Linking manufacturing strategy to the design of a customized hybrid production control system

In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to manufacturing strategy. Considerable work has been done in defining market-driven competitive priorities as part of manufacturing strategy and linking them to ‘structural’ decision areas. Linkage to ‘infrastructural’ decision areas like Production Control Systems (PCS) is found to be inadequately researched. This paper presents a three-staged approach which links manufacturing strategy to PCS. First, the PCS environment is described using three dimensions of: competitive priorities, product complexity and process complexity. The environment defined in the first stage is then used to select the appropriate level of multi-level ‘decision variables’ which fully define a PCS in Stage 2. In the third stage, the set of selected levels for each of the decision variables, which form the guidelines for detailed PCS design, are then integrated into a hybrid PCS customised to the manufacturing strategy of the firm. This approach to PCS design was then tested at several firms and was found to be useful for identifying the inconsistencies between existing PCS and the manufacturing environment and strategy.     

An investigation into the implementation of computer integrated manufacturing in small and medium enterprises

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.     

Adoption of automation systems and strategy choices for Hong Kong apparel practitioners

Recent developments from the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and other international trade agreements have forced industries worldwide to face a new era of intense competition. The clothing industry sector, which has played a pivotal role in industrial development in Hong Kong, faces challenges from continued global economic restructuring and the accession of China to the WTO. Apparel manufacturers and trading firms need to review their competitive priorities and develop new business and manufacturing practices and strategies to compete. This paper presents the key findings of a recent study on the adoption of automation systems and strategy choices and discusses their relevance to the transformation of the apparel operations and businesses in Hong Kong. Two models namely, for integrated apparel business manufacture and for an apparel sourcing and coordination centre, are devised.     

Taguchi and Gauss elimination method: A dual response approach for parametric optimization of CNC wire cut EDM of PRAlSiCMMC

Machining parameters tables provided by the machine tool manufacturers often do not meet the operator requirements and sometimes even do not provide efficient guidelines to manufacturing engineers. Hence, a suitable selection of machining parameters of CNC wire cut electrical discharge machining (EDM) process is necessary. This paper present a reliable set of parameters that demonstrate versatility, and numerous and diverse range based on experience and technology. We offer an experimental investigation to determine the parameters setting during the machining of aluminium-reinforced silicon carbide metal matrix composite (Al/SiC-MMC). The Taguchi method, a powerful tool for experimental design, is used to optimize the CNC-wire cut-EDM parameters. According to the Taguchi quality design Concept, a L₁₈ (2¹×3⁷) mixed orthogonal array was used to determine the S/N ratio, and an analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the F-test values were used to indicate the significant machining parameters affecting the machining performance. From experimental results and through ANOVA and F-test values, the significant factors are determined for each machining performance criteria, such as the metal removal rate, surface roughness, gap current and spark gap (gap width). Considering these significant CNC wire cut-EDM parameters, verification of the improvement in the quality characteristics for machining Al/SiC-MMC was made with a confirmation test with respect to the chosen initial or reference parameter setting. Mathematical models relating to the machining performance are established using the Gauss elimination method for the effective machining of Al/SiC-MMC. Yet again, confirmation test results also show that the developed mathematical models are appropriate for the effective machining of Al/SiC-MMC. The determined optimal combination of CNC-wire cut-EDM parameters obtained from the study satisfy the real requirement of quality machining of Al/SiC MMC in practice.     

数控技术对机械制造业的影响与对策

重点分析机床数控技术普及的原因、特征及其对机械制造业的实际影响,指出相关企业风险与机遇并存的现状。针对数控机床普及的趋势,提出了转变观念、加快装备技术改造、储备数控人才和组建合理的生产模式等主张,对指导机械制造业良性发展具有实际意义。     

机械模具制造中数控加工技术的有效性应用分析

现如今,随着我国科学技术水平的提升,机械模具数控加工制造技术也得到了快速的发展,在这种情况下开展机械制造时,也提高了对其他多个方面的要求,比如行面复杂度、结构繁琐度等,总体来说,机械模具数控加工技术在整个模具制造过程中发挥了非常重要的作用,因此,为了能够进一步提高数控加工技术在机械模具制造中的应用效果,本文特对数控加工技术在机械模具制造中的有效应用进行分析,仅供参考。     

基于模块化的产业群集成制造研究

信息与网络技术的发展使产品制造呈模块化趋势,而模块化的企业以集群的方式形成了它特定的制造优势。本文运用模块化理论对产业群进行了模块化分析与评估,认为产业群是模块化与集成化的统一,是一种动态平衡;基于模块化的集成制造提高了产业群制造柔性及其企业的竞争力;实现产业群的集成制造就是在界面约束因子与柔性因子之间找到动态的平衡。     

Use of CNC and alternative methods of work organization

Since the introduction of NC technology for manufacturing systems nearly 40 years ago, technological progress has offered an increasingly wide scope for the organization of work with NC machines. Formerly, hardwired NC controllers largely required programming away from the shopfloor, whereas modern CNC technology can be operated with various types of shopfloor programming. With regard to a number of surveys carried out in the German mechanical engineering industry in recent years, different forms of work organizations with CNC machine tools can be seen. One can roughly differentiate between ‘centralistic’ and ‘shopfloor-oriented’ strategies. The reasons for alternative forms of work organization can be found first in technical and economic factors, and second, the type of work organization selected by firms for the use of CNC machine tools is to a large extent determined by social and political factors.     

