ISLANDS OF AUTOMATION

Islands of automation: Automation may be defined as the process of having machines follow a predetermined Sequence of operations with little or no human labour, Using specialized equipment and devices that perform and control manufacturing processes. If the various ‘islands of automation’ are integrated/interconnected with each other, then the resultant system is known as a computer integrated manufacturing system.

Various ‘islands of automation’ Computer-aided design (CAD), Computer-aided manufacture (CAM), Computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines, Flexible manufacturing systems (FMS), Robotics, Automated material handling systems (AMHS), Group technology (GT), Computer aided process planning (CAPP), Manufacturing resource planning (MRP II) and Computer control systems.

1.COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN: CAD may be defined as any design activity that involves Effective use of the computer to create, modify, or document an engineering design. Elements of cad: Geometric modeling, Design analysis and optimization, Design review and evaluation, Documentation and drafting.

2.COMPUTER AIDED MANUFACTURING: CAM may be defined as an effective use of computers And computer technology in the planning management, and Control of the manufacturing function Application of cam: Manufacturing planning, and Manufacturing control.

3.COMPUTER NUMERICALLY CONTROLLED: CNC may be defined as the NC system that utilizes a dedicated, stored computer program to perform some or all the basic numerical control functions. functions of cnc: Machine tool control, In-process compensation, Improved programming and operating features and Diagnostics.

4.FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS: A flexible manufacturing system (FMS) consists of a Group of processing stations, interconnected by means of an automated handling and storage system, and controlled by an integrated computer system. Components of fms: Workstations, Material handling and storage systems, Computer control system, and Human resources.

5.ROBOTICS: An industrial robot is defined as a reprogrammable, multifunctional manipulator designed to move material, parts, tools, or devices through variable programmed motions to accomplish a variety of tasks. Basic component: Manipulator, End effector, Power supply, and Control system.

6.AUTOMATIC MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM: Material handling may be defined as the functions and systems associated with the transportation, storage and control of materials and parts in the total manufacturing cycle of a product. Types of amhs equipment: Conveyors Cranes and Hoists, Industrial trucks, Monorails and other rail guided vehicles, Automated guided vehicle’s (AGVs), and Industrial robots.

7.GROUP TECHNOLOGY: GT is a manufacturing philosophy to increase production Efficiency by grouping a variety of parts having similarities of shape, dimension, and/or process route. 8.COMPUTER AIDED PROCESS PLANNING (CAPP): Process planning is concerned with selecting methods of production, toolings, fixtures and machinery, sequence of operations and assembly. It involves the preparation and documentation of the plants for manufacturing the products

9.MANUFACTURING RESOURCE PLANNING (MRP II): MRP II system coordinates sales, purchasing, manufacturing, finance and engineering by adopting a focal production plan and by using one unified data base to plan and update the activities in all the systems. 10.COMPUTER CONTROL SYSTEMS: LANs and WANs Barcodes Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) Computer controls