Production techniques and systems

• The development of computers and processors has led to the automation of a lot of areas within manufacturing factories
• Computer-aided design (CAD) allows designers to draw, design and model on screen, and if linked to a compatible machine allows computer-aided manufacture (CAM), i.e. it allows CAD drawings to be made by machine
• CAD even allows products to be designed in one location and made at a factory or location in another part of the country, or anywhere in the world
• CAM can create a faster production process and generally only uses the necessary amount of raw materials
• Opportunities to make parts for all sorts of equipment have been created by the advent of 3D printing
• Small-scale car production is now being developed where all the exterior body parts are 3D printed and assembled
• A flexible manufacturing system (FMS) is a system where production is organised into cells of machines performing different tasks
• A range of computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines are put in each cell, such as an CNC miller and a CNC lathe. The parts that are manufactured in the cell are generally handled by a material handling system that could be a robot arm
• Advantages of flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) are their high flexibility; they can produce different products simultaneously, and they can be set up to produce new products quickly and easily, saving time and effort
• Just in time (JIT) production is a method of organising a factory so that materials and components are ordered to arrive at the product assembly plant just in time for production
• Many companies use JIT systems, such as Nissan, Toyota and Dell
• Just in time (JIT) manufacturing helps create to create less manufacturing, which means it focuses on giving customers value for money by reducing waste
• The advantages of JIT production and lean manufacturing are:

  • A reduced need to keep large stockpiles of components and materials
  • Less space needed to keep stocks of components and materials
  • Smaller numbers of finished products to be stored and put into stock
  • Less waste