2) The Role of Computer in Manufacturing

The Role of Computer in Manufacturing
The role of computer in manufacturing broadly classified into following two

groups:
1. Computer monitoring and control of the manufacturing process;
2. Manufacturing support application: deals essentially with the preparation
for actual manufacturing and post manufacturing process.
Today, computers are not only used in manufacturing but they play also an
important role in all manufacturing related activities such as business or financial
management, factory level production management, CIM technologies, CAD,
feature and solid modeling, CAM, manufacturing information, manufacturing
system. The important sub-activities of industrial environment have been
identified to support with the use of computer in the manufacturing industries.
These are given as under:
1. Business or Financial Management
i. Costing
ii. Sales and Marketing
iii. Purchase Order Control
iv. Vendors
v. Subcontracting
vi. Personnel.
2. Factory Level Production management
i. Planning
ii. Production Management
iii. Manufacturing production scheduling (MPS)
iv. Material requirement planning (MRP)
v. Just in time (JIT)
vi. Bill of Materials
vii. Capacity Planning
viii. Inventory Control.
3. CIM Technologies
i. Computer Networks
ii. System Design and Analysis
iii. Distributed Processing
iv. Database Management Manufacturing
v. Modeling and Simulation
vi. Expert Systems
vii. Quality Engineering.
4. Computer Aided Design (CAD)
a. Variation and Parametric

b. Modeling
c. Computer Graphics
d. Graphic Standards
e. Inter-graphics exchange specification (IGES)
f. Data exchange file (DXF)
g. Manufacturing Robot Programming
h. Design Analyses Tools
i. Programming
j. Finite element modeling (FEM)
k. Finite element analysis (FEA)
l. Simulation
m. Mechanisms
n. Test and Analysis
o. Design Tools Mechanical
p. Hydraulic, Electronics, etc.
5. Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM)
This involves activities related to manufacturing information and manufacturing system which
are given as under Manufacturing Information
i. Generation
ii. Process Planning
iii. Production Planning
iv. Computer numerical control (CNC) part Programming
v. Robot Programming
vi. Coordinate measuring machine (CMM) Programming.
6. Manufacturing System
i. Production Activity
ii. Machining
iii. Assembly
iv. Material Handling
v. Storage
vi. Production Control
vii. Loading
viii. Scheduling
ix. Balancing
x. Capacity Planning
xi. Quality Control.
Computer Aided Design (CAD)
CAD is the use of computer systems to assist in the creation, modification,
analysis, or optimization of a design.
Advantages of CAD
 increase the productivity of the designer,
 improve the quality of design,
 improve communications through documentation, and
 to create a database for manufacturing.
CAD is used to create or modify designs. The final design can then be digitally
printed, or the information sent directly to cutting machines. Here, pattern
pieces are designed on the computer and then printed.
We should not confuse CAD only with drawings. CAD covers many aspects of
designing like design calculations, data analysis and simulations. Commonly
used software used for CAD is AUTO CAD, MSVISIO, Smart Draw etc.
Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM)

CAM is a term that denotes the computerized control of manufacturing process. Its
primary purpose is to create a faster production process and components and
tooling with more precise dimensions and material consistency, which in some
cases, uses only the required amount of raw material (thus minimizing waste),
while simultaneously reducing energy consumption.
Advantages of CAM
i. to plan, simulate and control the manufacture of a product

ii. it enables cost reductions
iii. it increases cycle times
iv. it improves quality assurance
Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM)
CIM refers to the use of computer-controlled machineries and automation
systems in manufacturing products. CIM combines various technologies like
computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) to
provide an error-free manufacturing process that reduces manual labor and
automates repetitive tasks.
CIM is a manufacturing approach that provides a complete automation of a

manufacturing facility. It is a combination of different applications and
technologies like CAD, CAM, Computer Aided Engineering, robotics,
manufacturing resource planning and enterprise management solutions. It can also
be considered as an integration of all enterprise operations that work with a
common data repository.
The major components of CIM are as follows:
 Data storage, retrieval, manipulation and presentation mechanisms

 Real-time sensors for sensing the current state and for modifying processes
 Data processing algorithms
Companies that use CIM are able to design a product in one country and
manufacture it overseas where labour costs are lower.
Differences between CAD, CAM & CIM?
CAD/CAM involves the use of computers to make Design and Manufacturing

more profitable.
 Parts of CIM uses CAD/CAM techniques and products to try and make
the factory fully connected using computers.
 The essential difference is CAD/CAM provides the tools; CIM is the
philosophy which is used when organizing the computers, programs, etc.
and all the information that flows between them.
 Another way to think of CIM is that it allows the structure of an
organization to be entered into the computers.
 CIM focuses on connecting the various CAD/CAM modules.

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The Role of Computer in Manufacturing

The role of computer in manufacturing broadly classified into following two

2. Factory Level Production management

4. Computer Aided Design (CAD)

a. Variation and Parametric

5. Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM)

Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM)

i. to plan, simulate and control the manufacture of a product

CIM is a manufacturing approach that provides a complete automation of a

The major components of CIM are as follows:

 Data storage, retrieval, manipulation and presentation mechanisms

Differences between CAD, CAM & CIM?

CAD/CAM involves the use of computers to make Design and Manufacturing

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