AO:3.3 THE FUTURE OF FMS

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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