Article: Formation of a generic technique for manufacturing systems monitoring Journal: International Journal of Technology Management (IJTM) 2007 Vol.38 No.4 pp.392 - 423 Abstract: To enhance resources utilisations, dispersed manufacturing systems are getting popular presently. With such systems, the connections among worldwide-dispersed activities are often made by telephones, emails and facsimiles, etc. to overcome some geographical barriers. It is very clear that knowledge of fabrication status is very important to a world-class manufacturer because fluctuations in fabrication processes can directly affect other operations, as most operations are interknitted in someway. Traditionally, computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) techniques have been applied; however, the complicated hardware/software integrations and signal conditioning requirements digest a significant amount of resources. The objective of this research is to develop a new methodology, which needs little configurations, by making use of simple counting devices attached at transition points along a fabrication line to count the number of entities that have passed. With the help of the formulated mathematical model, both the quantitative and the qualitative matters in a manufacturing system can be monitored. A problematic location can then be identified accordingly. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Formation of a generic technique for manufacturing systems monitoring

Authors: C.S. Tang, C.Y. Chan, K.L. Yung

Addresses: Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. ' Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. ' Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Abstract: To enhance resources utilisations, dispersed manufacturing systems are getting popular presently. With such systems, the connections among worldwide-dispersed activities are often made by telephones, emails and facsimiles, etc. to overcome some geographical barriers. It is very clear that knowledge of fabrication status is very important to a world-class manufacturer because fluctuations in fabrication processes can directly affect other operations, as most operations are interknitted in someway. Traditionally, computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) techniques have been applied; however, the complicated hardware/software integrations and signal conditioning requirements digest a significant amount of resources. The objective of this research is to develop a new methodology, which needs little configurations, by making use of simple counting devices attached at transition points along a fabrication line to count the number of entities that have passed. With the help of the formulated mathematical model, both the quantitative and the qualitative matters in a manufacturing system can be monitored. A problematic location can then be identified accordingly.

Keywords: computer integrated manufacturing; CIM; dispersed manufacturing systems; manufacturing systems monitoring; distributed manufacturing; material flow.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2007.013408

International Journal of Technology Management, 2007 Vol.38 No.4, pp.392 - 423

Published online: 26 Apr 2007 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article

Title: Formation of a generic technique for manufacturing systems monitoring

Keep up-to-date