Dr KS Nagla,

NITJ-India
Semester VII course ICX-457
Chapter 1 Strategies of Automation System

Today manufacturing Industries want to atomize their processes to increase their productivity to
meet the ever increasing demand in the market. When it is found to be feasible solution for
improved performance, quality and productivity, it is needed to know about the ten strategies that
will give a road map for any manufacturing organization. The 10 points are given below:

Specialization of operations

Combined operations

Simultaneous operations

Integration of operations

Increased flexibility

Improved material handling and storage

Online inspection

Process control and optimization

Plant operations control

Computer Integrated Manufacturing

1. Specialization of operations: Some special purpose machines or equipments are used to

perform particular operation with highest possible efficiency. This is employed to utilize the
specialization of labour and to improve the productivity.

2. Combined operations: Production of parts is obtained in a sequence of operations. Several

processing steps are required for complex parts. Combined operations eliminate or reduce the
processing steps. Just reducing the number of distinct production machines results better.
That is, more than one operation is carried out in a given machine so that number of separate
machines needed is reduced considerably. By this strategies set up time for each machine can
be reduced as much. Apart from this, Ideal time, non operation time, material handling time
and production lead time are also reduced.

3. Simultaneous operations: The operation combined in one particular workstation is carried

out simultaneously to reduce the total processing time. This will result in greater increase in
 productivity. This is very common logical strategies in every industry. Assembly operations
can also be done using this strategy.

4. Integration of operations: Integration means linking several workstations together into a

single integrated mechanism to transfer parts between them by automatic material handling
system. The products are easily scheduled and several parts are processed at a time, thereby
resulting in greater increase in overall output of the system.

5. Increased flexibility: Flexibility plays important role in a manufacturing system. Use of

flexible automation concept is followed here. That when needed variety of products or parts
are processed in a single machine. Here the maximum utilization of equipments is done. The
important and primary objective of this strategy is to reduce setup time as much as possible.
Less work in process can also be achieved.

6. Improved material handling and storage: Automated material handling is adopted for
reducing non-productive time here. Other benefits included are less work in process and
shorter manufacturing lead time.

7. Online inspection: After the process is completed, inspection can be performed for
measuring quality of work. Any poor quality product is found in this strategy and is
processed and again inspected to find improvement on it. Online inspection means that poor
quality product is inspected regularly to eliminate the scrap and overall quality can be
increased.

8. Process control and optimization: A wide range of control scheme is included here to
operate the individual processes and associated equipments. The individual processing time
is reduced by this strategy. Product quality can also be improved.

9. Plant operations control: This is applied in control of plant level whereas previous is
concerned with processes only. The functions of this strategy are to manage and coordinate
the aggregate operations in the plant. A high level computer networking may be incorporated
to do this task.

10. Computer Integrated Manufacturing: Engineering design and business functions are
integrated in this step. This is higher level activity in the above startegies. The extensive use
of computer applications, databases and networking are the parts of this strategy

Conclusion

These 10 strategies constitute a check list on improving the manufacturing system by

automation. Processes are improved and optimized to increase productivity. Multiple
strategies can be implemented in one project. So we can conclude that these points are very
much effective for producing highest level quality product.