortages To reduce or remove routine manual and clerical tasks To improve worker safety To improve product quality To reduce manufacturing lead time To accomplish what cannot be done manually To avoid the high cost of not automating

Functional Group

Technology Numerically Controlled (N/C) Machines CNC DNC Robotics Flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) Automated storage and Retrieval system (AS/RS) Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) Computer-Aided Design/Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) Automatic Identification Systems (AIS)

Processing, Fabrication and Assembly

Automated Material Handling

Design and Engineering

Inspection and Communications

Numerical control (NC) refers to the automation of machine tools that are operated by abstractly programmed commands encoded on a storage medium, as opposed to manually controlled via hand wheels or levers, or mechanically automated via cams alone. Form of flexible (programmable) automation in which the process is controlled by numbers, letters, and symbols.

The EIA definition of computer numerical control (CNC).

A numerical control system wherein a dedicated, stored program computer is used to perform some or all of the basic numerical control functions in accordance with control programs stored in the read-write memory of the computer.

The first benefit offered by all forms of CNC machine tools is improved automation The second major benefit of CNC technology is consistent and accurate workpieces A third benefit offered by most forms of CNC machine tools is flexibilityjust a change of variable is required.

 In DNC, several NC machines are directly controlled by a computer, eliminating substantial hardware from the individual controller of each machine tool. If the computer is connected to a number of machines it can distribute programs to different machines as required. Usually, the manufacturer of the control provides suitable DNC software. The part-program is downloaded to the machines directly (thus omitting the tape reader) from the computer memory.

It consists of a variety of computer-controlled methods for automatically placing and retrieving loads from specific storage locations It is used in manufacturing, distribution, retail, wholesale and institutions It is typically used in applications where:
there is a very high volume of loads being moved into and out of storage storage density is important because of space constraints accuracy is critical because of potential expensive damages to the load

The traditional vending machine is the most common and familiar AS/RS system

Single masted Fixed Aisle

AS/RS Double masted

Carousels/Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs)

Man-aboard

Increased inventory control and tracking Savings in inventory storage costs Improved warehouse space utilization, both vertically and horizontally Creates greater storage density Reduced labor costs Increasing workplace safety Removing personnel from difficult working conditions Eg : Cold food storage environments

It is a mobile robot that follows markers or wires in the floor, or uses vision or lasers They are most often used in industrial applications to move materials around a manufacturing facility or a warehouse They increase efficiency and reduce costs by helping to automate a manufacturing facility or warehouse In an automated process, AGVs are programmed to communicate (via an offboard server) with other robots to ensure the product is moved smoothly through the warehouse, whether it is being stored for future use or sent directly to shipping areas

It is the manufacturing approach of using computers to control the entire production process This integration allows individual processes to exchange information with each other and initiate actions Through the integration of computers, manufacturing can be faster and less error-prone

CIM implies that there are at least two computers exchanging information, e.g. the controller of an arm robot and a micro-controller of a CNC machine

As with all systems, CIM too has its challenges to be solved

Integration of components from different suppliers:
When different machines, such as CNC, conveyors and robots, are using different communications protocols

Data integrity:
The higher the degree of automation, the more critical is the integrity of the data used to control the machines

Process control:
Computers may be used to assist the human operators of the manufacturing facility, but there must always be a competent engineer on hand to handle circumstances which could not be foreseen by the designers of the control software

Use of computer systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, and optimization of a design Typical tools:
Tolerance analysis Mass property calculations Finite-element modeling and visualization

Defines the geometry of the design

Use of computer systems to plan, manage, and control manufacturing operations Direct or indirect computer interface with the plants production resources Numerical control of machine tools Programming of robots

Major component is hardware and software allowing shape manipulation Hardware includes graphic devices and their peripherals for input and output operations Software includes packages that manipulate or analyze shapes according to user interaction

 Sense

and input data into computers

Use

bar codes, radio frequencies, magnetic stripes, optical character recognition, machine vision

Data

read from products, documents, parts, and containers

in warehouses, factory floors, retailing, wholesaling

Used

Better Inventory Management Increased Throughput and Productivity Shorter Order Cycles Faster Shipping Reduced Labor cost Increased Revenue

Robotics: Robotics is the science and technology of Robots, their design, manufacture, and application. An Industrial robot is a general-purpose, programmable machine possessing certain anthropomorphic characteristics. A robot can be programmed to perform of a sequence of repetitive tasks, which will be performed until the robot is reprogrammed to perform some other motion cycle.

Parts handling
Pick and Place jobs

Machine loading and unloading

Production equipment Metal-cutting machine tools

Spray Painting
Spray paint nozzle attached to the robots arm

Welding Spot Welding Continuous welding

Assembly Extension of pick-and-place motions