基于绩效激励机制的数控机床人机交互系统创新设计

在中国制造业转型背景下,为了提高数控机床一线操作工人的工作绩效表现以及正面的心理情绪,设计了一种基于绩效激励机制的数控机床人机交互系统,作为一种创新的企业人力资源管理方法。为了实现该系统设计,提出了相应的系统结构设计策略。该系统通过网络技术联结了数控机床、上位机、云端平台以及移动客户端四个组成部分,对数控机床操作工人的各项生产过程数据进行计算与比较,利用实时的视觉反馈方式传递给相应的工人用户以及管理层用户。为了测试该系统的有效性,在两个制造业工厂内进行实验,结果表明,该系统使参与者的工作动机、工作满意度以及工作绩效表现有显著提升。     

Advanced manufacturing techniques and information technology adoption in India: A current perspective and some comparisons

This paper explores the issues of measurement and comparison of the current state of advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) adoption in India, including important information technology (IT) factors, and, surprisingly, this appears to be the first such attempt. For a worldwide perspective, comparison is made between Indian firms, firms in a developed country (Canada), and in a developing country (China). Contrary to expectation, the average score of AMT adoption degree of Indian companies in our survey is higher than that of all Canadian companies (when unadjusted for size) and of Chinese companies in one of the highly industrialized regions of China as measured in other surveys. While this suggests considerable strength of the Indian manufacturing sector, there should be further evaluation by other studies in this area to refine and develop these results. This study finds the top six AMTs currently adopted in India are plant certification, computer aided design, local area network, quality circle, MRP/ERP, and wide area network. Clearly four of these top six are directly in the IT area (CAD, LAN, WAN) or directly dependent on it (MRP/ERP systems), indicating a strong IT adoption rate as well as its underlying supportive role in the overall AMT adoption in India. The comparison between Indian firms and Canadian firms indicates that Indian firms adopted computer networks less and MRP/ERP and rapid prototyping systems more. Tests in our survey also reinforce the hypothesis that larger companies are more likely to adopt AMT than the smaller ones.     

技术转移对我国制造业企业创新绩效的影响

分别对高新技术企业与一般工业企业、大型企业与中小型企业进行了对比分析，发现高新技术企业比一般工业企业更有吸收能力，而技术转移对中小企业的影响比大型企业大。对参与技术转移及未参与技术转移的制造业企业进行了比较研究，结果证明有技术转移行为的企业具有更优的创新绩效。     

数控机床机械结构设计和制造技术的创新研究

随着科学技术水平的不断提高,我国的机械工业也得到了前所未有的进步和发展。但是随着市场更新换代的加速,机械工业也在不断的创新和完善中。为了更好的满足于市场的需求,提高数控机床的应用性能和价值,需要对数控机床机械结构和制造技术进行不断的完善和创新,借助于科学技术来设计更好的机械结构,提高生产制造效率,为推动我国生产制造业的发展提供保障。基于此,本文针对数控机床机械结构设计和制造技术的创新进行了分析和讨论,希望可以为今后数控机床的发展和进步提供一些有价值的参考。     

Web-based distributed manufacturing control systems

With the evolution of the application of web technology, agent-based manufacturing systems can be both easily implemented and become a potential approach for modern manufacturing enterprises. In this paper, we present problems and models required for the development of web-based distributed manufacturing control systems. The specific objectives are: (1) to propose an appropriate architecture for a web-based distributed manufacturing control system, (2) to define the specification of a web-based cell controller, (3) to design the co-operative mechanisms, contract net protocol, for better system performance, (4) to upgrade the communication capability of existing CNC machines from RS232C to TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) based on Ethernet .To demonstrate the proposed development, prototype software based on ASP and VB programming was designed and implemented. As a result, not only is a great amount of time saved in the development of web-based manufacturing control software, but this development can also enhance the competitive capability of companies trying to operate on a flexible basis.     

