Assume you are the production manager for a small machine shop that manufactures
precision parts for industrial equipment. How would you address the following set of
questions:
1. Can you use CAD, CAE, CAM, CIM, and FMS to manufacture better parts more easily?
Explain.
Using automation has helped increase business in the last 100 years. Using programs such
as CAD (computer aided design) and CAE (computer aided engineering) have helped
industry become faster, more quality reliant and have helped build better parts than ever
before. Using Chrysler as an example, using CAD and CAE, the company was able to
design there systems more effectively saving time, parts and money. (1 website) The CIM
(computer integrated manufacturing) has helped my company just in the last 10 years by
increasing our product to our customer and making it more consistent. Other examples are
from General Motors Corporation using a system called MAP, a tool used for machines to
talk to other machines and allowing them to make adjustments along the assembly lines for
productions speeds. (1 website) These and other computer related programs and tools have
helped make business both large and small more feasible, efficient, flexible when it comes
to business manufacturing.
2. If your final product requires several unique subunits that are all produced with different
machinery and in differing lengths of time, what facility layout will you choose and why?
I would use a cellular facilities layout in my design. In order to maximize my speed and
time, the cell layout would allow others to customize a client product (2 website). Each
