CIM implementation for job-shop environments

Abstract

Abstract. The small to medium-sized job-shop manufacturing industry can benefit most from the implementation of computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) technology, to meet the increasing demand for high-quality and economically priced products. The injection mould making industry is a typical representative for this group, where a manufacturer would generally produce moulds which consist of parts that are standard to every mould type or very similar. Thus, manufacturing techniques, such as group technology (GT), and production planning and control (information) management systems could make significant contributions in improving the efficiency of design and production operations.

The objective of the project, presented in this paper, was the development of a GT-based classification and coding (C/C) system for injection mould parts especially for the design and process planning phases, and the development of a production planning and shop-floor control (SFC) information management system.

An extensive investigation was carried out on existing GT-based C/C systems. This investigation, followed by a thorough examination of many injection mould parts for determining geometric similarities, led to the development of part families (classes) required for GT implementation. An OPITZ-type GT system was developed, thereafter, for the C/C of the manufactured parts of the target company.

The production planning and control software that has been developed for the target company utilizes a relational data base management system. It consists of 13 application programs, which provide a tool of organizing information for efficient production planning and SFC. The programs are designed to cover all manufacturing operations of a job from the proposal to the final testing stage. Shop orders and dispatch lists are created using this software for effective and prioritized SFC. Shop status and job status reports are generated based on feedback information received through time card entries.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

B. BENHABIB

BENSIYON BENHABIB was born in Istanbul, Turkey in 1957. He received a B.Sc. degree from Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey, in 1980, an M.Sc. degree from Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel, in 1982, and a Ph.D. degree from University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, in 1985, all in mechanical engineering. During 1985- 1986 he worked as a research associate in the Robotics and Automation Laboratory, University of Toronto, and since 1986 he has been an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Toronto. His current research interests are in kinematics and control of robotic systems, sensor development and computer integrated manufacturing.