Convenience

automation
The process of
designing work so
that it can be
completely or almost
completely
performed by
machines
466
Part 5:
Controlling
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for miners. Consequently, many workers have lost their jobs, and the industry has not
been able to absorb them. In contrast, in the electronics industry, the rising demand for
products has led to increasing employment opportunities despite the use of automation.
7
Computer-Assisted Manufacturing
Current extensions of automation generally
revolve around
computer-assisted manufacturing
—a technology that relies on compu-
ters to design or manufacture products. One type of computer-assisted manufacturing is
computer-aided design
(CAD)—the use of computers to design parts and complete
products and to simulate performance so that prototypes need not be constructed.
Boeing uses CAD technology to study hydraulic tubing in its commercial aircraft. Japan’s
automotive industry uses CAD to speed up car design. GE used CAD to change the
design of circuit breakers, and Benetton uses CAD to design new styles and products.
Oneida, the table flatware firm, uses CAD to design new flatware patterns; for example,
it can design a new spoon in a single day. CAD is usually combined with
computer-aided
manufacturing
(CAM) to ensure that the design moves smoothly to production. The
production computer shares the design computer’s information and is able to have
machines with the proper settings ready when production is needed. A CAM system is
especially useful when reorders come in because the computer can quickly produce the
desired product, prepare labels and copies of orders, and send the product out to where
it is wanted.
Closely aligned with this approach is
computer-integrated manufacturing
(CIM). In
CIM, CAD and CAM are linked together, and computer networks automatically adjust
machine placements and settings to enhance both the complexity and the flexibility of
scheduling. In settings that use these technologies, all manufacturing activities are
controlled by the computer network. Because the network can access the company’s
other information systems, CIM is both a powerful and a complex management
control tool.
Detects high
temperature
(
information
)
furnace
(
control
)
Detects low
temperature
(
information
)
Turns on
furnace
(
control
)