Strategic integrated manufacturing systems: the concept and structures

Network technology plays a vital role in integrating manufacturing facilities and controlling production information flows. A computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) system with different production characteristics, e.g., production throughput rate and the amount of process infonnation, should be facilitated with a network protocol that meets the individual CIM system's requirements. PEO-NET, a Production-Efficiency-Oriented Network Evaluation Tool, is developed in this paper which adopts network efficiency (Esys), an improved practical perfonnance evaluation index, as the decision criteria while determining the installation suitability of the tentative network protocol. In order to achieve greater portability and flexibility, PEO-NET is designed with three replaceable modules: 1) the CIM system configuration module for defining the configuration of a CIM system as well as its production requirements, 2) the industrial network protocol simulation module for predicting the production communication behavior under different network protocols, and 3) the network perfonnance analysis module for generating the network efficiency significance decision table. Simulations are also perfonned to demonstrate how PEO-NET is facilitated as a decision support tool for selecting a feasible network protocol for both job shop and flow shop production environment with two major LAN (Local Area Network) protocols: Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) and Token Passing Bus, respectively.

New jobs regeneration methods for computer integrated manufacturing environment

The authors concentrate on integrating the data stored in various databases, i.e. the problems of data distribution and data actualization. A detailed discussion of a sample CIM (computer integrated manufacturing) application is given. This sample application shows that data distribution in CIM systems is necessary and that a synchronous update of replicated data is not always sufficient. A mechanism to describe the distribution of various data partitions and their relationship in the sense of the exchange of data modifications (data actualizations) is presented. Additionally, the sample application shows that CIM systems not only have to manage data but also the processes or programs which use the data. >

Present trends and issues in Japanese manufacturing and management

The economic justification of the sequential adoption of a new manufacturing system

Drawing on a strategic fit perspective in international marketing, this study explores how macroenvironmental factors—cultural dimensions and globalization forces—affect the relationship between product diversification and market value of large international firms. The author hypothesizes that (1) the four dimensions of culture (individualism–collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, power distance, and masculinity–femininity) significantly affect product diversification and (2) economic and social globalization positively moderate the relationship between product diversification and market value of large international firms. The author empirically examines the hypothesized relationships using a sample of 485 firm-year observations from 17 countries for the period between 2006 and 2009. Using the hierarchical linear modeling technique, the author demonstrates that firms in countries with cultures characterized by high uncertainty avoidance and low power distance have a higher degree of product diversification, and product diversification in turn has a significant positive impact on firm market value. Furthermore, the author demonstrates that economic and social globalization, as indicated by actual flows, personal contacts, and information flows, positively moderates the relationship between product diversification and market value of large international firms.

A small or local computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) system that makes products in a shorter time and with small inventory was implemented. With this experience, a local CIM software package was developed for OMRON factories, and there are now 21 local CIM systems in the OMRON group. The hardware and software of local CIM systems are described.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the implementation of computer integrated manufacturing (CIM). Since many manufacturing organisations compete in international markets, a company strategy should be justified before making any major advanced technology-related investment decisions. The bottleneck for realising CIM systems in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is often the lack of inhouse knowledge about how to design a CIM system and how to implement the existing technological components to improve the manufacturing performance. It is necessary to develop a framework for the design and implementation of CIM in SMEs. The literature on the design and implementation of CIM is reviewed, a framework for the design and implementation of CIM in SMEs is developed, and a case study is conducted which involves collecting and analysing data from a small company * , Company A, to develop a practical framework for the implementation of CIM in SMEs.

On the formal specification and verification of CIM architectures using LOTOS

Existing family firm research has focused on the linkage between family firms and the levels of product and geographic diversification. In this study, we examine factors that influence when family firms diversify across both product and geographic markets. Specifically, we adopt a behavioral theory perspective to derive our hypotheses. We explore how the business risk associated with product and international diversification influences the diversification strategies of family firms. We then examine how these relationships are moderated by the firm’s performance relative to target, threat of bankruptcy and organizational slack. Our hypotheses are tested on a sample of 314 S&P 500 firms from 2003-2006. Our findings show a marginal positive relationship between family firms and product diversification, and a strong negative relationship between family firms and international diversification. Furthermore, performance relative to aspirations and potential slack moderate the link between family firms and international diversification.

