Introduction to Basic Manufacturing Processes and ... - always yours

8 Introduction to Basic Manufacturing Processes and Workshop Technology
perform and control the manufacturing process. Automation is a word that has many meanings
in the industry today. Automatic machines of all kinds existed long before the term automation
was conceived. But, it should be noted that all automatic machines do not come under the
category of automation. Automation is a technology concerned with the application mechanical,
electronic, and computer based systems to operate and control production.
Every machine should involve some automation, may be to a lesser degree or to a higher
extent to which is mainly governed by economic considerations. Automation means a system
in which many or all of the processes in the production, movement, and inspection of parts
and material are performed under control by the self-operating devices called controllers. This
implies that the essential elements of automation comprise of mechanization, sensing, feedback,
and control devices. The reasons why one should go for automation are:
1. Increased productivity
2. Reduced cost of labor and dependence on labor shortages
3. Improved quality
4. Reduced in-process inventory
5. Reduced manufacturing time
6. Reduced dependence on operator skills
7. Increased safety or reduced risk of humans.
Automation can be classified into three categories, viz.
1. Fixed automation
2. Programmable automation
3. Flexible automation.
1.10.1 Fixed Automation
It is also known as hard automation which is utilized to produce a standardized product such
as gears, nuts and bolts, etc. Even though the operating conditions can be changed, fixed
automation is used for very large quantity production of one or few marginally different
components. Highly specialized tools, devices, equipment, special purpose machine tools, are
utilized to produce a product or a component of a product very efficiently and at high production
rates with as low unit costs as possible relative to other alternative methods of manufacturing.
1.10.2 Programmable Automation
In programmable automation, one can change the design of the product or even change the
product by changing the program. Such technique is highly useful for the low quantity
production of large number of different components. The equipments used for the manufacturing
are designed to be flexible or programmable. The production normally carried out in batches.
1.10.3 Flexible Automation
There is a third category possible between fixed automation and programmable automation
that is called flexible automation using Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided
Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) activities. This is also called as flexible manufacturing system
(FMS). It allows producing different products on the same equipment in any order or mix. One
important example of programmable automation, in discrete manufacturing, is numerical
control. Robot is another example of programmable automation. Robot being integral part of