Описание
FPREF 07/06/2011 11:1:55 Page 5
PREFACE
It’s a world of manufactured goods. Whether we like it or not, we all live in a technological society. Every day we come in contact with hundreds of manufactured items, made
from every possible material. From the bedroom to the kitchen, to the workplace, we
use appliances, phones, cars, trains, and planes, TVs, cell phones, VCRs, DVD’s, furniture, clothing, sports equipment, books and more! These goods are manufactured in
factories all over the world using manufacturing processes.
Basically, manufacturing is a value-adding activity, where the conversion of materials into products adds value to the original material. Thus, the objective of a company
engaged in manufacturing is to add value and to do so in the most efficient manner, with
the least amount of waste in terms of time, material, money, space, and labor. To minimize waste and increase productivity, the processes and operations need to be properly
selected and arranged to permit smooth and controlled flow of material through the
factory and provide for product variety. Meeting these goals requires an engineer who
can design and operate an efficient manufacturing system. Here are the trends that are
impacting the manufacturing world.
Manufacturing is a global activity
Manufacturing is a global activity with companies sending work to other countries (China, Taiwan, Mexico) to take advantage of low-cost labor. Many US companies have plants in other countries and foreign companies have built plants in the
United States, to be nearer their marketplace. Automobile manufacturers from all
around the globe and their suppliers use just about every process described in this
book and some that we do not describe, often because they are closely held secrets.
It’s a digital world
Information technology and computers are growing exponentially, doubling in
power every year. Every manufacturing company has ready access to world-wide digital technology. Products can be built by suppliers anywhere in the world working
using a common set of digital information. Designs can be emailed to manufacturers
who can rapidly produce a prototype in metal or plastic in a day.
Lean manufacturing is widely practiced
Most (over 60%) manufacturing companies have restructured their factories (their manufacturing systems) to become lean producers, making goods of
superior quality, cheaper, faster in a flexible way (i.e., they are more responsive
to the customers). Almost every plant is doing something to make itself leaner.
Many of them have adopted some version of the Toyota Production System.
More importantly, these manufacturing factories are designed with the internal
customer (the workforce) in mind, so things like ergonomics and safety are key
design requirements. So while this book is all about materials and processes for
making the products, the design of the factory cannot be ignored when it comes
to making the external customer happy with the product and the internal customer satisfied with the employer.
New products and materials need new processes
The number and variety of products and the materials from which they are
made continues to proliferate, while production quantities (lot sizes) have become
smaller. Existing processes must be modified to be more flexible, and new processes
must be developed.
Customers expect great quality
Consumers want better quality and reliability, so the methods, processes, and
people responsible for the quality must be continually improved. The trend toward
(improving) zero defects and continuous improvement requires continual changes to
the manufacturing system.
Детали
- Год издания
- 2011
- Format