1.3 THE FUTURE OF FMS

 

• FMS systems which deliver directly into warehouse, and do not require labor

 

• The use of robots that have vision, and tactile sensing to replace human labor

 

• Technology will make 100% inspection feasible. Thus making faster process adjustment possible.

 

• Computer diagnosis will improve estimation of machine failure, and guide work crews repairing failures.

 

• International coordination and control of manufacturing facilities.

 

• Customers have completely custom orders made immediately, and to exact specifications, and at a lower cost

 

• Networks will tend to eliminate the barriers caused by international borders

 

• Standards will be developed which make installation of a new machine trivial

 

• Networking between manufacturers and suppliers will streamline the inventory problems

 

• Marketing will be reduced, as customer desires are met individually, and therefore do not need to be anticipated by research.

 

• Finished goods inventories will fall as individual consumer needs are met directly.

 

• Better management software, hardware, and fixturing techniques will push machine utilization towards 100%

 

• The task of Design and Process Planning will become highly automated, therefore reducing wasted time on repetitious design, and discovering careless mistakes.

 

• Simplification of systems overall - MRP, MPCS, etc.

 

• More front end simulation

 

• Computing power increases - more sophisticated tools