基于综合评价体系的五轴数控机床加工性能评价和误差溯源方法

五轴数控机床的加工性能在制造行业一直是研究的热点,基于检验试件切削是常见的测评方法,然而试件和机床之间的映射关系难以确定,出现误差后如何调整精度成为难点。为了科学对其评价,通过仿真平台建立了机床控制系统参数与五轴机床检验试件——S试件加工误差之间的映射关系,引入机床各轴分类评价的隶属度,此基础上开发了误差溯源的综合评价体系,由三坐标测量机得到的S件轮廓误差数据反求出机床的加工性能等级和较差的轴类控制参数,并制订了基于S试件的机床加工精度测评规范,最后通过某五轴AB摆数控机床的切削试验,验证了方法的有效性。该成果有助于解决我国高端制造业长期缺乏机床性能测评的共性技术问题,具有重要的应用前景和经济价值。     

数控机床发展趋势及发展策略分析

数控机床的精密程度和操作效率对整个制造业具有深远的影响,并且数控技术的自动化和智能化也是制造业未来发展的新风向.数控加工技术提高了我国制造业的发展,但是相比于西方先进国家的数控机床技术,我国数控机床在设计和制造方面还存在着一定的差距,本文对数控机床的发展现状和存在的问题进行详细的分析,并就数控机床技术未来的发展趋势以及...     

Intelligent Machine Tools in a Distributed Network Manufacturing Mode Environment

Manufacturing enterprises are facing serious challenges and pressures from the growing globalisation of the economy and the market as well as from the rapid developments of science and technology. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially, have to reform their traditional manufacturing methods by using advanced technologies, particularly by applying information technology (IT) to succeed in the increasingly intense competition for markets. Thus, it is of great importance for them to accept the concept of agile manufacturing. For this purpose, the concept of distributed network manufacturing mode (DNMM) is outlined in this paper. In DNMM, research is concentrated on enhancing the intelligence of conventional numerical control (NC) machine tools and their ability to communicate and coordinate with the outside world. The experimental results of the distributed network manufacturing prototype system (DNMPS) show that the concept of the DNMM is correct and feasible. Moreover, the intelligent CNC system developed enhances the ability of the conventional NC milling machine to improve machining efficiency and quality, and protect the cutting tool. The capability for communicating and collaborating are improved for system integration, resource-sharing and cooperation.     

Cloud manufacturing service platform for small- and medium-sized enterprises

In order to address the key problems faced by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), existing solutions and shortcomings were analyzed. The possibilities by using the new emerged technologies and theories (e.g., cloud computing, internet of things, service-oriented technology) to solve the bottlenecks faced by SMEs are investigated. The idea of manufacturing resource and capability sharing based on cloud computing for SME is discussed, and an SME-oriented cloud manufacturing service platform (SME-CMfgSP) is introduced. The architecture of SME-CMfgSP is proposed, and the key technologies for implementing SME-CMfgSP are introduced in details. The challenges for implementing cloud manufacturing service platform for SMEs were discussed. A case study is described to illustrate the application of the proposed SME-CMfgSP.     

机床关键零件数控加工研究

从机床制造业发展需要及数控加工出发,分析了我国目前机床关键零件的制造技术现状,针对机床制造中关键零件存在实际情况,确定用数控加工制造来改进机床关键零件制造技术,对于机床关键零件数控加工制造具有推广意义。     

Shared and service-oriented CNC machining system for intelligent manufacturing process

To improve efficiency, reduce cost, ensure quality effectively, researchers on CNC machining have focused on virtual machine tool, cloud manufacturing, wireless manufacturing. However, low level of information shared among different systems is a common disadvantage. In this paper, a machining database with data evaluation module is set up to ensure integrity and update. An online monitoring system based on internet of things and multi-sensors "feel" a variety of signal features to "percept" the state in CNC machining process. A high efficiency and green machining parameters optimization system "execute" service-oriented manufacturing, intelligent manufacturing and green manufacturing. The intelligent CNC machining system is applied in production. CNC machining database effectively shares and manages process data among different systems. The prediction accuracy of online monitoring system is up to 98.8% by acquiring acceleration and noise in real time. High efficiency and green machining parameters optimization system optimizes the original processing parameters, and the calculation indicates that optimized processing parameters not only improve production efficiency, but also reduce carbon emissions. The application proves that the shared and service-oriented CNC machining system is reliable and effective. This research presents a shared and service-oriented CNC machining system for intelligent manufacturing process.     

数控技术在机械模具制造中的具体应用及改进分析

我国的机械模具制造领域中应用数控技术,能够促使模具制造业的良好发展和进步,但是同时也会带来很多不利的影响,可能会出现误差问题或是不准确的因素,对机械模具制造行业的良好发展产生不良的影响。为确保数控技术在相关机械模具制造中的良好应用,下文分析具体应用情况,提出几点改进的建议,旨在为提升机械模具制造中的数控技术应用效果提供一定的依据。