The consumer market ever more calls for diversified products in small batches and the industry lacks production systems that meet the demands with efficiency and ability to adapt quickly. Integrated manufacturing systems implemented have their management for programmable logic controllers and electrical interconnections, control logic and satisfactory robustness, but they do not attend the needs of diversity and flexibility in production. The solutions to these needs refer the company to migrate to the use of new technologies of control, circuit and logic. But, for an industry migrates is a very big and expensive step. Then, there is an urgent need for methods that implement the interface between logic controllers and multi-agent systems in order to evolve an integrated manufacturing system taking advantage of all electrical circuitry, control logic and the logic controller that installs itself, taking advantage of the self-adapting characteristics that the multi-agent systems provide.

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play an increasingly important role in all aspects of competitiveness e.g. for both products and production techniques, but also management methods, the organisation of the firm and human resource training. Obtaining and, just as importantly, mastering scientific and technological information is therefore essential to competitiveness of all SMEs. During the last two decades, several factors have forced global manufacturers to make dramatic changes in their products, markets, and manufacturing strategies. One of the ways by which SMEs can achieve a competitive advantage in manufacturing is through the implementation of computer integrated manufacturing (CIM). Realising the importance of SMEs, an attempt has been made in this paper to study the implementation of CIM in SMEs. First, the characteristics of CIM have been studied with reference to the application and infrastructure of SMEs. Secondly, a framework has been presented for the implementation of CIM in SMEs with the help of a conceptual model. Finally, future research directions on CIM in SMEs are indicated.

The growth of the Japanese steel industry has been supported by three factors: operation, equipment, and management technology. Computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) is the core of management technology. CIM's purpose is to improve production efficiency through computer integration of data covering the staff (design and production control) and management department as well as the production line process department (order entry, manufacturing, and shipment). In this paper, an overview of the Japanese steel industry's system development process is given and the steps taken in order to establish the CIM system are described. The organization, operation, and improvement of operational capability, along with marketing and production-related systems, are integrated. Furthermore, an integrated system model is given as a CIM conceptual model. In closing, reference is also made to the challenges facing CIM in the Japanese steel industry as well as future directions to be taken.

A significant effort in recent computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) development was carried out by SEMATECH who had laid out and created an open framework for the integration of manufacturing execution system applications running in semiconductor industries at the factory operation level. This paper presents the feasibility to incorporate basic manufacturing applications at the factory engineering level, which include product design, process planning, and material requirement planning, into the SEMATECH CIM framework to form a generic framework across both factory operation level and factory engineering level. The CIM framework established in this paper was aimed to provide a reusable integrated system framework that clearly specifies the functional interface boundaries and standard information model of the required components, in general, manufacturing systems at both factory operation and factory engineering levels. Standard unified modeling language (UML) diagrams and Petri nets have been utilized to model and analyze the specifications and dynamic behaviors of this generic CIM framework. The goal is to build a framework by creating a common, modular, flexible, and integrated object model that unifies an advanced object-oriented architecture concept and heterogeneous manufacturing application development in an open and multisupplier CIM system environment.

The application of computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) to one-of-a-kind heavy engineering industries is one of today's most challenging tasks for industry and information technology (IT) vendors. Because of the complexity of the shipbuilding process, as a typical representative of this kind of industry, available solutions are not yet satisfactory. Even the basic theory of current CIM systems does not fit many aspects of requirements for the shipbuilding industry. The application of CIM tools, which are based on ideas of line production and have a strict sequence for all tasks, has very often failed in the past, mainly because of a lack of flexibility. Therefore, basic work needs to be performed, starting with a detailed analysis of today's situation and leading to a careful development for the real requirements of tomorrow. This paper deals with the problems resulting from the exceptional nature of shipbuilding for the application of CIM elements. The approach chosen for modeling of the production process, illustrated by some examples from actual research and development (R + D) projects, is described. An evaluation of the benefit of structured shipyard modeling and a look at complementary R + D actions conclude the paper.