AC:1.1.1 The Questions

 

• What? - By adding electronics, sensors, actuators, computers and mechanisms human capabilities can be augmented to improve manufacturing.

 

• Why ? - In many cases there are valid reasons for assisting humans

- tedious work -- consistency required

- dangerous

- tasks are beyond normal human abilities (e.g., weight, time, size, etc)

- economics

 

• When?

 

 

 

AC:1.1.2 Why Bother with Automated Manufacturing?

 

• Without production, a company has nothing of real value to sell.

 

• A company which is poor at production is guaranteed to go out of business eventually.

 

• Competition drives production, and every advantage counts.

 

• Automation can act as valuable weapons against competitors.

 

• Advantages of Automated Manufacturing,

- improved work flow

- reduced handling

- simplification of production

- reduced lead time

- increased moral in workers (after a wise implementation)

- more responsive to quality, and other problems

- etc.